GROWTH, growth, growth.  We are exploding in population but do NOT have our county ready for it.  Our infrastructure ducks are not in a row.
School Funding and aging county facilities.  We have several schools that are over 100 years old.  We have school capacity issues in the West, Albemarle, and now Southern and Northern districts (only k-5) and there is no plan to address the needs.
Taxes, the tax man.   We we are elevated from an economic Tier 3 county to a Tier 2, we have to be extremely careful with taxing our citizens. Just shy of 20% of Stanly residents are fixed income seniors that simply cannot absorb huge tax increases.  I have solid plans to address our fiscal needs without raisng property taxes.  

We have statuatory and moral obligations to the citizens of Stanly County. We also have limited tax revenue streams.   The answer is true and quantifiable efficiency in utilizing what we have and finding ways to be more effective with tax dollars. We have no choice but to continue to rely on state and federal grants but we must be strategic in utillizing those opportunities as well.  They frequently come with strings attached which put our taxpayers on the hook for perpetutity. Finally, I have specific and quantifiable plans to increase efficiency, insure target use of tax dollars, and that lay a foundation for future boards to work with.

Sadly the state government has incrementally reduced financial support for our school system for over a decade now.  There has not been a statewide referendum on school building funds in nearly 30 years and the General Assembly has played shell games with lottery proceeds and even sales tax revenues.  The county must make sure to fill gaps that directly impact schools safety and academic needs.  One glaring example is the unfunded mandate by the state to give raises to all classified employees.  This change will cost the school system over a million dollars from here on out.  Unless the state reverses course and funds the change, we have to fund the difference.  Regarding youth services it is a sad commentary on the times but the county does frequently encounter children in distress that need support. One example that still haunts me is when law enforcement removes children from dangerous homes there is no permant place for them to stay temporarily.  We literally have had kids in crisis sleeping in office space for the weekend.  The City of Albemarle had an opportunity to address this but refused to do so. The county and municipalities must take care of the emergency needs of children in crisis.  Its a moral imperative.

Growth is HERE, which we must address before we can allow a huge influx of new citizens.  Our county infrastructure is strained, we have schools bursting at the seams, and we already have places in the county under stress from aging infrastructure.
Here's how I envision we address growth. First we identy exactly where we are as a county and working with municipalities identify the greatest needs right now.  We seek grants and use local resources to address those while we develop strategic plans for the growth thats coming.  Some counties have turned to builder access fees and such.  We have to look at those options.

State and more importantly federal laws deliniate our responsibilities.  We have little contol over what we must do, but we can take steps to lessen the burden. Proven drug interdiction programs and measures to prevent families on the cusp from falling into homelessness would save us money long term. Finally the best cure for poverty is good paying jobs.  We have a service economy in Stanly and we must attract more industrial employers. 

Eash part  has specific needs that must be addressed.  Urban areas require water and sewer but all areas require adequate fired department coverage.  We also need to protect our rural and recreational areas.  Measured investment is much preferred to fixing things that break as we go. The latter strikes me as the current system.

On the School Board, I actually field emails and phone calls.  I don't screen or avoid contentious issues, I talk.  Furthermore I believe outreach to the public is a must. The current board of commissioners exercised this with their surveys and forums on the green area acreage restrictions. We need more of that, especially regarding redistricting of schools and consolidation discussions.

If we don't develop a 'Stanly First" rapport with all boards and municipalities, we don't have a path forward.  We have to overcome egoes and the territorial nature of politics.  As for state leaders, it comes down to transparency with the public.  Who is utlimately responsible for issues that affect our citizens must be conveyed.  We currently have a lot of finger pointing and buck passing, but we have to get beyond that. Finally, we have to hold our state level leaders accountable to their constituents.  

Good Governance equals open meetings and decisions made in the light of day.  Phone call committees, golf course agreements, and off the record meetings are bad governance. If elected I will see to it those things don't happen.
Transparency means each member of the leadership team owning their decisions and their votes.  The public sees a motion passed 4-3 but never get to know who are the 3 and why did they oppose.  Transparency demands we convey those things.  A simple summary of the votes held included in minutes with commentary would go a long way to achieve genuine transparency.