I oppose all burdensome regulatory schemes.  Over-regulation is the enemy of job growth and economic prosperity.  I will fight to continue the regulatory reform we started in 2011, and I will oppose all attempts to return to the hyper-regulated environment we had prior to 2010.

Job Growth

One of the most important jobs of the General Assembly is to create an environment where business thrives, leading to an increase in general prosperity, and job growth for all our citizens.  In 2011, I spent nearly all of my time and effort on my HB587, the North Carolina Jobs Bill.  The vast majority of the text from my Jobs Bill was inserted into the Joint Committee’s SB781 Regulatory Reform Act of 2011, creating what has come to be known as the “Carolina Comeback.”

The job is not finished.  The parts of HB587 that did not make it into SB781 were by and large the enforcement measures, and so while Raleigh and Charlotte have seen phenomenal growth, more rural Counties like Franklin and Nash have been left behind.

My primary effort in 2019 will once again be on developing the regulatory environment to foster job growth and prosperity, and I will work to emplace the enforcement measures that got left behind in 2011 in order to bring this expansion into Franklin and Nash Counties.

Small Farmers

I will also continue to fight for Century farms and small family farms, as I did in 2011.

It is a sad fact of life that giant corporate farms have the resources to send lobbyists to Raleigh, and so they often find themselves exempt from many NC DEQ runoff regulations and best practice regulation, while the smaller family farms and Century farms have to struggle to meet regulatory benchmarks that the giant corporate farms do not concern themselves with.

These, along with direct-to-consumer egg sales caps, and unrealistic fuel and weight restrictions, leave small family farms and Century farms unfairly burdened while giant agribusiness farms are not so encumbered.

I will fight to restore and maintain equity, to help preserve the rich North Carolina tradition of small family farms and Century farms.

Local, County, and State Debt

The North Carolina State Constitution requires that all new debt at any level of government within the State, be subject to a public referendum of the taxpayers before that debt is taken on.  This is one of the best features of our State Constitution, and one of the reasons that North Carolina has maintained a AAA Bond Rating while other States are collapsing in debt and unfunded liabilities.

The problem is that a Democrat Era device called “Certificates of Participation” allow local, County, and State governments to circumvent that Constitutional requirement by “participating” in the accumulation of debt.  Unlike proper State and Municipal Bonds with interest in the 3% to 5% APR range, Certificates of Participation often come with 12% to 14% APR rates.

Not only do Certificates of Participation violate the requirements of the NC State Constitution, they are also an order of magnitude more expensive than the legal and proper route for taking on debt, leaving taxpayers on the hook for generations to come.

As your NC State House Representative, I will fight to eliminate and ban the practice of Certificates of Participation.

Small Business Licensure Reform

One of the last crucial areas of jobs and economic development that has not been addressed with our new Republican majority, is the area of small business licensure.

In North Carolina, a Democrat initiative passed in 2009 requires any person who charges to braid hair receive 300 hours of classroom instruction and apply with the State for a license to braid hair.

Anybody caught braiding hair is subject to heavy fines and possible jail time if they do not comply.  Why should hair braiders have to beg permission from the government for a license to braid hair?

As your Representative in the North Carolina House, I will fight for Small Business Licensure reform and help bring some common sense back to our marketplace.