Re-evaluating how the state allocates transportation funding ranks high on the four Republican gubernatorial candidates' lists of priorities.

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, N.C. Sen. Fred Smith, Justice Bob Orr and Bill Graham expressed their views on the N.C. Department of Transportation, illegal immigration, the N.C. Education Lottery and growth during the 2008 Reagan Day Dinner.

The event, which was hosted by the Iredell County Republican Party, was a stop for many state and local officials seeking re-election this year.

Meanwhile, the outside of the Statesville Civic Center was flanked by supporters of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul .

"We need to build the roads where the cars are," McCrory told the partisan crowd.

McCrory said transportation funding is a problem in this part of the state.

"We need to take the politicians out and put some engineers on there," McCrory said of the N.C. Board of Transportation.

Orr said the entire system was dysfunctional and needed to be overhauled using a business model.

If elected, Smith said he would justify each road project before it funded.

"I'm the only candidate who builds roads for a living," Smith said. "We got to get a business principle in there. We got $60 billion in road needs."

The state's population is expected to continue to grow during the next couple of years, he said, and the government needs to improve the state's infrastructure now.

Graham agreed, stating residents of Iredell County needed to take a close look at how their road needs are being funded.

He said if a bridge is built or a change it made to one of the Interstates running through the county it messes with the entire funding structure for other projects.

The candidates were also asked what they thought about the lottery and how they would distribute the funding if they were governor.

Each candidate said he opposed the lottery, but since it is in place they thought it should be distributed completely on a per capita basis instead of being partially reliant on property tax rates.

McCrory, Smith and Orr said it sent the wrong message about residents' value system.

"It was a bad idea to begin with," Smith said.

Some of the ideas suggested by the candidates regarding illegal immigrants included building a state detention facility and depriving illegal immigrants of driver's licenses.

Orr said the state needs to start enforcing laws that are already in place.

Smith said he's taken a lot of time on his barbecue tour talking to people about what they want and what they don't want during the next four years.

"The people tell me they are fed up with sending $22 billion to Raleigh and not getting their money's worth," he said. "We got to do better and we will do better. We can not continue to move this way."

The article above by Bethany Fuller was published February 17, 2008 in the Statesville Record & Landmark and is available online HERE.