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News: Primary Election 2008 Preview
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Primary 2008Return to the list of candidates. Patricia OliverAge: 60 Residence: Selma Occupation: CEO/Chairwoman/President of Around the Clock Plumbing and Oliver’s Construction Co. Q: How do you plan to balance Johnston County needs with the needs of Wayne County? A: I plan to treat Wayne County just like Johnston County. I promise the voters of Wayne County that when the Senate is not in session, I will be in Wayne County every two weeks to have meeting with the people. Q: How can the state help the counties/regions in terms of economic development, farmland preservation, water resources? A: The state should be looking for industry that can work well with each county's areas. Farmland is the backbone of the country. We need to help farmers produce a product they can sell. We have to preserve water now for later. Q: Will you continue Medicaid relief? A: I believe that if every person that uses Medicaid has to pay a percent of its cost they would not abuse the program. Q: Will you raise the gas tax? If not, how will you pay for transportation needs? Will you pledge to not push secondary road maintenance responsibilities onto the counties? A: No. The state should maintain all roads. I want to re-structure the way DOT is managed. Q: Will you lower state income taxes? A: It is a known fact that once you have a tax, it is almost impossible to do away with it or cut it. Q: With the state experiencing surpluses in recent years, how will you deal with the likely deficits as the economy continues to go south? A: The state is spending more money than it is taking in. I would re-structure every budget in the state government and quit spending money we don't have. Q: How do you plan to deal with the rapidly overcrowding of the state's prisons and county jails? A: The majority of prisoners can't read, write and they are dropouts. We need to teach basic education to all children from pre-kindergarten until the eighth grade. In the ninth grade there should be vocational classes with credits toward a two-year college or the hours to acquire a state license. Let’s invest in our children with education, rather than build more prisons. Q: What can be done to help counties deal with school facility financing? A: I thought school facility financing was to be paid for by the income from the lottery. I think the upper crust that's managing the lottery started out at a too great rate of pay. I believe we should put these people on a pay scale. Q: What message do you want to take to Raleigh about eastern North Carolina? A: Eastern North Carolina is a great place to live, work and play come visit us. We need industry and better education. |
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