Governor Perdue lobbied for education in Charlotte Thursday of last week. Her proposal to help reverse recent budget cuts to education would increase the North Carolina sales tax by three-fourths of a cent, an increase that has a projected value of $850 million per year, all going toward education.

Carol Pope, professor of curriculum, instruction, and counselor education, says she is a firm supporter of this proposal.

“As an educator, I’m in favor of the plan. The sales tax increase is for our future, children, our educational system, teachers, and us. It’s a small price to pay,” Pope said.

Pope spent many years as a Wake County educator before joining N.C. State’s faculty. She’s concerned with the reductions in education funding affecting students; Pope believes not only middle grade students but University students who are preparing to become teachers in the next few months are affected.

“I think about all the N.C. State graduates who will be looking for teachers positions and then I also think about how the student-teacher-ratio has increased recently. The increase would be small for the individual, but huge for the children,” Pope said.

Pope added that Perdue’s proposal is coming at a perfect time. She explained saying when the stimulus package ended, North Carolina did not step up to fill the gap.

Zachary Honeycutt, a senior in middle grades education and one of Pope’s students, says that he’s noticed a strain on schools.

“I wish the government would stop making cuts, it’s a huge strain on teachers to have 120 students between two of them. It’s not fair for the kids either,” Honeycutt said.

As a student teacher, Honeycutt is currently a supporter of Perdue’s plan, but he is also skeptical.

“I definitely support it, but I also know plans have been made before and somehow education never sees that money. I feel like education is always the first thing to go, so I’m glad that Perdue is supporting us now,” Honeycutt said.

Pope and Honeycutt have been very pleased with Perdue’s fight for education as governor; However, Kelly Norton, former N.C. State student and current teacher, says she believes Perdue can help education more without her position.

“Perdue has definitely helped education, she’s committed to doing so, and that’s why she’s stepping down,” Norton said.

Perdue told the Associated Press she feels her role as governor will politicize the fight for education in a way that would make it even harder to win. She plans to continue her fight after her term ends.

“At this point, anything and everything that can offer more money for education is crucial,” Norton said.

When asked whether three-fourths of a cent seemed too small of an increase, Norton and Pope agreed they would support a full cent.

“I would need to see numbers, but when we’re talking about pennies, it’s really not worth the fight,” said Norton.

Pope said she would even support a two-cent increase.

“This isn’t a tax that’s coming out of someone’s salary, it not even an extra cent added to every purchase. People are always trying to get rid of their pennies,” Pope said.

Perdue’s proposal will be voted on in the state legislature within the next few weeks.