Roy Cooper makes stop in Goldsboro
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 14, 2016 10:04 AM
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Roy Cooper, second from left, is surrounded by party faithful Tuesday night during a stop at the Wayne County Democratic Party headquarters in downtown Goldsboro.
"Thank you, thank you," Democratic gubernatorial nominee Roy Cooper said as nearly 50 of the party faithful broke into applause and cheers as he talked about education spending, fair taxes and the need for the state to work for everyone.
"I am so grateful. Thank you. We are going to get it done," he said as he moved through the crowd shaking hands, exchanging hugs and posing for photos.
Cooper spent about 15 minutes Tuesday evening with Wayne County Democratic Party volunteers who were manning phones at the party's headquarters building on North Center Street.
The visit was more like a pep rally as Cooper paused on several occasions while the volunteers clapped and cheered.
He also attended a fundraiser Tuesday night at the home of former state Rep. Phil Baddour.
"It is so incredible to be in Wayne County and to be with so many hard-working Democrats today," he said. "We are 56 days from the election, but you know, early voting starts earlier than that. The work you are doing right now really matters.
"I grew up right down the road. I grew up in Nashville, N.C. Used to come here to Goldsboro to play basketball. I used to play against Rocky Mount. You know my claim to fame is blocking Phil Ford's shot. Now Phil got 52 points that night, but he did not get 54."
Cooper said he grew up on a farm working hard and where his parents had put him out in the tobacco patch pretty early in life.
"I learned hard work, and I learned dedication," he said. "I learned I really wanted a job in air conditioning when I grew up. I am grateful for the people giving me that. I am so thankful for this great state of North Carolina and what it has given to me.
"The No. 1 thing is public education. I got a public education in this state that I value. My mom and dad did. My three daughters got a public education in this state that they all value."
Cooper's mother was a public school teacher.
"I go all over North Carolina and every once in a while somebody will come up to me and say, 'I want to pay you a compliment,'" he said. "I think they are going to talk about me and they will say, 'Your mom was the best teacher that I had.'"
Cooper said that illustrates the power of public education and the opportunities it can bring for everybody.
Gov. Pat McCrory and the legislative leadership are turning their backs on public education, he said.
"We need a North Carolina that works for everyone not a select few," Cooper said to a chorus of, "that's right, that's right."
"We need a North Carolina that is going to put more money in the pockets of everyday working people," he said. "We do that for investment in education from cradle to college. Early childhood, K through 12, our community colleges and our universities are our economic engines. We know we have to invest.
"We know we have to have a fair tax system. Gov. McCrory talks about cutting everybody's taxes. That has not happened. He's cut taxes for the corporations and those at the top."
But the middle class is paying more, Cooper said.
Gov. McCrory has raised taxes on everyday people "67 different ways," he said.
"What we have to do is work harder than ever to make sure we elect forward-thinking people up and down the line," Cooper said. "We have a lot of work to do in Wayne County and in North Carolina. We have a lot of work to do in race relations.
"We need a leader who understands it is critical that we come together; that we stop violence; that we invest in education; that we care about everyday working people; that we need to accept the billions of dollars we have already paid to Washington that can come back to North Carolina and ensure hundreds of thousands North Carolinians with Medicaid expansion and that would create tens of thousands good-paying health care jobs and help private employers; and remember our military bases and how much they help our economy and having Seymour Johnson Air Force Base here is so critical to the economy our state."
Cooper told the volunteers he is grateful that they care about the future of the state.
"We are doing it for our kids," he said. "We are doing it for our grandkids. We know how critical this time is. The time is now. The time is now to get our state moving forward. Let's all work together. Many, many thanks."
Cooper was asked what people are telling him on the campaign trail.
"They are concerned about the state of public education in North Carolina," Cooper told The News-Argus in an exclusive interview. "We have got to get good teachers in our schools. We have got to pay them more. We have got to invest in our students.
"I hear frustrations from parents. They are having to buy school supplies for teachers. Teachers are having to do the same thing. Their kids don't have textbooks, and what you have got is a governor and General Assembly who are deciding that with tax revenue they are going to give tax breaks to corporations and those at the top instead of investing in public education and tax cuts for the middle class, and that is wrong."
Cooper said he believes people are ready for a North Carolina that works for everybody, not just a select few.
"I am excited about this campaign and the positive response," he said. "The polls look great, and we are ready to move forward and win this race."
Despite GOP claims to the country, the state remains 41st in the country in teacher pay, Cooper said.
"They (Republicans) have wasted four years and what we could have been doing. There were appropriations available for public education," he said. "They chose corporate tax giveaways. That is wrong for our state."
People know that HB2, also known as the bathroom bill, is hurting the economy, Cooper said.
"It is costing us hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs," he said. "People are worried about education for their kids. We know college is costing more and more. Gov. McCrory has raised community college tuition the last few years.
"We have got to have our community colleges and our universities at the forefront of better-paying jobs for people because CEOs tell me when you ask them what they need -- they don't say another corporate tax break. What these CEOs need is the people who have the skills to perform the jobs they create. That is how we are going to get better-paying jobs in North Carolina -- with better job training."