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On the Record with Walter Dalton

In the first of two conversations with the leading contenders for governor, host David Crabtree goes "On the Record" with Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton. Their conversation covers taxes, education and energy policy.

Posted 2012-09-15T18:51:47+00:00 - Updated 2012-09-15T18:56:48+00:00

On the Record: Lt. Gov Walter Dalton

Mark Binker

The first of two "On the Record" episodes with the leading candidates for governor will air Saturday, 9/15, at 7:30 p.m. on WRAL-TV, or you can watch in the player below.

This week, host David Crabtree questions Democrat Walter Dalton for the half hour. Republican Pat McCrory will be featured on next week's episode.

Crabtree opens the show by asking Dalton about the harsher tone he has taken toward McCrory in recent days. Crabrtree asks "what changed."

Nothing, says Dalton.

"I don't think anything has changed. We're comparing records," Dalton said. Dalton goes on to criticize McCrory's tax plan.

Dalton goes on to embrace the call for McCrory to reveal more of his tax returns, which independent groups have been making for much of the summer.

Other topics covered in this week's episode include:

Fraud and Waste: Dalton says Medicaid is an area where the state continues to find inappropriate spending. New software will help spot the problems, he said.

In the driver's seat?: Asked why, if he has had the prescription to fix the ailing economy, he has carried out those reforms at lieutenant governor. "I haven't had the steering wheel," Dalton said. He ads that some economic fixes could start working right away, while others would take months to take effect.

Fracking: Dalton says he doesn't oppose allowing exploration for natural gas with hydraulic fracturing but he's wary of the environmental consequences and did not think there was enough gas in North Carolina to create the benefits anticipated by backers. "Fracking will never be done in a commercial sense in North Carolina. That is not enough demand to create those jobs," Dalton said.

Voter ID: Dalton says he does not support a Photo ID requirement but would back a compromise ID measure floated but never heard during the last legislative session. Dalton said he was worried that ID requirements could driver elderly voters away from the polls. "I really don't think it is a problem," he said on the issue.

Eugenics: Dalton said he favors compensating victims of North Carolina's eugenics program.