The battle for state schools superintendent has some notable parallels with the Wake County school board's decision in 2010 over to who to hire as superintendent.

As noted in today's article, State Schools Superintendent June Atkinson, the Democratic incumbent, points to her career as an educator to argue she should get a third term. But Wake County school board member John Tedesco, her Republican challenger, argues that what's not needed is someone like Atkinson who has been part of the "Raleigh education establishment since 1976."

Similar issues were raised in 2010 when the Republican majority on the Wake school board opted to hire Tony Tata, a retired Army general, as superintendent over a career educator. Member of the Democratic board majority, who fired Tata on Sept. 25, had resisted efforts to make it possible for non-educators to hold the position.

Claim: “I’m going to estimate, 25 percent, give or take.” 

Speaker: Democrat Walter Dalton at gubernatorial debate Wednesday. 

Context: In the first televised debate, the candidates for governor were asked this question: “Can each of you tell me the approximate tax rate you paid last year?” 

The subject is ripe this election season because Republican Pat McCrory won’t release his personal tax returns amid questions about his job as a consultant at a law firm that lobbies state government and the controversy in the presidential race about Mitt Romney’s taxes.

Claim: “The best incentive for new jobs in North Carolina ... is not to have the highest sales tax, the highest corporate tax and the highest income tax in the Southeast, which is what we have right now.”

Speaker: Pat McCrory

Context: McCrory compares North Carolina’s tax rates to its peers as part of his pitch to make the state more competitive and business-friendly. We will look at just the tax rates here.

Claim: “There is only one person up here who has proposed new taxes and that is the lieutenant governor along with Gov. Perdue, when just three, four months ago they were recommending a 15 percent sales tax increase.”

Speaker: Republican candidate Pat McCrory, gubernatorial debate Oct. 3

Context: McCrory hit his Democratic rival early in the debate for supporting a sales-tax hike pitched earlier this year by Gov. Bev Perdue.

Claim: “Three times when I was in the N.C. Senate, and as lieutenant governor, I took a voluntary cut in pay to empathize with state employees because I think if they are suffering you have to lead by example. At the height of the financial collapse in Charlotte, when unemployment was at its highest, the mayor took at 19 percent pay raise.”

Speaker: Democratic candidate Walter Dalton, gubernatorial debate Oct. 3

Context: In making a point about leadership during the debate, Dalton makes two claims: one about his salary and one about McCrory’s record. Both need context.

The Democratic Governors Association has started its fall ad campaign in support of Walter Dalton for governor of North Carolina. Here’s a look at the facts

“Laundry”
Sponsor: The ad is sponsored by a group called N.C. Citizens for Progress but is financed by the Democratic Governors Association. It is airing in Triangle, the Triad, Asheville, Greenville and Wilmington.

Claim: “Pat McCrory. He just won’t come clean. Refusing to release his tax returns. Or explain why even though he is not a lawyer he is being paid by a powerful law firm that lobbies for big oil, insurance and the financial industry. But what is McCrory’s spin? McCrory: ‘I’m making a living right now.’ So Pat McCrory won’t come clean on his taxes or what special interests he is working for. Why should we trust him to be governor?”

Sponsor: Republican Governors Association ad, "Year after Year"

Claim: “Year after year Walter Dalton has raised taxes on families and businesses.”

Context: Dalton served as a state senator from 1997 until 2009, when he took

“Year After Year”

Sponsor: Republican Governors Association

Claim: “Year after year Walter Dalton has raised taxes on families and businesses.”

Article II of the North Carolina Constitution sets forth the powers of the state legislature. Section 22 describes how a bill becomes a law, and what happens when the governor vetoes a law. The Constitution requires that three-fifths of those present and voting in the House and in the Senate must vote to override a veto. If that happens, the bill becomes law "notwithstanding the objections of the Governor."

The North Carolina candidates for governor will appear together for the first time in Wilmington on Saturday, at a forum which will later air on News 14 Carolina.

Democrat Walter Dalton and Republican Pat McCrory will take part in a forum sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside Hotel. Janet Ward Black, former president of the NCBA, will moderate the forum, with questions presented by a pool of local tv reporters.

The forum is not open to the public but will be videotaped and air commercial-free on News 14 Carolina on Sunday, June 24, at 11 a.m. and again at 8 p.m.  Starting June 25, it will be available on Carolina On Demand (channels 199 and 1047).

The forum will also stream live today from WRAL.com.

News 14 Carolina and Carolina On Demand are cable channels offered free to Time Warner Cable customers.