Democrats agree on this point: Perdue isn't here

RALEIGH - Two Democratic candidates for governor reached immediate and easy agreement at a Tuesday night debate -- criticizing the third candidate for skipping the forum.

State Treasurer Richard Moore and retired Air Force Col. Dennis Nielsen politely disagreed over road money, corporate incentives and free community college tuition. Both, however, criticized Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue for missing the debate to be broadcast Sunday as an edition of the TV show "NC Spin."

Perdue was represented by an empty chair on the set, and host Tom Campbell repeatedly noted that she had been invited.

Perdue spokesman David Kochman said time constraints prevented her from participating.

During a rapid fire round of questioning, Moore talked about his proposal for two free years of community college tuition for high school graduates, as part of an overall effort to improve students' job opportunities and boost the economy. While Nielsen was equally supportive of the schools' role in job training, he disagreed with giving away tuition.

Nielsen also proposed ending the transfer of highway trust fund money to the general budget.

"We can't go to people and say we're going to increase taxes" for roads, Nielsen said, and then spend the money elsewhere.

Moore said such pledges shift the problem instead of solving the fundamental imbalance between spending and revenue.

On the subject of creating jobs, Nielsen said corporate incentives, such as the state grants to computer giant Dell, help create jobs in metropolitan areas but do little for the rest of the state. Moore, though, said the governor must be able to recruit as many new companies as possible after the decline of the once dominant textiles and furniture industries

"I want a full toolbox to do that," Moore said. "I want everything at my disposal that the state of North Carolina can afford to give me."

The two candidates found agreement on more than just Perdue's absence, including the need for reforming the state board of transportation and higher pay for science and math teachers.