North Carolina continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed 2,160 people at last report, and a top official in Raleigh is keenly aware of its magnitude due to being stricken with the coronavirus himself.
“But as we focus on the sick, we’ve got to find a balance of where we don’t punish the healthy along the way,” state Treasurer Dale Folwell said Friday afternoon during a visit to Mount Airy.
Folwell was in town for the grand opening of the local Republican Party Headquarters at 693 W. Pine St., where about 75 people assembled to see a ribbon cut at the front door. They then gathered at an area nearby to hear remarks from the visiting official who escaped the noontime sun by standing under a tent.
The state treasurer, the first Republican to hold that post in 140 years who is seeking re-election against Democratic candidate Ronnie Chatterji in November’s election, has been critical of Gov. Roy Cooper’s handling of COVID-19.
This has included attempts to apply public pressure on Cooper, a Democrat, to reopen North Carolina’s economy, which Folwell reiterated Friday.
“What I’ve said is we need to push as much power down to the local level as possible,” the state official said in fielding questions before the grand opening of the headquarters, taking into account the COVID-19 situation in different communities.
Folwell says he is against a “one size fits none” approach.
Meanwhile, North Carolina as a whole remains in Phase Two of a state reopening plan, due to the governor announcing last Wednesday that it will be extended until at least Sept. 11, leaving coronavirus restrictions in place.
Along with maintaining limits on the size of gatherings indoors and outdoors in retail stores, restaurants and other businesses, the restrictions continue to keep bars, gyms, entertainment venues such as movie theaters and other establishments closed.
While deaths in the state remain high, hospitalization numbers are coming down, with Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, saying that metrics the state uses to analyze the COVID-19 spread show signs of stabilization.
In wanting to maintain that stability, Cohen considers the number of cases as still too high — with at least 134,766 people in North Carolina having tested positive as of Saturday — and favors the continuation of a cautious approach.
Folwell, who was hospitalized with the disease earlier this year, said Friday that his criticisms of the governor, mirroring those of Cooper’s Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, aren’t politically motivated.
“I don’t think people give a damn what political party you’re a member of — they just want their problems fixed,” the state treasurer said of various facets impacted by COVID-19. These include jobs, health, food availability and the education of their children.
“This election is really about choice,” said Folwell, whose role as treasurer involves managing the “public purse,” including a pension fund for teachers, law enforcement officers and similar employees in addition to the state health plan.
He said Friday that all those operations are remaining stable amid the pandemic that has adversely impacted North Carolina’s financial picture overall.
“I wouldn’t trade places with any other state treasurer in the U.S. based on the potential we have to recover,” Folwell told the crowd gathered around the tent.
The Winston-Salem man has been treasurer since January 2017 and before that served four terms in the N.C. House of Representatives, including one as speaker pro tempore, the second in command of that body.
GOP chairman comments
Friday’s gathering at the Mount Airy Republican Party Headquarters — which will be at the center of local campaign activities until the November election — included a party pep talk of sorts by Surry County GOP Chairman Mark Jones.
“Everybody here understands this is the most critical election of our lifetime,” Jones told those assembled.
He warned that if Republican candidates fail to win or retain key seats such as president and governor this year, there might not be another chance to have control if far left forces take over.
Jones referred to one of the latter’s proposals, to defund police agencies around the country, as the crowd that included law enforcement personnel such as Surry County Sheriff Steve Hiatt and other GOP officer-holders or seekers listened.
“That right there tells you the difference between the Democratic and Republican parties.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
Be First to Comment