Issue Position: Spending and Taxes

Issue Position

Spending in Raleigh has gotten out of control.

Legislators there are failing to dig deeply enough to determine if a program is beneficial or necessary for North Carolinian's. The first step towards fixing the problem is to create greater transparency in the state government. Improved transparency in our state's budget and operations will bring a greater degree of accountability of legislators and their actions.

I believe the state budget process is broken because it focuses on the percentage of increase from one year to the next. I will fight to implement zero-based budgeting to examine and ensure that each and every state program is providing the value to the public it was intended to.

I believe adequate funds should go to meet our constitutional responsibilities of properly educating children, protecting society from criminals, building safe roads and bridges and providing for those most needy among us-including the elderly and mentally ill.

I will fight against special interest projects that benefit only a small minority of the population - usually in high-ranking legislators' districts - while costing the majority a bundle.

I strongly oppose the rapid rise in debt ($3billion currently) that our state has incurred since 2000. All of it has been accrued through legislative trickery instead of a Constitutionally-mandated vote of the people.

The bottom line is that I will be working to fund essential state services first before discussing any new spending projects.

Our state has spent money in good times on projects we do not need and failed to save money for the tough times in which we now live. That is poor management and poor accountability to the people.

I am going to fight waste and fraud by working to make our state's government responsible and responsive to the people.

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