Last week Governor McCrory gave his State of the State address. Like governors before him, he used this as an opportunity to share with legislators and the general public his vision for the state going forward. Like the President is required to address Congress, the Governor’s State of the State address is required by our constitution. Article 3 of the North Carolina Constitution requires that “The Governor shall from time to time give the General Assembly information of the affairs of the State and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall deem expedient.” Unlike the President, governors have very few opportunities to speak directly to citizens without interruption or editing. As such, governors almost always take advantage of this opening. Governor Luther Hodges was the first to be able to offer his address uninterrupted through the use of, just created, UNC-TV in 1955. And it wasn’t until recently that the speeches were carried by many traditional media outlets such as television and radio stations. So why does this speech matter to you? Well, like the President’s address, it provides an opportunity to learn the priorities of the chief executive, how the priorities are presented and explained, and an indication of the governor’s approach. This year McCrory, like many of the governors before him, addressed education and economic development. Because these are often high priority items for governors nationwide, it is not surprising. However, there are more subtle cues provided. For example, this year Governor McCrory called himself an “Eisenhower Republican,” while former Governor Jim Hunt used his speeches to position himself as a business-minded Democrat. This year Governor McCrory said his administration will focus on economic development, education and efficiency. Stay tuned to the Center to see our important nonpartisan, unbiased research on these and many other critical issues to North Carolina.
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