What is the most important issue to our nation today? Actually, to our state and in particular to our country It’s certainly not steep slopes, subdivisions, or any other controlling issues — IT’S JOBS!

The notion that the days of the cut and sew industry are over must be ignored because, in fact, we need to get back to it.

When funds are limited and cuts need to be made, wise decisions are imperative. As a former educator with 25 years of experience, I commend the N.C. General Assembly for making judicious decisions for the students of this state.

When I became Guidance Director of the high school I was working in, I was shocked and appalled to learn that 60 percent of our incoming ninth graders read at the sixth grade level or below. One of the most serious errors made in education is to continually promote students whose reading scores are significantly below grade level.

For more than 50 years AARP has been fighting to ensure older Americans have affordable health care and financial security in retirement. We are committed to protecting and strengthening Medicare and Social Security so today’s seniors and future generations will get the benefits they’ve earned through their lifetimes of paying into the system.

These benefits are being threatened. There are proposals being considered by Congress right now that would make harmful cuts to Medicare and Social Security as part of a deal to pay the nation’s bills.

Delight is had when discovering something wonderful and tremendous loss is experienced when greatness passes. Statistics came out today, based on the past year and North Carolina was nationally ranked by CNBC in third place in the Top States for Business, even during this recession. Education is one of the 43 factors that help a state to earn this ranking. Not shabby for an educational system that has been slandered for convenience this budget year.

However, our state, recently considered a leader in education, was dealt knee-buckling blows by the state budget decisions. Why was the impact felt so harshly?