By Steve Huffman
Salisbury Post
SPENCER ó Bill Graham told a group gathered at the Spencer Fire Department Tuesday night that he’s never held an elected office in his life.
Not a one.
Then Graham made mention of the many elected officials in Raleigh who have done nothing but serve as politicians.
“How’s that working for y’all?” Graham asked, his question prompting a round of laughter among the 30 or so seated before him.
Graham, a Salisbury attorney and Republican candidate for governor, held a sort of town hall gathering in the fire department’s meeting room Tuesday night.
The mood was light, with lots of snacks and chit-chat mixed amongst good-natured politicking.
Graham spoke for about 30 minutes, then opened the floor to questions, of which there were several.
He said the last thing he wants to be is another politician.
“We have too many politicians and not enough public servants,” Graham said.
He mentioned the problems that have evolved around the introduction of the state lottery as an example of politicking run amok.
“I think we’ve hired more lawyers than teachers with the lottery money,” Graham quipped. “Isn’t that a shame?”
He said he got interested in running for governor shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf states and caused a temporary spike in gas prices.
Graham said that without asking anyone in the state legislature’s permission or opinion, he organized a campaign against automatic increases in the state’s gas taxes, the highest in the Southeast.
Graham referred to the resulting drive as the largest grassroots movement in state history, forcing the General Assembly and governor to cap the gas tax.
Graham said Tuesday the movement has saved taxpayers between $180 and $200 million.
“Now, your gas tax won’t go up every time prices go up at the pump,” he said.
Graham spoke on any number of subjects Tuesday, addressing illegal aliens, problems with the Department of Transportation and public education.
Graham noted that there are anywhere from 400,000 to 500,000 illegal aliens in North Carolina, individuals who get driver’s licenses and take advantage of free health services while Americans with limited health insurance do without.
Graham said he’d like law enforcement officers to have the OK to arrest any illegal alien they encounter.
“They’re here illegally,” he said. “They’re breaking the law.”
Graham referred to the DOT as having “Soviet-style management” and said the bureaucracy involved in getting even the most simple road repairs completed is ridiculous. He said some of the work involved in doing road repairs should be turned over to municipalities, noting locals know far better than someone in Raleigh the work most needed.
Graham said he was in favor of turning more of the decision-making process involving schools back to local school systems.
“Raleigh does not have all the answers, but Raleigh can empower the local school boards to make the decisions,” he said.
Graham said if elected, he’d hold a weekly meeting where citizens would be encouraged to call in and chat with him through a radio broadcast. He referred to the program as, “Meet the Governor.”
“It’d be an open mike,” Graham said.
He made light of recent polls that show him trailing by a considerable margin fellow Republican candidates Pat McCrory and Fred Smith.
“The polls are all over the place,” Graham said.
He said he’s convinced that the vast majority of the state voters haven’t decided who they’ll support even with the primary less than two weeks away.
“People have kicked the tires to some degree, but they still haven’t decided,” Graham said.
During the meeting, Graham asked those in the crowd to raise a hand if they knew of something the government does well for them.
There was a long, pregnant pause.
Finally, from the back of the room, someone said, “They take our money.”
And everyone in attendance burst into laughter.
Graham promised that if elected, he’d do more than take the taxpayers’ money.
He was introduced Tuesday by Mark Jennings, administrative claims director at Wallace and Graham, the law firm of which Graham is a partner. Jennings said he’d worked with Graham for 10 years.
“He’s an intelligent decision-maker,” Jennings said. “He’s smart about business matters. He’s got a unique way to make government work for us rather than against us.”
Spencer Mayor Jody Everhart also addressed the crowd prior to Graham taking the floor. Everhart said the meeting was indicative of a small-town political gathering where 30 or 50 people meet to support a candidate, “then get the work back out.”
Contact Steve Huffman at 704-797-4222 or shuffman@salisburypost.com.