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GOP candidates share ideas, differences
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Published: March 7, 2010
Republican candidates for three open seats on the Cabarrus County commissioners spoke on Thursday about jobs, veterans and school funding during a forum sponsored by the Cabarrus County Republican Party at Troutman's Barbecue.
More than 100 people, including all five members of the current Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners, attended the forum.
Commissioners Coy Privette and Grace Mynatt have each said they are not seeking re-election in 2010. Commissioner Chairman Jay White is running again and participated in the forum.
Commissioners Liz Poole and Bob Carruth attended the event, but are not up for election.
Republican candidates Larry Burrage, Phil Cowherd, Fred Eudy, Christopher McCartan, Chris Measmer and Thomas Sheppard each took turns sharing their ideas for the county and answering questions along with White. Republican commissioner candidates Jerry Conway and Lloyd Morris did not attend the forum.
Two democrats are running for commissioner this year. They are Rick Brown and Jim Fulton.
Democrat John Price withdrew his candidacy on Feb. 17.
Each forum participant asked party members for their votes in the May 4 Republican primary.
Burrage, a local business owner, said he's running because he wants to stop government overspending.
"I'm running because of (my) two grandchildren," he said. "I don't want to leave a debt to them."
Cowherd, a former Harrisburg Town Council member who worked for the Charlotte budget office until retiring in December, said he had the time and the expertise to help make Cabarrus County an efficient operation.
Eudy said he's running because "it's time for the county to straighten up and run right. No more damned property taxes for anyone over 65 years old."
McCartan, a local lawyer and former chairman of the Republican Party in Cabarrus County, said he is passionate about serving as a commissioner because of his son who turned four Thursday.
"He needs this to be as great a place for him as I believe it to be for me and my wife," McCartan said.
Measmer, a local businessman, said for so long he's heard about how problems have been created that will affect future generations.
"I am the future generation," he said. "It's my turn to be part of the solution."
Sheppard, a former U.S. Marine and local businessman originally from Montana, said he has been in Cabarrus County for several years and wants to see the local government run more like a business, spending what it can afford and keeping taxes low and wealth in the hands of local people and businesses.
"We have over 4,000 small businesses with 20 employees or less in this county," he said. "If one fourth of them could hire one more employee, that would mean 1,000 jobs.
"I doubt if it would get the governor here, but it would get my applause."
White said growth management and education are two issues he's concerned with going into this year's election.
"We have tried to add enough schools so children have a place to learn," he said. "I want to go beyond the brick and mortar now. We have technology issues we need to address."
White said later in the evening that an added financial pressure on the county in providing for local schools came down from the state Thursday. The state told county officials they will have to find ways to pay for books locally for the next school year.
• Contact reporter Karen Cimino Wilson: 704-789-9141
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