Outgoing North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue says she's doesn't regret her decisions declining to seek re-election and pushing for higher taxes to restore education cuts.
The Democrat told The Associated Press on Thursday she's at peace with how she governed since being sworn in January 2009 at the height of the Great Recession. Republican Pat McCrory will succeed her next weekend, the culmination of sweeping GOP electoral gains that occurred during Perdue's term.
Perdue says she committed early on to leave the state in a better situation when she left office, regardless of political consequences. Perdue and fellow Democrats passed a budget in 2009 that raised sales and income taxes to help close multibillion-dollar gaps.
The governor she intends to remain involved in education and to start a private company.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
