Dems, Libertarians face off in District 23 election

As North Carolina charges into the 21st century, the General Assembly faces a host of new and lingering questions. In a state with a weak governor's office, members of the House and Senate will craft legislation involving transportation, education, health care, the administration of justice and other issues.

The House District 23 election will send three Durham residents to the state House this year. The race pits two Libertarians with no previous experience in elected office-Ray Ubinger and Robert Dorsey-against three Democrats-Paul Luebke, Mickey Michaux and Paul Miller-who have a combined 35 years in state and local government.

All five candidates bring different priorities and goals to the race.

Both Libertarians would like to see a less powerful and less expensive state government. Dorsey's primary objective is to revamp the school system by offering tax credits to organizations and individuals that would pay to send a child to private school. The IBM engineer said that the tax credits would give parents power over their children's education.

Ubinger is running on a platform dominated by a single issue: the North Carolina electoral process. Currently, for write-in votes to be counted, potential write-in candidates must first register with the state. And that, Ubinger contends, is an assault on American democracy and the Constitution. The clinical data assistant at Duke's medical center said after restoring "free elections," he would work toward a standard Libertarian program of tax, gun, drug and personal freedom.

Luebke said the legislature should focus directly on public schools instead of funding a tax credit or voucher program. A professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Luebke wants to close tax loopholes for businesses and get rid of the remaining two-cent food tax, which he characterized as an unfair penalty for lower and lower-middle class citizens.

Education is also on the mind of Michaux, who said he would work to give historically black schools their "fair share" of school bond money if the bond referendum is passed, and get class sizes lowered. The attorney said he would also place emphasis on criminal justice reform, including a review of the habitual felon law.

Miller, who served on the Durham City Council from 1995 to 1999, said he would work to hand more control over from the state government to local governments. The independent computer consultant, whose controversial election in the May primaries ousted longtime incumbent George Miller, said he would also focus on increasing pay for public school teachers.