By Spencer Schneier, Staff Writer

Published in print Feb. 11, 2015

Last week, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory introduced his agenda for the year in his second State of the State address.

The first-term governor outlined his plans for 2015, which are centered on jobs, education, connectivity and government efficiency. 

He boasted about his administration’s progress in cutting North Carolina’s unemployment rate, noting that the state had added 200,000 jobs during his administration.

The governor touched first on jobs, and he stressed that he wanted to provide a set of tools for North Carolina to continue growing.

McCrory also emphasized that he wanted to begin making these moves in a matter of “weeks, not months.”

His plan for the economy, which he calls “N.C. Competes,” is intended to create sustainable economic growth in North Carolina through a focus on manufacturing. He stressed that this growth needed to stretch from “Wilkesboro to Greensboro.”

McCrory highlighted the growth of the energy sector in North Carolina, and mentioned a $5 billion natural gas pipeline through the eastern part of the state. He proudly stated that North Carolina is “off the bench and in the game” in the energy sector.

Environmental groups, as well as those concerned with property rights, are concerned about the impact of the pipeline, the News and Observer reported.

The Raleigh-based newspaper noted that the Southern Environmental Law Center has stressed concerns about the impact on sensitive habitats. Many local residents are concerned about, what they have deemed is, the invasion of their own communities and private property.

In a comment to the News and Observer, Tracy Pyles, a member of the Augusta County board of supervisors, likened the situation to an issue over property

“What is left to us but to rise up on our own, like in 1776,” Pyles asked the newspaper.

Proponents of the pipeline argue that it will provide energy to industrial parks in the area. This fits with McCrory’s emphasis on manufacturing.

McCrory argued that the pipeline would create tax revenue that will help fund teacher salary raises as well as transportation improvements.

Gov. McCrory explained that small businesses and improving North Carolina’s seaports are also important facets of his agenda.

Regarding the education system, his emphasis was on primary and secondary education.

He stated that he wants to raise the entry-level teacher salary in North Carolina to $35,000, and that he hopes to begin cutting standardized testing in order to give teachers more time to teach.

Teacher Portal, a website dedicated to supporting teachers, has North Carolina ranked 47 in the country in teacher pay.

According to their website, the average starting salary in North Carolina for a teacher is $30,778.

Moving to higher education, McCrory praised North Carolina’s university system for its strength, and noted the caliber of its research institutions.

The governor told the N.C. General Assembly that he wants to propose legislation to start turning the aforementioned research into ‘products, services and patents.”

He stated that his goal is for North Carolina to become the third vertex of what he refers to as the “National Innovation Triangle,” which includes Boston and Silicon Valley.

Part of this plan is to have a revolving fund that will provide capital to start-ups and innovations that come from North Carolina’s universities. He stressed that North Carolina has already had success in this area.

His overarching point on education is that he wants to continue to close the “skills gap,” which means improving the skills that students receive in North Carolina public educational institutions, and ensuring that those skills will translate to the workforce.

On transportation, McCrory emphasized a plan that will cost $1.2 billion, which will be funded by bonds, and will improve North Carolina’s highways.

North Carolina has an AAA bond rating— a rating that indicates the highest possible credit quality—and it will not have to provide a significant amount of money to cover the debt.

McCrory asserted that his plan will make it easier for the military to move along the coast, relieve congestion, improve evacuation routes in times of emergency, connect east-North Carolina to east-Virginia and spur economic growth.

For the Piedmont, he stressed that the plan would improve “bottleneck situations,” as well as improves the capacity for transportation of cargo. The Piedmont is a hotbed for this, with both Interstate-40 and Interstate-85 running through the heart of North Carolina.

He argued that his plan would help connect “Asheville to Wilmington.”

His remarks on healthcare surprised many, as he was expected to discuss the expansion of Medicaid. Instead, he focused on developing a plan that comes from North Carolina, not Capital Hill.

While reports have suggested he is open to an expansion of Medicaid, his remarks on Wednesday made him seem reluctant. Many Republican governors have spoke out against federal healthcare reform in recent years.

He also noted a growing problem with addiction and drugs.

McCrory’s final remarks were on government efficiency.

McCrory outlined measures that will increase maintenance efficiency for government buildings, cutting costs he deemed to be extraneous.

He claimed that 40 percent of worker’s compensation claims are fraudulent, and that measures will be taken to reduce that number.

Such a claim has incited controversy over the accuracy and purpose of his statement.

Another point he made was the high rate of information technology (IT) projects that go over budget, and he noted that some of the technology itself is outdated.

He wants to improve efficiency in this department by addressing both of these issues.

McCrory, throughout the speech, pointed to members of the North Carolina community, ranging from the educator, James Ford, to Michael Potts, a state trooper for North Carolina who was shot in the head but returned to service a few years later.

Noting his Greensboro roots, he said that he wanted North Carolina to have the “best of everything.”

McCrory argued that his proposed agenda would help both small towns and large cities, and that it would connect them.

The speech was timed at close to one hour and 20 minutes, unusually long for a State of the State address.