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GREENSBORO — Temporary pay cuts and furloughs during the last budget year did nothing to shake state employees’ enthusiasm for Gov. Bev Perdue.

During Saturday’s annual convention of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, the governor defended her actions to balance the budget, declared there would be “sunny, bright days ahead,” and reaffirmed her commitment to N.C. workers.

Her comments were frequently punctuated by applause.

“I’m one of you, and you are North Carolina,” Perdue told the crowd at the end of her brief speech at the Koury Center. “Purely and simply, state employees keep this state running day in and day out.”

Perdue gave the crowd straight talk about the state’s financial outlook. She said sales tax collections continue to decline and that, at about 11 percent, unemployment is the highest she’s seen it.

“And so things are still not rosy in North Carolina,” she said. “I wanted you to hear that from me.”

Perdue addressed the state employees just eight months into her first term, and on the heels of having made some unpopular decisions to plug a $4.7 billion hole in the budget. Her “flexible furlough” program cut one-half of 1 percent of state workers’ pay during the last couple of months of the 2008-09 budget year, offering them 10 hours of unpaid time off in exchange.

“I didn’t do that lightly, but I did it rather than fire 4, 5, 6,000 state employees,” she said. “I thought it was the right thing to do.”

The support of the 55,000-member State Employees Association of North Carolina played a large role in getting Perdue elected. The group endorsed her, and its members say they will continue to stand by their choice.

Their commitment to her was evident from the time Perdue walked into the room. The governor’s entrance was greeted by cheers and whistles.

Her walk to the podium was delayed by convention participants who stopped Perdue to shake her hand, hug her and snap her photo. Afterwards, some posed for pictures with her, greeting her simply as “Bev.”

“We want to partner with her to help the state of North Carolina recover,” said Christopher Allen, a retired Department of Revenue employee, after hearing Perdue talk.

Allen and others said Perdue made the best decisions she could given the situation she was handed.

Mark Dearmon, chairman of the Employees Political Action Committee for SEANC, said the alternative to those decisions was having the state go broke and risk ruining its credit rating.

“I think she handled herself extremely well under the worst of conditions,” he said.

Roy McGalliard, SEANC’s parliamentarian, called Perdue straightforward and honest. “I don’t think that woman has pulled a punch since she’s been in office,” he said. “I’d be surprised and shocked if she did.”

Leaders within SEANC said the difference is clear between Perdue and previous administrations. They said she’s met with them more times in eight months than anyone during the administration of predecessor Gov. Mike Easley. Dearmon said Easley attended only one of SEANC’s conventions during his eight years in office. Perdue also has opened doors to agencies the organization previously had trouble accessing, SEANC leaders said.

Perdue vowed to continue working for and with state employees. She said her veto last week of legislation that would have limited public access to information was made with them in mind. They and other citizens deserve to know what’s going on in state government, she said. “That’s called transparency.”

The governor also told the group there were plans to get a free $10,000 accidental death benefit for state employees, as well as implementing a wellness program she said would help them manage serious health problems.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126, or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com