The candidates' ideas on reform

Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Beverly Perdue, the two major candidates for governor, spoke Tuesday at a forum about reforming state government. Here are some of their proposals:

McCrory

* Weekly Internet reports from campaigns showing who gave them money: "Make it more transparent," he said.

* A ban on cash contributions (now limited to $50).

* A prohibition on legislators soliciting contributions for nonprofits. Relatives of several legislators received scholarships in recent years from a nonprofit for which the lawmakers raised money, so the nonprofit ended up looking like a pass-through for gifts to the lawmakers' families.

* A requirement that legislators publicly declare their conflict of interest on legislation.

* A veto of any budget with items added during negotiations over differing House and Senate versions of the plan. In the past, legislative leaders have added pet projects not approved by a committee or floor vote in either chamber of the legislature.

* No campaign fundraising by members of transportation, university or ABC boards.

* Public listing of all state contracts and bids. Contracts already are listed on the Internet.

* Public access to copies of the governor's e-mail.

Perdue

* An endowment, funded by nonprofits, that would finance the campaigns of candidates for governor, reining in both spending and negative campaigning. Perdue halted her negative ads during the primary but has used them so far in the general election.

* A Google-type search engine for scrutinizing all state contracts.

* An independent budget reform panel whose recommendations can't be amended, much like the federal commission that determines which military bases should be closed.

* Live video streaming of state meetings over the Internet.