Bertie Ledger-Advance

Barry Ward

WINDSOR - U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan told Bertie County residents that she is confident that Congress will work out its issues to keep the country from falling over the "financial cliff."

Hagan spoke at the Windsor Community Building Friday as part of her "Conversations With Kay" tour.

For the past two years Hagan has traveled across the state speaking with and listening to the concerns of North Carolinians. 

Hagan said the tour is designed to put North Carolinians' issues on the table in Washington, D.C.

"We've [U.S. Congress] got to work together," said Hagan. "One of the main reasons is the fiscal cliff."

The fiscal cliff refers to the automatic $1 trillion across-the-board spending cuts in defense and discretionary domestic programs if Congress fails to reach a deal on taxes and spending by the end of the year.

According to published reports, economists believe the country could fall in a deeper recession if a deal isn't made.

Hagan, a Democrat, is a member of a group of 20 lawmakers, 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans, who have been meeting to prevent the possible economic meltdown.

"The American public is totally fed up with the partisan combat. It's not what I was elected to do," said Hagan. "I want to work with Democrats, I want to work with Republicans and I want to move this country forward so we can get our economy back up and get people jobs."

One of the ways Hagan proposes doing that is through education.

She said she heard from citizens in Bertie County that the Bertie Correctional Institute is one of the biggest employers in the county.
Hagan said she was told that the correctional facility has about 250 available jobs, but many of the people do not have the skills to perform the tasks needed.

She said they must find a way to provide people with the skills to get a job.

"We've got invest in education," she said.

She said she is happy that President Barack Obama won re-election and supports his idea of finding a balanced approach to bring money into America.

Hagan also said the Internet must be more widely available, particularly in rural communities like Bertie.

She said in order for the United States to compete globally the country must ensure that all its citizens have access to the Internet.
Keith Rivers, administrator of Windsor House Assisted Living, said Medicaid was his biggest concern.

Rivers said he talked with the Senator about Medicaid as it relates to assisted living facilities.

Rivers said if any changes are made to Medicaid he wants to ensure it does not harm assisted living facilities like Windsor House.

"Let's look at how these facilities are serving these elderly persons and their needs versus here's the policy and then implement the policy and then come back later and say, 'Oh, let's adjust it to their needs now.'"

Bertie County Soil and Water Supervisor James Pugh said "Conversations with Kay" is a great idea.

"That's what she [Hagan] needs to do," said Pugh. "Give us a reason to really support you. I want a better life for everybody."