PRIMARY '92
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THURSDAY. APRIL 30, 1992 I n
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Two Challengers
In his quest for his ninth term in
the state senate, 13th in the General
Assembly, Sen. R.C. Soles Jr. faces
two challengers in the May 5
Democratic primary.
They arc Ron Taylor, a former
state representative who resigned to
go to prison after conviction on
bribery and conspiracy chargcs in
1982. and Claude Spivcy, a retired
painting contractor who has never
held public office. He has unsuccess
fully cnaiienged Soics in five previ
ous elections.
Soles and Taylor responded to The
Brunswick Beacon's candidate ques
tionnaire and their responses arc in
cluded below.
Spivcy, 61, a former coffee shop
owner and Tabor City native, did not
return the form and did not return a
Beacon telephone call.
The redrawn 18th Senate District
comprises all of Brunswick and
Columbus countics, all of Bladen
County except Hollow and While
Oak precincts, and Wilmington
precincts No. 4 and 5 in New
Hanover County. The district encom
passes niral farming areas, beaches
and limited industry.
The winner of the May 5 Demo
era tic primary will face Republican
Jim Whitworth of Wilmington in the
November general election.
Soles, who has spent the past 24
yriifs in the Ciciicjii! Assembly, is
third in seniority in the Senate and
was ranked the seventh most effec
tive of the 50 senator in the last
General Assembly session in the bi
ennial rankings conducted by the
N.C. Center for Public Policy Re
search.
"1 believe that I am in a position to
represent the 18th Senatorial District
with leadership and ability, and enjoy
the highest respect of the oilier mem
Name: R.C. Soles Jr.
Age: 57
Address: Tabor City
Occupation: Attorney, senior par
tner in firm
Party: Democratic
Education: Bachelor of science.
Wake Forest University, 1956,
J.D., University of North Carolina
School of Law, 1959
Family: Single
Previous Experience: 16 years, N.C. Senate; 8 years,
N.C. House; current chairman, Judicary I Committee,
vice-chairman. Finance Committee; on Agriculture
Committee 24 years
SOLES
r
*
Name: Ron Taylor
Age: 39
Address: Elizabcthtown
Occupation: President, family
owned manufacturing business
Party: Democratic
Education: Bachelor of science.
East Carolina University, 1974
Family: Wife Vickie; 5-year-old
son
Previous Experience: N.C. House,
1977-1982, serving on appropria- TAYLOR
tions, six other committees; Governmental Operauons
Committee; delegate to and chairman of National
Conference of State Legislatures Committee on
Agriculture; N.C. Slate Ports Authority
1. Build our economic future on
high skills, not low wages
? Strengthen job training in high schools, com
munity colleges, and the workplace to make our
workers the best in the world
? Help industries invest in new equipment and
help employees learn new skills and earn more
money
? Nurture the growth of small and medium
sized businesses
2. Give teachers and parents more
say in our schools
? Cut bureaucracy in Raleigh and give teachers
and principals more decision-making authority
? Raise teachers' pay and give them the profes
sional status they deserve
? Get parents and citizens more involved in the
schools
? Give children a healthy start in life and better
pre-school education
Paid for by Citizens lor Jim Hunt
Hunt
? For Governor '92 ?
4. Restructure state government
and cut costs
? Cut the Governor's salary
? Decentralize decision-making and cut central
bureaucracy
? Reform the budget process and give man
agers more flexibility
3. Fight crime by making prison
inmates work
? Shift from costly prisons to low-cost farms
where inmates work to earn their keep
? End today's sentencing fiasco, where felons
serve only a month for every year of their
sentences
i
$
Seeking Soles' Seat In N. C. Senate
bcrs of the General Assembly," said
Soles.
Citing leadership roles on several
influential committees in the Senate,
Soles added, "The learning experi
ence 1 have received on these impor
tant committees, among other things,
makes me the most qualified candi
date for the post."
Taylor cites his past experience in
the House, when he served on a
broad range of committees and was
appointed by peers trs represent them
on several other panels. He also cites
his youth and experience running a
business with approximately 150 em
ployees as an advantage.
"I can make a big difference for
working and retired people in
Southeastern North Carolina," said
Taylor. "I am young enough to learn
and experienced enough to serve."
Taylor and Soles were both in
volved in Colcor, an undercover FB I
investigation of corruption in
Columbus County in the early 1980s.
A judge acquitted Soles in 19X3 on
charges of aiding and abetting a for
mer Columbus County commissioner
who as convicted of taking bribes.
Taylor was convicted on state and
federal charges of bribery and con
spiracy and was sentenced to 20
years in prison. He served four years,
including time spent on probation
during which he worked in a commu
nity service program in ni<adcri
County. His citizenship rights were
restored in May 1989.
Taylor says his life has completely
changed in the past 10 years and
those mistakes arc behind him. He
says that he is asking the people of
the region to give him a second
chance.
Both Soles and Taylor list educa
tion at or near the top of their list of
high-priority issues facing the Senate
and the Slate of North Carolina.
Health care is another shared con
cerned, along with economic -related
issues.
Soles says he would continue to
work for "top quality education"
throughout the state, while at the
same time trying to help reduce
crime and make streets, neighbor
hoods and homes safe.
Taylor says he wants teachers to
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drcn and that education is a partner
ship.
"Wc must include parents, teach
ers, students, industry and the com
munity so that our children arc pre
pared to meet the challenges of life,"
he said.
North Carolina needs a program
that "will provide health care for
everyone," Taylor bclieves-thosc on
a fixed income, the working family
and the poor.
Said Soles, "Health and environ
mental concerns need to be consid
ered as one of the top priorities.
Every person shuld be guaranteed
proper health care and a safe and
clean environment in which to live."
Taylor wants to sec opportunities
expanded for the state port, which is
in the new 18th District. The area
would benefit from the resulting
much-nccded economic boost, he
said. Also, he adds, "I will work
night and day to bring environmen
tally sale industry and better paying
jobs U) the area."
He describes agriculture as "the
life blood of our communities," say
ing that the area's family farms need
to be preserved anil the area's people
prepared with the education to meet
the challenges of the 21st Century.
Milliken Home Center
& Carolina Fire Sprinkler Co.
Refill Your Old {
Fire Extinguishers!
Dry ? Halon ? Co2 ?
Wednesdays 3 PM-5 PM
$1.75 per pound/$7.00 minimum
Milliken Home Center Parking Lot
The Shallotte Electric Stores ? Main St. Shallot te ? 754-6002
Leadership
for Real
Change
?' V