Day 1 #NCFIRST Tour: Kay Talks Jobs, The Economy, and Education in Asheville and Charlotte

Press Release

Today, Kay stopped by Blue Ridge Biofuels in Asheville for the first stop of her North Carolina First (#NCFirst) tour and talked about jobs and the economy and her support for raising the minimum wage. She highlighted Speaker Tillis' record of calling the minimum wage a "dangerous" idea and his belief that workers in Boston should earn more than workers in Western North Carolina.

Kay was joined by the owner of Blue Ridge Biofuels, Woody Eaton, who has made a commitment to pay his workers more than minimum wage because of the positive impact it has on their lives, his business and the entire community.

"I was proud to support a bill to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour -- an increase that would benefit over one million North Carolinians who are struggling to support their families and make ends meet," said Kay. "But Speaker Tillis? He opposed raising the state minimum wage above $7.25. He says raising the minimum wage is a "dangerous" idea and even said we don't need a federal minimum wage at all. He even said workers in Boston should make more than workers in Western North Carolina and unlike Speaker Tillis, I will never put Boston over Boone. Our workers deserve better."

Kay then stopped in Charlotte to talk about her strong record of standing up for North Carolina students, teachers, and middle class families. She was joined by Mecklenburg County teacher Justin Ashley, and UNCC student Sheree Patton who also spoke. Kay highlighted the clear contrast in this election between her record of putting North Carolina first, and Speaker Thom Tillis' record of cutting $500 million from public education to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.

"As a mom, I know that our educators get to work early, stay late, work on assignments and lesson plans from home, and often dip into their own pockets for supplies, and they deserve our full support," said Kay. "When I wrote state budgets in Raleigh, I included a teacher pay raise every year for a total average increase of 21%. For me, standing up for education is a priority -- not a reaction. But my opponent, Speaker Tillis, has the wrong education priorities for North Carolina.

"In Raleigh, Speaker Tillis slashed $500 million from public education funding so he could give a tax break to the wealthy. That means larger class sizes, fewer teachers, and outdated textbooks -- if they've even got a textbook at all. While I'm committed to building an economy that works for everyone, Speaker Tillis' agenda on education is proof positive of his effort to rig the system against the middle class and North Carolina deserves better."

Justin Ashley is a graduate of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows program that helps low-income students attend college if they pledge to spend several years teaching in North Carolina public schools. Speaker Tillis eliminated that program in North Carolina.

"The opportunity I had in the North Carolina Teaching Fellows program is one that no person in North Carolina will ever have again because of Speaker Tillis," said Ashley. "This closes the window of opportunity for young people who are ready to give back to their communities, and it just adds insult to injury that Speaker Tillis ended this program while giving a tax cut to the wealthy."

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