I’m disappointed that Joe Fowler in his Sept. 15 letter to the editor repeated the tired Democrat falsehood, “Your current representatives could not even pass a budget last fall.” The N.C. Legislature passed a budget in June 2019. Gov. Cooper vetoed it.

Teachers should be aware that Gov. Cooper signed “mini-budgets” after the budget veto, to include pay raises for some state employees; however, he vetoed several “mini-budgets” that had pay raises for teachers, teacher assistants, custodians, and other staff pay raises. The 3.9% pay raise that the governor vetoed in the budget was the sixth consecutive pay raise that the legislature had approved for educators. The governor: multiple vetoes to teacher pay raises.

In the June Senate vote for the budget, four Democrats voted for the budget. After the governor’s veto, zero Senate Democrats voted for the budget. Democrats are playing politics over helping citizens.

It would be correct to say that the governor and the legislature failed to reach a budget compromise, but the legislature did pass a budget. In addition, the governor vetoed pay raises for educators, multiple times.

Vote for Rep. Julia Howard, Rep. Harry Warren and Rep. Wayne Sasser to continue the improvements that they have brought to our state. Vote for Dan Forest to be governor so we will have a leader who works with the legislature to pass a state budget rather than play politics.

— Elaine Hewitt

Cleveland