Bill Culpepper
NC Legislator

Culpepper Wins Reelection

Wednesday, 8 Nov 2000
The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VA (Copyright 2000)
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By Catherine Kozak

The political landscape in northeastern North Carolina appeared it would suffer no turf loss for two incumbent state leaders in Tuesday's elections. 

State Sen. Marc Basnight was whomping relatively unknown Republican challenger Ronald W. Toppin Sr. Tuesday in the 1st Senatorial District race, likely giving the Manteo Democrat his ninth two-year term…

State Rep. W.T. "Bill" Culpepper III, a Chowan County Democrat, faced a stiffer challenge for re-election to another two-year term in the 86th District, with Republican opponent Cheryl Byrd riding his bumper for much of the evening. With 17 of 19 precincts reporting in Dare County, Byrd had 5,205 votes to Culpepper 's 4,861. When Manteo and Kitty Hawk finally came in, Culpepper edged out Byrd by a mere five votes, 6,477 to 6,472. 

But Chowan's tallies, with all six precincts in, put the math solidly in Culpepper 's favor, with 2,867 to Byrd's 1,313. With two out of six precincts in, plus absentee ballots, Tyrrell reported Culpepper with totals of 642 to Byrd's 271. 

The 86th District includes Dare, Tyrrell, Washington and Chowan counties. 

Washington County tallies were unavailable at press time. 

Basnight, 53, has held his seat since 1984. Elected Senate president by his peers in 1993, Basnight is the longest-serving Senator Pro Tempore in the state's history. He is seeking re- election to the post in January. 

A Dare County commissioner and resident of Southern Shores, Byrd, 57, is a retired government analyst. Culpepper , 53, a third generation Edenton lawyer, was chosen to fill an unexpired term of the late Raymond M. "Pete" Thompson in 1993 and has been re-elected three times. 

Incumbent Bill Culpepper says Experience Required

Saturday, 4 Nov 2000
The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VA (Copyright 2000)
Page B1
By Paul South

Incumbent state Rep. W.T. "Bill" Culpepper III says that anyone can point out problems, but it takes experience to find solutions in the often-complicated world of the North Carolina General Assembly.

Cheryl Byrd, a Dare County commissioner and Culpepper 's opponent Tuesday, says Culpepper and his Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives haven't gotten the job done and it's time for a change.

Those aren't the only differences between the two candidates for the seat in the 86th District, as diverse a district as any in the state. It includes tax-rich, tourism-driven Dare County and rural, economically struggling counties Tyrrell and Washington, and Chowan County, with elegant Edenton in its center.

Byrd contends that Democrats, in control of the House and Senate for much of Culpepper 's seven years in office, have failed to reform education and bring the booming economy to poor counties in the Albemarle.

"We've had all of these programs, and North Carolina schools still rank 48th nationally," she said. "Forty percent of our students don't graduate from high school. I consider that a crisis.

"The education bureaucracy in Raleigh has become too large and ineffective, using tax dollars that could be used to help children compete. We need to do a better job."

Culpepper contends that education programs - from more funding for North Carolina's low-wealth and small school districts to raising teacher salaries to the national average - have been a success. The education reform efforts pushed by the Hunt administration, he says, are a national model.

"Things aren't perfect," Culpepper said. "But things don't get fixed overnight, just like the problems didn't occur overnight. But we're on the right track."

North Carolina could face a radical change in the next legislative term if the state loses a suit filed by the state's poor and urban counties, which say the state's current funding formula discriminates against them. As a result, they argue, their schools can't meet state mandates to provide quality public education.

"If the judge rules in favor of the school districts, the loss would be much greater if we hadn't enacted the added funding for low- wealth and small districts," Culpepper said.

Turning to the economy, Culpepper says that building a quality infrastructure - roads, water and sewer systems - will help bring prosperity and new jobs to poor counties.

"Take Tyrrell County for example," Culpepper said. "They have problems there because of a low water table, so there are a lot of septic problems. We need to continue to help these areas. And we're making progress on roads.

"Roads that have been needed for a long time are at last on the horizon. That's something we've worked for. But I think more than that, we have to educate our work force. There are children being born into a crisis situation educationally and socially because of where they're born."

Byrd contends that unless something is done quickly to help poorer counties, their economic problems will spill over into the wealthy areas. She advocates training the work force in clean, technology- based industries that will allow for sustainable growth.

"Dare County has been the gem of the northeastern part of the state," she said. "But there are other counties that are being left behind. I'm not just talking about state dollars but real help for them to re-energize their economy."

Byrd has run an aggressive campaign throughout the district, arguing that Culpepper has not been effective in 7 1/2 years in the legislature. She said that if Culpepper is re-elected, he won't serve a single day in his next term because he's in line for one of three new seats on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Culpepper denies the charge.

"That's not true," Culpepper said. "I've heard that rumor, too, being spread by the state Republican Party in Raleigh, but it's not true."

Byrd says she will be a full-time legislator, with regular office hours throughout the district. Retired after a working life that included long-term planning and analysis for government agencies and a short stint as a junior high mathematics teacher, Byrd says she will be more accessible to the public. 

"He's had seven years in the legislature, and I don't see him as being that effective," she said. "He hasn't sponsored any major legislation, just those local bills he's been asked to present by county commissions." 

Culpepper contended that the idea of a full-time legislator "goes against the grain" of what was intended. 

"The idea of a citizen legislature goes back to the founding of the Republic. She's advocating a full-time legislature with full- time pay. That's wrong. I have a business and I have family responsibilities. But I think I've always been accessible to the press and the public." 

This race marks the first time Culpepper , a third-generation lawmaker, has had primary and general election opposition. 

"Anybody can point out things that are wrong," he said. "I haven't heard (Byrd) offer a solution. It takes experience to get things done and offer solutions. I've done that in my time in the House." 

Culpepper , 53, is an Edenton lawyer and graduate of Hampden- Sydney College and Wake Forest University. Byrd, 57, holds degrees from Wells College and the University of Wisconsin. 

Primary Heats Up  between Culpepper and Ward

Sunday, 16 Apr 2000
The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VA (Copyright 2000)
By Paul South

Charles Ward doesn't mince words when asked why he's challenging established incumbent state Rep. William T. "Bill" Culpepper , D- Chowan, for the 86th District House seat.

"He doesn't understand the needs of the people," said Ward, a Perquimans County commissioner and member of a number of state panels, including the Board of Transportation.

For the first time since Culpepper , an Edenton attorney, was elected to the General Assembly, he has opposition in both the primary and the November general election. Dare County Commissioner Cheryl Byrd is the Republican nominee.

"I've had opposition in the primary some years, opposition in only the general election in others, but never both in the same election cycle," Culpepper said.

The primary contest is one of the most compelling of the season. Ward is a former shipyard superintendent who has owned an auto parts business in the farming and fishing town of Hertford for 30 years.

Culpepper , for six years a member of the General Assembly, comes from a political family rooted in Edenton, the first capital of North Carolina. He is the third generation of his family to serve in Raleigh.

Like Culpepper 's challengers of the past, who have characterized him as a "phantom" lawmaker, Ward says the incumbent is out of touch with his constituency.

But the nonpartisan North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research ranked Culpepper , chairman of the House Rules Committee, the third most effective member of the House.

"If he's ranked third, he ought to be bringing more home to the district," Ward said.

Culpepper has heard the argument before.

"I don't know what it is that these people expect," he said of his critics. "I represent five counties. I have a full-time job practicing law. I think I do a good job of representing this district. Also, I have a family. I have a life."

The cornerstone of Ward's platform is managing the expansion of eastern North Carolina.

"The big issue for eastern North Carolina is what I call `smart growth,' " he said. "We want to enhance our state economically, but we don't want to sacrifice our quality of life to do it. I want increases in jobs, but 100 years from now, I want my great-great- grandchildren to be able to enjoy the same quality of life we have now. I think we have to do some serious long-range planning."

Culpepper is again focusing on what he calls "the three E's": education, the environment and the economy.

The General Assembly this year is facing a $450 million shortfall in meeting Hunt's promise to bring teacher salaries to the national average; providing a 3 percent increase in state employee salaries; and settling a number of outstanding lawsuits, including the education equity funding suit, which seeks more money for poorer counties.

But Culpepper says lawmakers are in no mood to raise taxes.

"There won't be any tax increases this year," he said.

Top issues in the House include beach nourishment and boosting the economy.

"South Nags Head looks like a war zone," Culpepper said. "But I'm not in favor of charging a user fee. There has been a lot of discussion as to whether the beaches are public or private. But there's not a mood to charge any additional taxes or fees in the House. But we need to do something."

If beach renourishment endangered the environment, "I wouldn't be for it," Culpepper said, "but I don't think it will be."

Culpepper sees economic growth ahead in the district, particularly with the widening of roads, the deregulation of electricity and natural gas, and new tax incentives to lure businesses to the area.

"I hate that we had to get into the business of incentives," he said. "But I believe the new jobs and new taxes generated will more than offset the cost of those."

Ward has transportation concerns, especially because of the anticipated growth of tourism, not only on the Outer Banks, but in neighboring counties that are developing tourism as an industry. He has been on the state transportation board since 1997.

"I don't believe we're going to be able to build enough roads to accommodate the tourists," Ward said. "We need to spend money developing alternate means of transportation - people ferries instead of car ferries, bicycle paths in places like Ocracoke and Corolla. We can't just keep handling cars."

Ward also supports job creation. He points to an effort during his tenure on the transportation panel.

"We hired six people as part of `Work First,' " North Carolina's welfare reform initiative, he said. "They're all full time with DOT now. We need to do more of that."

Environmentally, the state should step in to help hog farmers make the transition away from lagoons to alternative ways of dealing with waste, both candidates say.

"Lagoons are a dirty word right now," Ward said. "But years ago, when the state mandated lagoons, the farmers complied. The state should help them make the transition away from lagoons. I believe farmers are some of the best environmentalists there are. We should do what we can to help them."

Culpepper believes the major pork companies that buy hogs from North Carolina farmers should help defray the cost of the transition away from lagoons.

"The big pork producers benefit from the work of the farmers here, and we're left with the waste," he said. "They should help pay for cleaning that up."

Ward also called for an end to unfunded state mandates.

"As someone who's worked in county government, I know how difficult it is when the state mandates something and doesn't provide any funding for it," he said. "That has to stop."

On the topic of schools, both candidates favor the continuation of additional state funding to poorer school districts. The state is awaiting a ruling in the Leandro case, filed by the state's poor and urban districts, asking for a new state funding formula to ensure equity among districts statewide.

The Democratic primary is May 2.

Paul South can be reached at 441-1625.

Meet the Candidates

Charles Ward Age: 62 Occupation: Businessman Education: Perquimans County High School; Newport News Shipyard apprenticeship. Political experience: A member of Perquimans County Board of Commissioners, Ward is also a member of the state transportation board. He was a founding member of the Northeastern North Carolina Economic Partnership and is a member of the Albemarle-Pamlico Economic Development Partnership. Lead issue: Ward favors what he calls "smart growth," the development of a long-range plan to manage the ever-growing northeastern part of the state.

William T. "Bill" Culpepper Age: 53 Education: Hampden-Sydney College and Wake Forest University Law School. Political experience: Three terms as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly. He is chairman of the House Rules Committee and was recently ranked by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy as the third most effective member of the House of Representatives. Lead issue: Running on a platform of education, the environment and the economy, he favors beach renourishment on the Outer Banks. However, he does not support user fees to pay for the initiative.

	The 86th House District includes all of Dare, Tyrrell and Chowan counties, as well as portions of Perquimans and Washington counties in northeastern North Carolina.
	The winner of the Culpepper -Ward primary contest faces Republican Dare County Commissioner Cheryl Byrd in November.

Last Revised: 18 Nov 2001