Healthcare
I will work to expand Medicaid and to ensure our workers have access to paid sick leave. Expanding Medicaid will also help struggling hospitals that are vital in rural areas where delays getting to an ER can be the difference between life and death.
Education
I will ensure that State educational dollars are used for public schools – not private vouchers. I support raising teacher salaries to reflect the importance of their work, and I would work to add HBCU’s to the NC Teaching Fellows program.
Getting workers back on their feet
Our workers need relief from the effects of the pandemic. I will work to raise the unemployment benefit to match the methods of calculation and maximum benefits used by most other states. I also support extending the period that workers can draw unemployment benefits from 12 to 26 weeks and increasing the maximum payment from $350 to $500.
Helping small businesses and farmers recover from the pandemic
Small businesses and farmers have been hit hard by the loss of income from the pandemic. I will work to see that they have support to help them weather this storm. I will also see that any funds dispersed from the federal government are disbursed fairly and effectively.
Aging services
Our seniors have earned their social security and retirement benefits. I will work to see that they are not robbed of the benefits they deserve.
Fair districts
Legislative districts will be redrawn in 2021 after the Census results are in. During the last decade, North Carolina has spent a lot of money and time correcting gerrymandered districts which my opponent voted for. I will work to see that those districts are drawn fairly so we will no longer have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on court cases and extra legislative sessions. Ideally, I would like to see the districts redrawn by a Citizens Redistricting Committee with an equal number of representatives from both the Democratic and Republican Parties as well as representatives that are not registered with either major party.
