A North Carolina county's governing body, the board of commissioners, is one of those hands-on groups whose decisions affect residents' lives in direct, tangible ways. Think no further than three big-picture concerns - public safety, public health and education. And, yes, think of the taxes levied to support programs in those areas and many others.
Commissioners also have a large say in land-use decisions that shape the path and scale of development - and that can either protect or put at risk the water supplies upon which communities depend. They help set a county's business climate, influencing the supply of jobs.
In Wake County, it is the future of the public schools that has been the hot topic. As voters fill four of the seven commissioner seats in the Nov. 2 election, the school board's debates over a new student assignment plan will be ringing in their ears. The commissioners don't have a direct say on that issue, but with their oversight of school budgets and responsibility for financing school construction, their influence over the school system is profound.
A good candidate for the commissioners board must offer reliable support for public schools that give all students a fair and ample chance to succeed. Fortunately, the choices in each race include candidates meeting that description and showing other strengths as well. They have earned The N&O's editorial endorsement. Voters throughout the county can choose a favorite in each district.
District 1: Joe Bryan
Experience and common sense are key parts of the package offered by veteran incumbent Joe Bryan, a Republican seeking his third four-year term. A former mayor of Knightdale who is an executive with Wachovia Securities, Bryan is active in regional affairs such as transportation planning, and he is the incoming president of the N.C. Association of County Commissioners. The one-time Navy officer is a conservative who stresses the need to prioritize spending, but who is not so doctrinaire that he can't put partisan ideology aside.
Bryan has a track record of budgetary support for the schools and has been leery of rash changes of the kind the school board was considering while its narrow Republican majority held together. A more inclusive process was called for, he has said, and he was entirely right.
For the second time, Bryan's Democratic opponent is Don Mial, a criminal justice professional whose extensive military service includes a tour of duty in Iraq with a National Guard unit. Mial stresses the value of a good school system to boost the economy, and he is well-attuned to people's struggles during the recession. As an African-American who attended segregated schools, he understands the risks of a student assignment plan that would lead to resegregation by race or class. That is important. But on balance, Bryan's leadership and proven ability to work effectively on a range of issues make him the better choice.
District 2: Lindy Brown
Seeking her second term, Democrat Lindy Brown of Garner has carved out a place on the board as a hard-working, independent-minded commissioner who stays closely in touch with voters' concerns. She has a master's in social work, and she is a knowledgeable advocate for the county's efforts in areas such as mental health and affordable housing. At the same time, Brown is sensitive to the county's budgetary strains and to the burdens that government services place on taxpayers. She has served as the commissioners' vice chairwoman and acting chair.
Her Republican opponent is former Garner alderman Phil Matthews, owner of a special-events sound and light production company. Matthews links himself to the tea party call for lower taxes and smaller government. Those are fine goals in the abstract, but must be weighed against very real needs that only government can adequately address. Where Brown has been properly skeptical of the school board's direction, Matthews has been four-square for changes that could mean the creation of high-poverty schools requiring extra resources. Where those resources would come from, if the priority was to hold down expenses, is a question not worth the gamble of trying to answer.
District 3: Tony Gurley
or Steve Rao
There is plenty to be said for experience, as represented in this district by Republican commissioners chairman Tony Gurley of Raleigh, and there is plenty to be said for the kind of fresh, well-informed perspective offered by Democratic challenger Steve Rao of Morrisville. Gurley has served capably during his two terms. However, new candidates as impressive as Rao don't come along very often.
Rao runs a business (his firm manages sports and wellness programs for some of the region's big employers) and has worked in software sales. He is an appointed member of the state's Information Technology Advisory Board. With his expertise in that field, Rao would bring valuable insight to the commissioners board regarding enhanced efficiencies in county government.
Although Rao grew up in this country, his background as an Indian-American and experience overseas make him a very credible advocate for schools that can help equip students to compete for jobs in a global economy where innovation is essential.
On Wake County's core issues of education, land use and transportation, he is forward-looking and imaginative, while his business training gives him a good sense of budget realities. He appears more alert than Gurley to the risks and costs in creating high-poverty schools, despite Gurley's proper call for improved academics.
Gurley, a successful pharmacy owner turned lawyer, takes a conservative line on budget matters and no doubt has helped Wake maintain its record of sound fiscal management. Rao's energy and new ideas set him apart, although his lack of seasoning in local politics argues against an unqualified endorsement over this incumbent.
District 7: Jack Nichols
Raleigh attorney Jack Nichols knows the local political landscape like the back of his hand, having served previously as a county commissioner and recently as Wake Democratic chairman. He is a mainstream moderate in the mold of former Gov. Jim Hunt, on whose staff he served and who highlighted the link between education and the economy. In that spirit, Nichols would be a vigorous advocate for a well-funded and well-managed public school system. He stands firmly for policies that avoid the creation of high-poverty schools and has creative ideas for harmonizing relations between the school board and the commissioners.
Nichols is challenging one of the most familiar figures in Wake politics, incumbent Republican Paul Coble. While Coble's ethic of public service is unquestionable, as a leader he continues to disappoint. He simply is short on the kind of vision that can help this community build on its strengths and address its shortcomings. That was true during his years as a member of the Raleigh City Council, including a term as Raleigh's mayor, and it has continued during his four years as a commissioner. Nichols would represent an upgrade in many ways.
