THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505210071
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 125 lines
It is still more than 18 months before North Carolinians go to the polls in the next gubernatorial election. For Richard Vinroot, it may as well be October, just weeks before the '96 election.
``I'm Richard Vinroot from Charlotte,'' he says as he reaches down to shake a hand at an Outer Banks eatery.
``How tall are you?'' asks the potential supporter.
``I'm 6-7,'' responds Charlotte's second-term mayor, answering a question he has no doubt answered 10,000 times and will answer 10,000 more before his race for the governor's office is done.
But ask Vinroot - a former reserve basketball player for University of North Carolina coaching legends Frank McGuire and Dean Smith - why he is out pressing the flesh when the election still seems light years away for the voting public, and he tells a basketball story.
``When I was in law school, I had been studying late on a Saturday night,'' he said. ``I had parked over by the gym, and I saw some lights on. I went in, and Coach Smith was in his office, breaking down films. This was in the late spring. I went in, and we were talking, and I said, `Coach, you're probably the only basketball coach in America doing this tonight.' And he said, `Richard, they may out-recruit me. They may be better coaches than I am, but they're never going to outwork me.' ''
Vinroot adds, ``I know that outside of the Charlotte area, I'm not very well-known. But by the time the election comes around, I'll make sure that every voter knows me and what I stand for. There's no substitute for hard work.''
Asked about his chances., Vinroot doesn't flinch.
``I'm going to win this race.''
That may be a tall order. Vinroot, 54, faces a primary fight with textile executive Robert C. Hayes, a member of the General Assembly from Concord. If he wins the primary, he will face an incumbent governor with high name recognition.
But Vinroot, the son of a Swedish immigrant, remains confident. He says he is the true conservative voice in the 1996 race.
``The North Carolina state motto is `To Be, Rather Than to Seem,' '' Vinroot says. ``Gov. Hunt didn't start talking about welfare reform until after Nov. 8, 1994. He didn't start talking about real conservative change until after Nov. 8, 1994. He tries to seem conservative rather than really being conservative. This state needs real conservative leadership. I know how to lead.''
Using a tactic successfully used by GOP candidates last November, Vinroot seeks to link Hunt with President Bill Clinton.
``When Bill Clinton wanted to get advice on how to package himself for next year's election, one of the people he called was Jim Hunt. We know what Bill Clinton stands for.''
Vinroot points proudly to his record as mayor of North Carolina's largest city. He cites reduction in the size of number of city departments, and the privatization of a number of city services.
``We haven't raised taxes in the city of Charlotte for eight years,'' he says. ``We've reduced the size of every department, except for police and fire, by 40 percent. We have a pay system based on merit and not on tenure, and we've reduced the levels of bureaucracy from 11 to two or three.''
Vinroot says he wants to apply the same formula of cuts and privatization to state government. He also wants to put more power in the hands of local governments.
Vinroot said he could not be specific on what departments would be cut, or what services would be privatized if he is elected.
One target, however, may be the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
``It wasn't that long ago that nine of every 10 employees of the state Department of Public Instruction were teachers - now it's nine of every 20. We've got to be able to do it better with less bureaucracy.''
Vinroot says reductions in the bureaucracy would enable the state to provide more help for North Carolina's economically disadvantaged counties.
Vinroot blasted Hunt's ``Smart Start'' initiative as ``a bill of goods.''
``It was touted as a public-private partnership. From what I can tell, it's been a very expensive public project. The idea of getting children ready for school early as part of a joint effort between private business and government is a good one. This hasn't been done right.''
Vinroot was elected to four terms on the Charlotte City Council, and is now in his second term as mayor.
He says his city has been successful in reducing crime. Vinroot advocates the hiring of more district attorneys, and more prisons and alternatives such as boot camps.
Vinroot also supports tougher sentencing for repeat offenders.
``I have no patience for repeat offenders,'' he said. ``They get a second and third chance when their victims never got but one chance to be a victim.''
Vinroot spoke earlier this week to about 20 supporters in Dare County, as part of an eastern swing. He acknowledges that while he is an underdog in a race that is expected to cost around $7 million, history is on his side. Recent polls indicate that were the race held today, Hunt would beat Vinroot soundly, 53 percent to 27 percent.
But Charlotte's mayor points to another poll that indicated that 47 percent of North Carolinians said Hunt should not run for any elective office in 1996.
``His support is a mile wide and a quarter-inch deep,'' Vinroot said. ``When we get out to campaign, we'll expose what he really is. I'm going to win.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Graphic
Richard Vinroot
Age:54
Current Job: Mayor, Charlotte. Also an attorney with the
Charlotte firm of Robinson, Bradshaw and Hinson.
Education: Morehead Scholar, University of North Carolina-Chapel
Hill. B.A. Business, J.D.
Military Experience: Enlisted for one tour in Vietnam.
Political Experience: Charlotte City Council, 1983-91, now in his
second term as mayor of Charlotte.
Family: Married to his college sweetheart, the former Judy Allen.
They have three children.
Worth noting: Vinroot, the son of a Swedish immigrant, was a
reserve forward for North Carolina coaching legends Frank McGuire
and Dean Smith. His roommate was current Indiana Pacers head coach
Larry Brown.
KEYWORDS: GUBERNATORIAL RACE NORTH CAROLINA CANDIDATE
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