Economic Expansion
As an engineer by training – I firmly believe that systems should be analyzed and re-engineered for optimization and enhancing outcomes. Our nation was built from rural investments to urban industrialism. In the last three decades – declining population, loss of manufacturing jobs, lowering prices of agriculture commodities and more recently – tariffs, have placed the rural regions of our country in economic distress. I support targeted and strategic investments in water and sewer infrastructure, broadband, agriculture innovation, biofuels, clean energy options of wind, solar, and our highway system in order to revitalize rural economies. In closing the rural-urban divide through these re-investments – we will be able to create jobs while stabilizing underserved communities and strengthen our economy. In promoting economic development, we must work closely with our community colleges for building a skilled workforce and k-12 education systems for promoting career ready graduates. Main street revitalization and access to federal incentive programs are key contributors to growing corporate and small businesses, creating 21st century jobs and securing prosperity for all Americans. The formulas we write in Washington DC should work in all areas of our Union.
We are at a critical juncture in our nation where we must use our economic tools to promote job creation through ensuring a healthy environment for growth and support of small businesses. Our economic policies, tax and spend planning and regulations should be constructed in a manner that provides businesses with certainty and incentives, and consumers with confidence and more income. Tax cuts, government spending and fiscal policy should build the middle class and benefit more than the wealthy. I favor conservative fiscal principles and believe that retooling our formulas for business incentives should prioritize job creation.
- SB 137 – Surcharge Transparency
- SB 174 – Economic Security Act of 2017
- SB 236 – Efficient and Affordable Energy Rates
- SB 255 –
- SB 329 – Econ. Dev./Renewable Energy Credit
- SB 335 – Budget Technical Corrections & Study
- SB 340 – Econ. Dev./Job Catalyst Fund
- SB 354 – North Carolina Healthcare Jobs Initiative
- SB 170 – Remove Limits on Light Rail Funding
- SB 171 – Remove Limits on Light Rail Funding
- SB 172 – Remove Limits on Light Rail Funding
- SB 174 – Economic Security Act of 2017
- SB 592 – Small Business Access to Capital Act
- *SB 615 – Rural Broadband/Infrastructure
- *SB 137 – Economic Security Act
- SB 310 – Electric Co-Op Rural Broadband Services
- SB 315 – North Carolina Farm Act of 2019
- SB 505 – Rural Job Retention Act
- SB 591 – One NC Funding for Small Businesses
- SB 627 – Expand GREAT Grant Program
- SB 652 – Small Business Capital Improvement Account
- *SB 665 – Omnibus Rural Investment Act
- *SB 666 – Cybersecurity and Robotics Funds
Education Equity
I believe it is time to bring a universally progressive, business-minded and workforce connected emphasis to K-12 education. My unique experiences as a secondary STEM educator and former school board member empower me with the understanding of optimizing stakeholder connections. If we are to regain our standings as international leaders in public education promoting career and college readiness curriculum, then we must retool our public education system. With the Federal Every Student Succeeds Acct (ESSA), we finally have the flexibility to implement an accountability program that promotes problem-based learning over high stakes testing. We can better prepare workers for the 21st century by aligning our curriculum with enhanced Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.) in companion with multidisciplinary ‘whole-child’ curriculum. We should further tailor individualized education plans that prepare every student for a brighter future regardless of their choice of learning environment (Traditional, Home, Virtual, Charter, Nonpublic, hybrid). I will work to provide a quality K-12 education for students and the resources they need to acquire this in the learning environment most conducive for their progress, with a priority on strengthening the public schools of our nation.
Community Colleges with strong curriculum programs and short-term workforce training offer the optimized option for retooling our workforce and ensuring the security of America with an educated citizenry and large pool of skilled labor. We must make Community College as affordable as possible, or at minimal cost of less than $500 in tuition per term. While I am an engineer by training, I warn against having an over-emphasis on S.T.E.A.M. that discounts the need for skilled trade and fastest growing professions of personal care, wind turbine and solar panel maintenance and installation. Through apprenticeship programs – we can enhance the workforce needed for 21st century jobs and professions that do not require a four-year, Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree.
- *SB 5 – Public School Building Bond Act of 2018
- SB 30 – Value Student Learning Act
- SB 31 – Restore Teaching Fellows Program
- SB 107 – Restore Masters-Degree Pay for All Teachers
- SB 147 – Reenact School Sales Tax Holiday
- SB 149 – Modify School Performance Grades
- SB 153 – Military Retiree State Income Tax Relief
- SB 154 – Charitable Fund-Raising for Nonprofit Orgs
- *SB 259 – School Calendar Flex./ Certain School Systems
- SB 121 – The Excellence in School Leadership Act
- *SB 226 – School Calendar Flex./Certain School Systems
- SB 228 – Voter Freedom Act
- *SB 233 – Permit Align School/Comm. College Calendar
- SB 234 – SBA Pay/Needs-Based Pub. Sch. Capital Fund
- *SB 259 – Restore Master’s Degree Pay for All Teachers
- SB 283 – Classroom Experience for School Personnel
- SB 301 – Need-Based Scholarships/Private Colleges
- SB 312 – Surplus Computers for Low-Income Students
- *SB 318 – School Calendar Flexibility/PED Report
- *SB 321 – School Calendar Flexibility/PED Report
- SB 332 – Repeal HB 2
- SB 384 – Increase Pay/Experienced Teachers
- SB 409 – Need-Based Scholars/Private Colleges
- SB 418 – Dyslexia Kindergarten Screening
- *SB 447 – Turning TAs Into Teachers
- SB 448 – Professors in the Classroom
- SB 449 – Early Ed Articulation Agreement
- SB 706 – HBCU Innovation Fund
- SB 401 – Pilot/Sports for Students w/ Disabilities
- *SB 855 – Modify School Performance Grades
- SB 149 – Modify School Performance Grades
- SB 301 – Need-Based Scholarships/Private Colleges
- SB 418 – Dyslexia Kindergarten Screening
- SB 438 – Allow Senior Citizens to Audit UNC/CC Courses
- SB 439 – Funds/Eliminate NC Pre-K Waitlist Statewide
- SB 442 – Study/Expand Computer Science to All Students
- *SB 447 – Turning TAs Into Teachers
- *SB 466 – CIHS Funds
- SB 652 – Increase Access to Higher Education
- SB 319 – Modify Weighting/School Performance Grades
- SB 298 – Private IHE/Campus Police/Need-Based Schol.
- SB 329 – K-3 Reading and Literacy Improvement Act.
- *SB 389 – Surplus Computers for Public Schools
- SB 399 – Rehire High-Need Teachers
- SB 487 – Student Meal Debt Policy
- *SB 500 – Modify Advanced Math Course Enrollment
- *SB 582 – NC Comprehensive School Accountability
- SB 602 – NC Hope Tuition Program
- SB 654 – Charter Schools Provide Transp. & Food
- *SB 661 – UNC HBCU Funding Parity/NC A&T Doc. Programs
- *SB 48 – Permit Align School/Comm. College Calendar