Republican gubernatorial candidate Fred Smith on Monday said he hopes his campaign will draw a line in the sand.

Smith, a state senator from Johnston County, said one side would be the liberal Democrats who believe in more government, more taxes and more central planning.

"I want to clearly, unmistakably, boldly paint a picture on the other side of that line with what I believe is the strength of our state," Smith said. "And I believe the strength of our state is our people -- free, hard-working, risk-taking, self-reliant, God-loving, family-oriented people."

Government's role is to empower the people, protect the people and protect the values of our people, he said.

Smith spent the day campaigning in Alamance County. In addition to attending a homebuilders luncheon, he was to hold a campaign rally and barbecue Monday night at Hawfields Middle School.

Smith faces Salisbury attorney Bill Graham and former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr for the Republican nomination for governor in next May's GOP primary.

He said his experience should give him the nod over his party rivals, including his experience as a military officer, farmer, attorney, businessman, county commissioner and state senator.

"I don't think being a governor is an entry-level position," Smith said.
If elected governor, Smith said he would work to change the culture at the Department of Transportation.

"The Department of Transportation is the poster child of what's wrong in Raleigh," Smith said. "The governor is in charge of the Department of Transportation. When you are the leader, you can't pass the buck."

Smith said a recent study found the DOT "inefficient, ineffective and unfocused." He said once he is able to get the department's focus in order, he would have leaders in place to carry out the DOT's mission.

He said he would urge the General Assembly to discontinue its annual $172-million transfer of Highway Trust Fund money into the general fund. He'd also tighten the state government budget by three-quarters of 1 percent and use it for transportation.

The two changes should produce enough money to issue up to $4 billion in highway construction bonds to go toward some immediate needs, Smith said.

Smith advocated putting controls on state spending by adopting a Taxpayer Protection Act, which would limit increases to growth in population plus inflation. He said the state should set priorities to meet the spending limits that such an act would require.

For example, he suggested combining the state's Smart Start and More at Four programs. He also suggested more efficiencies in the Medicaid program, looking at benefits covered under the program and trying to get a better handle on Medicaid fraud.

"There is no silver bullet," Smith said. "No one's going to go in and slash the state budget."

He said he's open to proposals to change the tax code, but doesn't believe that the state's budget problems are a result of too little taxes.

Smith said that the state should limit economic incentive deals by applying a three-pronged test:

1. Is it fair?
2. Does it make economic sense?
3. Is it a win-win situation?

He wants to see more discipline in the classroom to provide for a better learning environment. He suggested paying more for certain teaching specialties, such as science and math teachers, changing the state's testing program, having an enhanced career and technical school system and lifting the cap on the number of charter schools.

He also said the state needs to work with the community college system to meet needs and work better with home schools.

Smith wants to help every sheriff's department in the state get involved in immigration enforcement, require everyone who gets a driver's license to be in the state legally and require local institutes providing benefits to enforce federal immigration law.

Article by Barry Smith, Burlington Times News, published November 19, 2007 available online HERE.