David S. Scott: McCrory’s unpleasantries

The opening sentence of your Sept. 11 news article “Pat McCrory fights perceptions that he’s changed” on the candidacy of Gov. Pat McCrory referred to “a growing economy, rising teacher pay and falling taxes.” It makes me wonder where you have been for the past four years.

You conceded that the growing economy has been injured by the governor’s insistence on House Bill 2 but don’t mention that improvements in the economy might have more to do with national trends than North Carolina policies. Over the past four years, teacher pay has stagnated and was given only a small uptick as the elections approached. McCrory has presided over ruinous public education policy.

The falling taxes are evident only in the income tax, which has been replaced for revenue with regressive taxes such as sales and services tax. Otherwise, there would be no surplus.

Other unpleasant things the governor has done include supporting the pollution of our waterways and keeping local communities from removing their own memorials. There is little wonder that McCrory’s actions are not approved by the residents, even if the policies did originate in the N.C. Senate.

This story was originally published September 24, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "David S. Scott: McCrory’s unpleasantries."