We believe that the mission of government is to expand opportunity - not bureaucracy - to our culturally and ethnically diverse population. Democrats have demonstrated that government can be both responsive and responsible. Under Democratic leadership, our State has enjoyed growth and progress while balancing the budget every year. We support continuing efforts to make State government more efficient. We demand that our leaders have the highest ethical standards in theory and practice.

GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND EMPLOYMENT: We have a strong commitment to our government employees. We believe these professionals deserve fair wages and benefits comparable to those in the private sector. We support annual pay raises within the limits of fiscal responsibility. Annual pay increases will retain the best and brightest employees in government. We further support efforts to increase the numbers of qualified women and minorities in all levels of government where they are under-represented. We oppose any discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation in the hiring, firing or promotion of public employees. The purpose of the public retirement system is to recruit and retain competent employees and to help provide economic security in retirement. We support maintaining our sound and fiscally responsible, defined-benefit retirement system for all public employees.

OPEN GOVERNMENT: The government belongs to the people of North Carolina. Its people are entitled to observe its work.

RECORDS ACCESSIBILITY: We believe that State government must be accountable to the people of this great State through transparency in how government business is transacted. We firmly believe that personal information maintained by North Carolina government must remain secure and confidential.

Return to Issues