RALEIGH, N.C. — The Democratic and Republican gubernatorial candidates took on ethics in state government Tuesday, addressing the North Carolina Coalition for Lobbying and Reform.

In separate speeches, Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory said state government needs to be cleaned up.

“I know I’ve been disgusted and disappointed,” Perdue said.

“I want to change this culture of corruption, I want to change this culture of accessibility,” McCrory said.

The candidates covered ideas to help change the current culture including closing campaign finance loopholes and making government more open, but each criticized the others political past.

“The current governor and lieutenant governor have been part of this closed government and it’s got to change, and it is unacceptable,” McCrory said.

“The campaign finance reform quite frankly will not begin with my opponent. He has welcomed PACs [political action committees] into North Carolina,” Perdue said.

Each candidate did offer specifics on how they’d work to change the status quo. Perdue said she’d work toward state budget efficiency and said her first executive order would be laying the groundwork for creating a statewide public fund for gubernatorial campaigns.

“Done right it will take the pressure off fundraising and let me tell you that’s a hard job,” Perdue said.

McCrory said all state officials should have to disclose if they have a conflict of interest in a matter, and he’d veto a budget with items attached during closed door negotiating sessions.

“This is so special interests cannot slide things into bills behind closed doors,” McCrory said.

Both candidates support putting more state info on the web including state contracts and bids.