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Mayors Endorse Perdue

The mayors of several of North Carolina’s largest cities have endorsed Democrat Beverly Perdue for governor, not fellow municipal leader Pat McCrory. Perdue’s campaign announced support from the mayors of 14 towns and cities, including Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Asheville and Wilmington. McCrory, the Republican nominee, has been mayor of Charlotte since 1995. Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy was quoted saying the lieutenant governor understands the issues facing the various parts of North Carolina. Read more

CAMPAIGN NEWS

IN – Long Thompson Unveils Foreclosure Prevention Plan. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson announced proposals Wednesday designed to help families avoid home foreclosures, including required mediations with borrowers and lenders. She accused Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels of doing nothing to help people avert foreclosures, although he has signed legislation over the past two years that partially addresses the issue. Read more

MO – Nixon: State Auto Industry Can Revive. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jay Nixon outlined his plans for bolstering the state’s auto industry, meeting with auto workers in a St. Louis suburb hit hard by industry layoffs. Nixon, currently the state attorney general, told Chrysler workers in Fenton that Missouri is a prime location for the auto industry to launch production of electric and other energy-efficient vehicles. “A whole new generation of vehicles is going to be made in this country, a whole new product line of demand,” Nixon told dozens of workers at a union hall near a Chrysler plant. Nixon said that as governor, he would use job training, tax breaks and other financial incentives to attract and retain next-generation auto jobs in Missouri. Read more

GENERAL NEWS

KY – Beshear Announces New Jobs. Gov. Steve Beshear says a Japanese auto parts manufacturer is building a new plant in central Kentucky. Beshear says Fuel Total Systems is planning to make fuel tanks and components in Lebanon, Kentucky. Beshear says he negotiated with the company during a recent trip to Japan. Read more

NJ – Corzine Stands Up for American Indian Tribes. Citing years of neglect and a need for the state to properly recognize three New Jersey American Indian tribes, Gov. Corzine signed an executive order aimed at promoting equality and granting certain rights and privileges previously inaccessible. Granting the tribes state-only recognition would give them, along with the state, access to federal funds that can go toward their communities to help with environment, education and health issues. Read more

NM – Richardson: Workplace Policies on Domestic Violence Required. Gov. Bill Richardson has signed an executive order requiring state agencies to implement workplace policies regarding domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking to provide victims with safe and supportive work environments. Richardson also issued a proclamation declaring October Domestic Violence Awareness Month across the state. Read more

OH – Strickland Forms Economic Development Cabinet. Gov. Ted Strickland signed an executive order creating an economic development subdivision in his cabinet. The order creates the Ohio Economic Growth Cabinet, a collection of leaders of various state departments and organizations. The goal of the new group, Strickland said, is to improve how the state collects economic information and make sure it meets regulation goals. Read more

PA – Rendell Discusses Health Care Plan with Students. Gov. Edward G. Rendell asked Misericordia students and the local legislators to support his “Prescription for Pennsylvania” healthcare services plan during a visit to the campus. The Governor discussed needs for a universal health care plan to cover the more than 770,000 Pennsylvanians who have no way to pay for a doctor’s visit. Gov. Rendell started by recapping the progress his administration has made in expanding health care to the underserved in the state, include the doubling of the number of people now served by Medicare and the PACE senior citizens prescription program. He said he hopes his new plan will ensure that every child in Pennsylvania will have access to health care coverage by 2010. “Ours is a three part plan of innovative practice strategies. First we need to contain costs so that we can afford universal coverage. We can do this in part by controlling infection in the hospital setting. Infections cost the industry $2.5 billion a year. Controlling infections will not only cut costs, but improve quality,” Rendell said. Read more

TN – Bredesen Pushes Expansion of Pre-K Program. The pre-kindergarten program in the local public school district is now 10 times larger than when it was established four years ago. Gov. Phil Bredesen continues to push to expand the pre-K option. Bredesen met with 75 “key congressional staffers” during a congressional briefing held in Washington, D.C. Bredesen said the briefing was designed as a venue to discuss the importance of funding pre-K education and maintaining state-level momentum. Staying focused on pre-K educational programs “can make a huge difference,” he said. Bredesen emphasized the critical importance of adhering to the “three core principles” of Tennessee’s pre-K education philosophy: a certified teacher in every classroom, a small student-to-teacher ratio and requiring the use of a formal curriculum endorsed by the state Board of Education. Read more

VA – Kaine Urges Virginians to File for Stimulus Checks. More than 96,000 Virginians still haven’t claimed about $29 million in federal economic stimulus payments, and the deadline to file for the checks is coming soon. Gov. Tim Kaine says many of those who haven’t claimed their payments from the Internal Revenue Service might be residents of nursing homes or retired Virginians who aren’t usually required to file tax returns. The filing deadline is October 15. Read more

WV – Manchin: State is Prepared for Financial Storm. Gov. Joe Manchin called a press conference at the state Capitol to let West Virginians know where they stand in the current financial storm. His answer: West Virginia is in pretty good shape, at least for now. “I’m happy to report that every indication, everything that we have done with cash, paying our bills is as solid if not more than it’s ever been.” Read more

WI – Doyle Announces Funds for Low-Income Heating Assistance. About $130 million will be available this winter to help low-income families with their heating bills.
That’s nearly twice the amount Wisconsin previously received from the federal Low Income Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP. Gov. Jim Doyle announced the aid as the winter heating season officially began. He says the program should help nearly 160,000 families. The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program will distribute the money through county social services departments, tribal agencies and community agencies. Doyle says the money should help low-income families hit hard by rising food and energy costs. Read more

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