Remember the 100 Day Republican Pledge?

The Republican Party made a 100 day pledge to the people of North Carolina on September 2, 2010. The 100 days ended on May 6, 2011. Some people are now saying that they meant 100 legislative days instead of calendar days since the record speaks for itself. The people of North Carolina stood up and did their part and now it is time to hold them accountable for their inaction. I put my comments in red after each point.

If the people of North Carolina entrust Republicans with a majority in the General Assembly on November 2, 2010, we commit to govern the State by focusing on these priorities:

1. Years of overspending by Democrats have given North Carolina the highest tax rates in the Southeast and a budget deficit of at least $3 billion; we will balance the State budget without raising tax rates.

Still waiting on the budget: the Senate version is not out and I do not see the necessary cutbacks in the House version to balance the budget.

2. High taxes are killing jobs. We will make our tax rates competitive with other states.

I have seen no reduction in tax rates but I have seen gas taxes raised.

Within the first 100 legislative days you, Republicans will work to:

3. Pass The Healthcare Protection Act, exempting North Carolinians from the job-killing, liberty-restricting mandates of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obama-Care”).

This promise was kept and Governor Bev vetoed the legislation after being pressured from the Obama administration.

4. Fight to protect jobs by keeping our Right to Work laws intact.

Since no action has been instituted to remove our Right to Work laws by the Democrat party, I guess this fight was never even started.

5. Reduce the regulatory burden on small business.

I see no legislation that reduced this burden. I am still paying my annual backflow preventer inspection to prevent terrorist attacks in Cary.

6. Fund education in the classroom, not the bureaucracy.

The House budget raised the budget for education but not by much. I see no realignment in the classroom for resources and no reduction in the budget for the Department of Public Instruction.

7. Eliminate the cap on charter schools.

This legislation was passed.

8. Pass the Honest Election Act, requiring a valid photo ID to vote.

This is the biggest disappointment that the General Assembly has done in this session. Where is the integrity to ensure our votes?

9. Pass the Eminent Domain constitutional amendment to protect private property rights.

HB 485 is still in committee and it is not want was promised.

10. End pay-to-play politics and restore honesty and integrity to state government.

I see no change in the political structure and the gambling casinos are still operational. State legislators are limited to introducing 10 pieces of legislation per session. So much for integrity.

I give our Republican General Assembly an F for what has been promised versus what they have done. What grade do you give them?

David DeGerolamo

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