First 60 days for NC governor has been intense

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Gov. Beverly Perdue gets her first chance to speak to the General Assembly on Monday night in her State of the State address. But she's been anything but silent her first 60 days in office beforehand.

Following a public schedule matched in intensity with her fall campaign but in contrast to predecessor Mike Easley, Perdue has been vocal and visible since getting sworn in Jan. 10 as North Carolina's first female governor.

Even with a weeklong family vacation last month and perpetual budget meetings wedged in between, Perdue has portrayed herself as an active governor with almost daily public events and pronouncements.

"You don't become governor by being a reluctant or reticent person to say stuff, the good and the bad," Perdue said last week. "I believe the capacity to communicate with people is really important."

For ordering additional budget cuts, reforming the Department of Transportation, making unannounced visits to mental hospitals and unveiling Web sites to improve citizen access to state government, Perdue has received praise from members of both parties - for now.

"I've been pleased with the governor's performance up to this point," Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham. "She's been straight forward with the people of North Carolina about what needs to be done."

The fiscal pressures building upon her are starting to test that goodwill.

Lottery proponents and critics panned her recent decision to shift some lottery profits to help pay other government bills and narrow a $2.2 billion budget shortfall - even after Perdue said during the campaign she wanted to protect lottery funds to spend on education.

Her administration is dealing with frustrated taxpayers waiting for delayed tax refund checks.

Perdue also is sure to aggrieve when she releases her budget the following week either liberal advocacy groups worried about deep spending cut proposals or Republicans like Berger, who's already called out Perdue to stay away from proposed tax increases.

"A lot of people are going to be furious but I'm going to do the way I think I need to do it," Perdue said last week, repeating a familiar refrain. "I didn't win a popularity contest."

Chalk up positive responses to Perdue because she's still in her honeymoon, like most any governor would receive. Most of the problems she's facing were not directly of her own doing, such as the recession.

"The positive side for her is that she's trying to do her best and not ducking the problems," said Thad Beyle, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

She's also someone different - not Easley, namely.

Easley's popularity waned in his eighth and final year in office as his response to improve the mental health and probation systems was scrutinized. In contrast to Perdue, the fellow Democrat generally made fewer public and campaign appearances, preferring instead to work behind the scenes or delegate to his top lobbyists.

"I believe Beverly will be a hands-on governor where Mike was a hands-off," said Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston. "And I believe hands-on, particularly in this climate, is something that we need."

Perdue has sharpened the image of an active, connected governor even before leaving her seat at the inauguration parade and shaking hands with spectators. She filled her Cabinet slots days before taking the oath of office. Easley wasn't done with his picks for two months after his first swearing-in in 2001.

Perdue signed several executive orders on her first day of work, following through on fall campaign pledges that she said would make state government more transparent and less susceptible to political influence in road-building decisions.

She traveled to Washington twice since taking office to lobby for what became the state's $6.1 billion share of the federal stimulus package. Perdue's fly around to highlight three road projects that would benefit from stimulus projects also endeared her to local officials.

"Today, we need someone like her who really cares," said Rockingham County Commissioner James Kallam, who attended Perdue's event along Interstate 40 and 85 in Alamance County. "To care is fine, but you have to show you care."

Perdue also has started efforts to make her office more responsive on the Internet. The governor's Web site includes a way to send questions and suggestions to her administration. Perdue releases her weekly schedule to more than 40,000 e-mail recipients.

The administration also has set up a Web site for citizens to track how stimulus money is spent. A searchable database for state contracts and grant recipients will be online soon.

"She's setting a great tone to date for more open, transparent government," said Bob Phillips with the government watchdog group Common Cause North Carolina.

With the upcoming budget fight sure to draw up sides that are for and against Perdue, the new governor probably will fare well if she can keep people like Ted Melvin of Gastonia, who voted for Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory, on her side.

"I'm impressed with the job she's doing," said Melvin, a real estate developer and GOP member. "If she would try to downsize government somewhat, I'll be extremely pleased."