INVESTING IN EDUCATION

As a product of our public schools, Chaz recognizes that his success has been the direct result of the quality education he received right here in North Carolina. There are many other students who also have the talent and ability to lead transformative lives. Therefore, it is crucial that we invest in our children’s education, equipping them to meet their potential.

Still, our schools are facing unprecedented challenges. Schools are being asked to do more and more with fewer resources. Pay for our teachers continues to be among the lowest in the country. And, short-term decision-making in the General Assembly fails to recognize that many students are in our public schools for a decade or more.

Now is the time to make education a real priority – not just in words, but in action.

We can accomplish this by:

• Paying our teachers what they deserve – Our teachers are underpaid – period. Therefore, we must ensure salaries for North Carolina’s teachers exceed the national average and are the highest in the South within five years. Only with such an ambitious goal will we properly acknowledge the invaluable impact teachers have on future generations.
• Providing our students with a real-world education – It’s crucial that our kids receive a versatile education that prepares them for adulthood. For this reason, Chaz successfully passed a law that created a comprehensive financial literacy education program for our high schools, enabling our young people to make wise decisions with their money. An education that prepares our students for everyday life will empower them as they enter the real world.
• Keeping education affordable, from pre-K to college – A quality, affordable education is a crucial element of our state’s success – even our state Constitution stresses its importance. However, many early childhood education options continue to be prohibitively expensive for families, and many students graduate from our state colleges with huge amounts of debt. From childhood to college and beyond, every child should be able to explore their talents through a public education that won’t break the bank.

EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE

Every person in our community deserves access to quality, affordable healthcare. Not only is expanding access to healthcare the right thing to do – it’s also a smart investment for our families, our businesses, and our economy as a whole.

Access to healthcare means that families can live without the fear of medical bills causing bankruptcy. It means that parents and students alike can pursue their dreams without basing career choices upon the availability of health insurance. It means that entrepreneurs can launch new businesses without fear of losing their employer-based insurance.

In Raleigh, Chaz has fought for expanded access to healthcare and will continue that fight until every North Carolinian has access to the quality healthcare they need and deserve.

We can support quality healthcare by:

• Expanding Medicaid – Chaz is a cosponsor of the bill that would expand Medicaid, providing affordable healthcare for over 600,000 North Carolinians. North Carolina’s taxpayers already pay for these life-saving services, but politicians in Raleigh are blocking this critical effort for political reasons. It’s time to prioritize the needs of everyday North Carolinians through this common-sense, bipartisan measure.
• Providing Critical Resources in the Fight Against Addiction – Every day, thousands of North Carolinians battle addiction – a fight that affects individuals and families alike. We must continue to provide the resources our community needs in the critical fight against opioids specifically and addiction generally.
• Supporting Women’s Health Decisions – Women should be able to make their own healthcare decisions, free from intrusive government interference. Physicians, not politicians, should be the guiding force behind the healthcare decisions of patients.

DEVELOPING A WORLD-CLASS TRANSPORTATION NETWORK

North Carolina is a growing state that stretches from the mountains to the sea. We’re an attractive destination for tourists and new residents alike.

Still, growth brings its challenges – and our transportation system has fallen behind. In order to sustain growth and provide excellent quality-of-life, we need to build infrastructure that prepares us for the future.

We can develop a world-class transportation network by:

• Expanding Our Transportation Options – From bike lanes to high-speed rail, North Carolinians are demanding access to a greater variety of ways to get around. Many of these new methods are cost-effective, efficient, and economically beneficial. We should continue to be innovative in areas like mass transit while avoiding the pitfalls of projects like the privatized, monopolistic I-77 tolls. By embracing new but smart options, we can be at the forefront of the future.
• Maintaining Our Existing Infrastructure – As we continue to invest in new transportation options, we must ensure that our existing transportation network remains up-to-date. Gridlocked roads, crumbling bridges, and project delays are unacceptable in a growing state like ours. We must make it a priority to ensure that our entire network, whether in rural or urban areas, remains responsive to our state’s needs – and has the funding necessary to remain so.
• Supporting the Flow of Commerce – As the grandson of a truck driver, Chaz understands how important the flow of goods and services is for our economy’s rural and urban areas alike. We must maintain our competitive advantage by ensuring that our commercial shipping methods, from airports and seaports to rail and trucking, remain state-of-the-art.

CREATING JOBS & GROWING THE ECONOMY

We’ve got a strong economy here in North Carolina. It’s made us a place that attracts people from all over the nation – and the world.

Still, as our economy continues to grow, we’ve got to make sure that everyone in our state has the chance to participate in that success. From the rural communities where Chaz was raised to the urban and suburban areas he now represents in the General Assembly, every North Carolinian has something to contribute.

Chaz is running for Lieutenant Governor because we need to build an economy that works for everyone.

We can do this by:

• Expanding Well-Paying Jobs – North Carolinians value work. Similarly, we should value our people by ensuring that economic growth leads to thriving businesses that create well-paying jobs. This includes marketing our state worldwide to attract new jobs while raising our minimum wage in an economically-beneficial way.
• Supporting Small Business – From family farmers to shop owners, small business continues to be a major driver of our economic growth. Our state should ensure that these small businesses receive the support they deserve at a statewide level.
• Creating Opportunities Statewide – Economic success is not a zero sum game – all of North Carolina, whether rural, urban, or suburban, can succeed in a growing economy. We can create opportunities for every North Carolinian, regardless of where they live, by reinforcing regional strategies and broad approaches to growth. Only by big-picture thinking regarding our growth strategies will our economy work for everyone.

FIGHTING FOR EQUITY

Our state is a patchwork of many different communities, made of people from a variety of backgrounds. While many different paths led us here, we recognize that our futures are inextricably tied together. We realize that not only is there strength in our diversity, there is strength in our versatility.

Despite this, we face challenges that pull at the very threads with which we are woven together. Rather than focusing on the everyday needs of North Carolinians, some in Raleigh are pushing a divisive social agenda. We cannot stand idly by as some use race, gender, and sexual orientation to open old wounds – or create new ones. Instead, we must recognize the lessons from our past challenges while remaining hopeful for North Carolina’s future.

By standing by our core principles, we are:

• Preserving our constitutional rights – The constitutional rights belonging to our citizens cannot be an afterthought when laws are passed. Whether restricting the right to vote, complicating women’s rights when making health decisions, or obstructing the right to marriage, extreme members of our General Assembly have often disregarded constitutional protections for political gain. Others have been noticeably absent as our rights are eroded. Our rights are the bedrock of our society and are far too important to be compromised.
• Expanding opportunity – Providing people with the chance to put their talents to work is how to build a thriving, prosperous middle class. However, for the women still earning less than men for the same work, for people of color facing higher unemployment rates, or for working-class families struggling to make the American Dream a reality, these chances remain limited. By expanding the opportunities available, we maximize the potential of everyone, regardless of background.
• Building strong, supportive families – The family is the building block of our society. As the child of a single mother, I recognize that a uniquely-built family can still be a strong and supportive one. Likewise, we need leadership that values families of all types, understanding that how the family works is more important than how the family looks.

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT

North Carolina is blessed with incredible natural beauty – from the Appalachian Mountains in the west to the beautiful Atlantic coastline on the east. It’s an important driver of tourism and travel.

Unfortunately, we have not done enough in recent years to protect our environment – and our people deserve better.

Specifically, we can defend our environment by:

• Protecting Our Environment by Holding Polluters Accountable – Every North Carolinian has the right to clean water and clean air – and we have a responsibility to prevent contamination of both. One of the first lessons we learn as children is to clean up after ourselves. While our goal should always be to prevent pollution before it happens, when it does, polluters should be responsible for cleaning it up.
• Supporting Clean Energy – Our state has been at the forefront of developing clean, renewable energy sources. We should support a clean energy future by not only supporting cleaner production but preventing inappropriately-sited fossil fuel production from going forward.
• Preserving our Natural Beauty – Growing our economy and protecting our natural resources are not mutually exclusive. As more land is developed, we should ensure that we preserve open spaces as greenways, parks, and untouched forests that our communities can enjoy for generations to come.^[7]

The Affordable Living Initiative

As your candidate for Lt. Governor, I am running to make living affordable for all North Carolinians. My fellow Democrats and I agree on these things: Medicaid expansion, better public education, access to affordable healthcare (which includes protecting women's reproductive rights), independent redistricting, protecting voting rights, and tackling climate change. However, my time in office has taught me that there are pressing issues not being addressed which have become critical in communities across NC. I’ve put these issues into my platform, a program I hope to champion and lead from the Lt. Governor’s office - I’m calling it The Affordable Living Initiative (ALI). My ALI platform establishes a state-wide initiative that brings together public/private partnerships, non-profits, urban and rural governments, legislators, environmentalists, homebuilders, and everyday citizens to help solve some of the problems that have become critical needs in communities across NC

Affordable & Attainable Housing

At least 310,000 people in North Carolina are spending more than half of their income on housing. This means families across the state are having trouble putting food on the table due to skyrocketing rent prices. This isn’t the quality of life our North Carolina families deserve. Housing is an essential component to everyday North Carolinians and frankly, human life. As your next Lieutenant Governor, I will work with residents, developers and local governments to find solutions to build fair cities and expand affordable housing. ALI is dedicated to having diverse voices at the table - we’ll come up with practical, applicable solutions:

• Comprehensive Legislative Study to review laws/policies that hamper affordable housing
• Eviction expungement program
• Increase financial resources for the NC Housing Finance Agency
• Implement energy efficiency conversion programs for existing stick built/mobile/modular homes
• Study ways to upgrade inaccessible homes or repair “sick homes”
• Study tax structures in areas of rapid gentrification which may push people out of their homes

I started a bipartisan workgroup committee with House and Senate members studying ways to make housing affordable and attainable in both urban and rural communities. As a result of the vast information and problems identified, I introduced and got a bill passed in the House for a comprehensive study addressing this issue. Unfortunately, my bill never got picked up by the NC Senate. As President of the NC Senate, I will make attainable housing one of my driving issues.

Access to Affordable and Healthy Food

One of the first issues that I worked on in the General Assembly has been food security. I introduced HB 387, which would create the Healthy Food Small Retailer Fund in the Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services for food desert relief purposes by providing micro-grants for equipment and shelving, initial expense offsets, and food and nutrition education. Governor Cooper signed this bill into law in 2019. This law will continue to need funding, and the battle will continue as budget wars persist in the General Assembly. Your support for my candidacy as Lt. Governor would push this issue to the forefront, and I will work to expand this program until there are no food deserts in NC.

Economic and Workforce Development

Both rural and urban communities want and need opportunities for citizens and businesses to thrive. This means working together to give citizens from all economic classes access to North Carolina’s growth and opportunities.

Economic development doesn’t just mean business and community growth, it also means giving our citizens access to this growth, by providing them with workforce development through education and training. In doing this, we expand the workforce and turn laborers that feel left behind into a ready, able, and skilled workforce. Preparing our hardworking labor force will encourage growth and create an environment that will build greater communities.

As Lt. Governor, I will work with new and existing companies that want to be in NC, to get them to commit to being community partners, not just "investors". As a member of the NC Board of Community Colleges, I will promote using and enhancing our educational institutions and job training programs to produce living wage and above living wage jobs. By providing a ready, able, and skilled workforce, industries will consider NC the destination for success.

Transportation People need access to reliable public transportation to get to their jobs, medical appointments and live their day to day life. I recommend expanding transportation options, like Bus Rapid Transit, micro transportation systems, and light rail systems wherever possible.

Public Education

I want to bring back respect to public education and teachers. I believe that who you are and where you live should not dictate access to quality education. For too long, public education has not received the proper attention it deserves. Our students and teachers deserve respect and support. As a member of the State Board of Education, I will fight for an increase in per-student spending to equal the national average, as well as an increase in teacher pay to match the national average. Increased public education funding should go toward the increase in the number of school librarians, psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses, and other health professionals. I am a proponent of PUBLIC education and believe that public money should go toward public schools.^[7]

A Special Message to North Carolina Voters

“In 2020 I will be a Candidate for the Office of Lt. Governor in our great State. I am aware that to be successful I will need the support of all communities across the State of North Carolina. What is at stake is the future policies and laws that will govern all of us. It is apparent that our lives are not better off than four years ago. The question is Why not? I could talk about the many issues that North Carolina faces, but, the real problem has been our leadership. Election after election we have experienced Candidates coming into our communities presenting promises with no solutions.

As a leader it is important to note that Representatives are elected to serve the will of the people. What is not apparent is that many Representatives do not serve the constituency that elected them. Instead our communities are challenged with representatives who have no connection or nexus to issues or causes that would improve the quality of life we all deserve. This campaign is a call to action. As your Public Servant I am asking you to come join the North Carolina New Direction Committee sponsored by the Committee to Elect Ronald L Newton Lt. Governor.

Since 2009 I have traveled across the State of North Carolina and campaigned hard to address issues that affect all people. I know that all politics are local, and I look forward to continuing the fight. My goal will always be to provide solutions and not empty promises. Your voice is very important to me as I move forward. Please consider my candidacy a unifying initiative and support the Committee to Elect Ronald L. Newton.”^[7]

PLATFORM

Ending Poverty

With 1 in 5 children living in poverty in this state, Commissioner Thomas has aggressively made ending poverty his cornerstone issue.

Much needed resources are spent treating the symptoms of poverty, but now it’s time to fight the main issue head on.

Commissioner Thomas supports:

Fully funding schools by any means necessary. This initiative supports increasing teacher pay while also providing increased pay and resources to support staff ie bus drivers, teacher assistants, social workers etc. Commissioner Thomas also supports offering teachers an additional supplement to tutor at schools with poor academic performance. These schools, students and teachers need extra support, not criticism. No-cost after school care will encourage parents to give their children more resources to be academically successful.

Raising Minimum Wage. North Carolina has one of the lowest minimum wages in the country. The way we treat the least among us really tells the story of who we are as a state. People should be able to work hard and make a decent living. After 10 years, it is past time to raise the minimum wage. Commissioner Thomas also supports giving municipalities the ability to place a minimum wage referendum on the ballot for voters to approve. The cost of living varies drastically across our state. With this plan, voters will be able to approve minimum wage increases for private businesses that operate in their communities.

Foundation up Economics. This economic development plan is the opposite of trickle down economics. Commissioner Thomas believes that it is wrong to have one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the country while also having high poverty rates, low per pupils spending in education, and less than average teacher pay. Commissioner Thomas believes that big corporations should earn their way to paying a lower rate. Does your company provide student loan repayment programs? Do you offer parental leave? Do your lowest paid workers receive a living wage? Only those corporations who meet the needs of their employees should be rewarded. It is wrong to put requirements on food stamp and Medicaid recipients while giving billions of dollars in corporate welfare to wealthy corporations across the board.

Criminal Justice Reform. We need an updated statewide standard as we move towards a cashless bail system for non-violent offenders. Place a referendum on the ballot and let voters decide if medical and/or recreational marijuana should be legal in this state or not. Send people who abuse drugs and mentally ill inmates to treatment centers not jails. Create a state of the art, fully funded reentry program that focuses on reducing recidivism.

Social Services. End the waiting list for daycare assistance by fully funding the program. Transform the child support system so that children are financially supported every month. Universal child support will not take away the incentive to pay. It will simply make it a budget priority for the state to insure that children are supported while back child support is collected. The state should recognize the benefits of keeping children out of poverty.

Environment

“Allen Thomas believes that it is our sacred responsibility to take care of our planet. He opposes fracking, offshore drilling, and the deregulation of environmental standards and protections.

Hoke County is home to the 1st (out of only 2 in the state) net zero energy rated K-12 school in NC. Sandy Grove Middle School uses solar panels to create more energy than it needs to operate. The excess electricity is then sold to Duke Energy at above market rate prices. The funds from this agreement are re-invested into our youth. Commissioner Thomas supports increased tax credits to make these types of government buildings common in NC. Renewable energy must be a priority.”^[7]

STAND UP FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION

Long Strange Trip

Over the past several years, we have witnessed the degradation of North Carolina’s public-school system at an astounding rate. The days of leading the nation’s education with innovative ideas like dual-credit programs, a state-wide Pre-K program, and the Learn & Earn model have long passed. As of the 2018, the Tar Heel state is ranked 40th in overall education and 45th in school finance. [1]

The change started in 2010, after the General Assembly was taken over by the Republicans. The formerly bipartisan support for public education began to reflect the state’s transformation into a divisive bureaucracy. Since then, the crafting of legislation regarding the state’s public schooling has been simply abysmal. Most of the policies have been taken from other states haphazardly, disregarding evidence of viability and elements which need to be specifically adapted to North Carolina.

The obvious faults went unimpeded because the now partisan Assembly stuffed these plans into budgets rather than standalone bills. This meant: (1) the policies did not need to be debated in a committee before heading to the floor (2) individual policies that would usually not be supported were scrambled with several more agreeable ones which members are pressured into backing.

That is compounded by the GA’s move to incapacitate the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee (Ed Oversight) and the Senate Education Appropriation subcommittees (Ed Appropriations). Historically, Ed Oversight would meet regularly during legislative interims to propose innovative public education reform. It convened once in the 15/16 interval and not at all in the 16/17 interval. The Ed Appropriations committee-which is responsible for creating the state’s education budget-meets a fraction of what it once did. Unremarkably, 2017 was the first year in the committee’s history in which it presented 0 in-depth reviews of K-12 funding issues. [3]

We have given these elected officials the opportunity to make positive change, but ultimately, they seem uninterested in fixing the problems right in front of them. Let’s hold the self-serving politicians accountable and work together to solve our great state’s dilemmas. Each student should graduate from our public schools so well prepared as to be eligible to enter North Carolina higher education (either university or community college) without needing remedial work.

Broken legs without a band-aid

There is no dialogue between the state officials and the people with hands on experience in education. At the teacher rally in Raleigh and other events across the state, I spoke with hard working educators about the factors holding back our future generation from an adequate public education. These are the folks, along with Depart of Public Instruction employees and the academic community, whose input has been systematically phased out by the GA over the past 7 years. They are the ones we need to be hearing from the most regarding a system where excellence, not adequacy, should be the goal. Here are the topics I heard come up time and again along with how the politicians in-office have carelessly handled them.

Class Size

There have been numerous studies which show the positive correlation of smaller classes on learning. Our state’s large average class-size remains an issue today as the GA continues to postpone a mandatory size reduction in grades K-3 without providing the necessary funding. Without more relief, schools will be forced to let go of elective teachers (music, art, technology, etc.) or reassign grade 4-12 (where there is no size restriction) teachers. It’s an unseemly choice to give. Instead, we must reorganize the budget so that at least 63%-as under Jim Hunt-is devoted to education rather than the current 57%. [2]

We need to be more pragmatic. Class-size is important, but it is not the end-all variable for a good education. Eric Hanushek, whom many consider the leading expert on the class-size debate, compares a 10-student reduction to switching the teacher with a moderately better replacement. So, we should also consider raising teacher pay to incentivize quality future educators while hiring more teacher aids for a sound pupil-instructor ratio. [3]

Charter Schools

I hear a lot of resentment towards charter schools, and I understand the frustration. As charter schools are today, they are leeching valuable resources from public schools without providing a better alternative to students. This is largely due to their lack of restrictions: no class-size requirements, no standard curriculum, no specification for teacher licensing, no mandatory student transportation. Moreover, the past few years have demonstrated that the introduction of charter schools has at first led to self-segregation and eventually culminated in state facilitated segregation through bills like HB514, permitting certain schools in majority white suburbs to restrict access.

However, I do believe there’s a place for a limited number of charter schools in North Carolina. They could function as a pre-professional alternative that’s held accountable for preparing students to join the skilled workforce. College is not for everyone and charter schools could help this niche invaluably. [4]

Vouchers

It’s inevitable that I repeat the same sentiments: there is 0 accountability in-office, and that has poisoned the legislation since 2010. The voucher initiatives are no exception. There is no place for a voucher system in North Carolina. The state’s educational system cannot be thought of as a market in which students are ‘buyers.’ We owe the kids an opportunity for a future like the one we’ve had, and we don’t do it by siphoning money away from public schools to create a system that is abused by private schools-which have not been properly evaluated- and by families who do not need aid. [2]

Some think that this crisis doesn’t affect them because they don’t have children, or their children go to private schools. The fact is, a poor public educational system affects us all. If a large portion of our workforce lacks basic skills and creativity, how can we expect to compete in the economic marketplace? What about other issues we care about? How will the state be able to fund solutions when it has a lower tax base due to an uneducated majority?

I’m willing to take the responsibility. It will be a challenge, but the alternative is unfathomable. As a lawyer, I’ve the sense to see which policies are practical and the rhetoric to sway my reasonable peers. I hope you feel the passion behind my words because I truly believe this is the state’s greatest plight right now. It’ll also be the one I’ll be most involved with as your Lt. Governor and member of the State Board of Education.

I can’t do it without your help though, so as always, I encourage you to reach out and give your perspective on the subject. Let’s get back on track!

PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES

With the evolution of energy production and its growing demand since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, mass energy consumption has constantly risen. The adverse effects of such consumption are evident in extreme environmental occurrences that lie well outside the Earth’s natural cycle. The deterioration of the environment has gotten to the point where everyone is affected, and it will take a conscious effort by every individual to stop this crisis.

Why Do I Care?

As a North Carolinian, one mustn’t look far to see the severity of the current situation. Air contamination has affected the health of countless residents. Power plants across the state release sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM2.5) sulfate, and mercury byproducts into the air. Exposure to these substances can result in increased risk of COPD, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, data shows that reducing the levels of these toxins in our air will reduce the death rate by emphysema, asthma, and pneumonia.

Some action was taken in 2002 by means of the Clean Smokestacks Act which improved North Carolina air quality by facilitating the decommissioning of many coal-fired power plants and the use of reduction technology. SO2 and PM2.5 concentrations have decreased by 20.3% and 8.7% per year respectively since then. UNC researchers state that this improvement prevented 1700 premature deaths in 2012. So, the benefits of reducing these harmful emissions is clear and more must be done as many researchers believe that even low dose exposure to pollutants like PM2.5 can exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

Unfortunately, our concerns with environmental contamination does not end with air quality. North Carolina water in several communities has been compromised or is vulnerable due to aging or damaged wastewater treatment systems and unregulated manure dumping by local farms. The health effects of contaminated water are well documented. If not dealt with, civilians risk contracting a multitude of gastrointestinal illnesses, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders.

That solely outlines the health risks coinciding with the state’s present trajectory; however, the change in climate is a huge threat as well. The climate is warming as a direct result of pollution and the consequences will threaten the livelihood of current and future North Carolinian generations. Projected sea level elevation could result in the loss of land along the low lying Coastal Plain, forcing residents to leave homes and jobs. Storms will intensify as the climate warms, increasing the chances of flash flooding and home destruction across the state. The other extreme will also become more frequent as drought and heat waves jeopardize agriculture.

How Do We Change?

It’s clear we as Carolinians must change, not only for the well-being of ourselves, our children, and our neighbors, but also to provide an example for worldwide reform.

Talk about the issues. The first step is making everyone aware of the obstacles we face.

In 2012, North Carolina lawmakers banned state officials from using scientific data to plan against climate change, and the ignorance among in-office policymakers has continued since. The Republican General Assembly has eliminated 69 DEQ enforcement positions – meaning there are not enough regulators to police industries’ environmental compliance. Even if there were enough regulators, legislators have not created laws that fully encompass the issues, such as farm waste disposal, toxic emissions not covered by the EPA, and damaged wastewater treatment systems.

North Carolina has the potential to increase its energy efficiency by 20% by 2035 but will not do so without the introduction of new policy. The handling of monopoly Duke Energy is an example. The provider is left unregulated in terms of energy efficiency and emission rates.

AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL

In North Carolina, we have a structured healthcare system that needs to be further funded to manage current and impending crises. The major issues we can tackle with additional resources include senior and rural healthcare, teen depression, and the opioid epidemic. And fortunately, the capital to do this could become available by expanding Medicaid.

Seniors & Caretakers

The state’s senior population is growing, and we’ll need more facilities and programs to accommodate the spike. Sponsoring the new Division of Aging and Adult Services would be a significant step in the right direction. The breakthrough agency has already had much success in local senior-care training, statistical research and policy recommendations, so its expansion would be a relief on several struggling communities as well as individual caretakers.

The number of these caretakers is increasing as more families without the means to hire aid are having to care for aging loved ones, many of which have some form of dementia. In fact, 1 in 10 North Carolinians are likely to develop Alzheimer’s (only one type of dementia) by the age of 65, and as the son of a father suffering with the disease, I know how expensive treatment can be – over $95,000 on average. In many cases, a wife, daughter or sister is the one sacrificing her career to help, and value of this unpaid care usually exceeds $143,000. Public action could involve family assistance for a couple of days a week or financial support. In any case, some sort of concrete strategy is needed sooner rather than later.

Rural Communities

We have all bore witness to the matters city politicians choose to ignore, and it’s the rural working class that often suffers. I was astounded to learn that as recent as 2017, 3 counties did not have any primary care provider, 17 had no general pediatrician, and 27 had no obstetrician/gynecologist. These troubling statistics were made real talking face to face with hardworking farmers and fisherman from across the state. They deserve access to quality healthcare which they will need in their physically demanding professions.

Again, solutions revolve around state backing. Physicians can be attracted to low density areas by higher salaries and better working hours, and communities should start programs that encourage local students to pursue careers in healthcare. Unfortunately, not only is there a lack of funding, but there is also a lack of coordination between local organizations and state operations.

Teen Depression

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 17 in North Carolina. That rate has doubled in the past 10 years. In 2017, 16% of high school students reported considering suicide. This data scares me, and I can only imagine the anxiety it brings parents of today’s teenagers. Much of the problem lies in our behavioral health systems. Schools should invest in destigmatizing mental health discussion and provide access to a psychologist on campus. If partnerships between schools and behavior health providers are correctly established the cost to make these crucial changes will be manageable, and the results will avert so much pain and suffering.

The Opioid Epidemic

Drug abuse is on the rise in the nation, and it’s become a crisis in our own back yard. We have gone from 109 overdose deaths related to opioids in 1999 to 1,953 in 2017 – a rate of 19.8 deaths per 100,000 people (the national average is 14.6).

Many people start using opioids to treat pain, but soon become dependent due to the extremely addictive nature of the drugs combine with reckless over prescription. The key to halting the growing number of victims lies within the role of practitioners and providers. They must take on more responsibility and use it to change prescribing practices, raise awareness about the risk of addiction, and better identify dependent individuals. The federal government has already acted on this realization through the 21st Century Act which further funds providers so that they can take on their new roles. North Carolina needs to follow suit with its own policy since the severity of the epidemic is such that only a coordinated approach from the national level down will ensure significant progress.

Medicare Expansion

All of this reform is essential for giving each and every one of our family, friends, and neighbors a quality standard of living, but it does require capital. Some funding can come from rearranging the budget to prioritize these prominent issues. However, another clear way to get the money is by expanding Medicaid. The states who have already expanded their Medicaid have saved hundreds of millions because of the reduction of expenditure on services that were taken over by Medicaid and the increase in tax revenue resultant of economic activity generated by the expansion. Michigan is on track to save a net $1 billion while Virginia and Arkansas will save over $400 million by 2021. There is no reason we can’t save just as much without increasing taxes since the state share of the cost for the expansion will be entirely supported by hospitals and health plans. Actually, we’re already paying for Medicaid expansions in other states through over $1 billion a year in taxes. We owe it to ourselves to bring those dollars back home.

The benefits are not only financial. Obviously, more residents will become insured, but a few other less predictable perks have emerged in other states. Enlarging Medicaid’s reach increases the availability of urgent care and retail clinics. Additionally, it allows safety net institutions to remain in practice consequent of large decreases in uncompensated care by uninsured patients.

The figures don’t lie. There is a straightforward path towards progress, and it comes from caring for every diverse community that makes up this great state!

CONTROLLED ACCESS TO CANNABIS

The time has come to let North Carolinians decide for themselves whether to have controlled access to cannabis. “Controlled access” means there would be no sales to anyone under the age of 21 and use in public would remain prohibited. Additionally, we propose all criminal convictions for possession of up to 1.5 oz of cannabis should be automatically expunged.

Polling from 2018 shows 80% of voters support controlled access for medical purposes.[i] So let’s allow communities decide whether adults can purchase cannabis, just as we do for liquor sales.

To bring jobs to our rural communities, let’s require that 90% of all cannabis sold be grown in North Carolina. This will ensure jobs stay in our rural communities.

Because simple marijuana arrests constitute more than 60% of North Carolina’s drug possession arrests[ii], allowing controlled access means we could re-focus scarce law enforcement resources on our serious criminal issues. Imagine all the time that will be dedicated to taking down dangerous opioid and methamphetamine trafficking networks.

State revenues from controlled access are projected to bring $450 million each year. These funds will allow us to begin to address important behavioral health issues like teen suicide and the opioid crisis.

In North Carolina, we will take a measured approach to how controlled access will be made available. For example, liquor is sold to persons 21 and older, after voters decide whether liquor can be sold in their community. Allowing normalized, taxed and controlled access the same way we do for liquor just makes sense.

Controlled Access Would Generate $450 million Annually

Controlled access is estimated to generate $450 million new revenues each year, based upon the results seen in other states. For comparison, North Carolina collected over $448 million in ABC revenues in 2018. And about $80 million (18%) went to city and county governments.[iii]

Colorado (roughly half the population of North Carolina) collected $247 million from cannabis sales in 2016.[iv]

The funds from such sales should be split between local and state government, just as we now do with ABC liquor sales. We could use the revenues to support badly needed health care in our schools and communities. Only $26.8 million (less than 6%) of the 2018 ABC liquor revenues went to alcohol education and rehabilitation.[iii]

With new revenues generated from controlled access, $337.5 million (75%) could be used to place nurses, social workers and psychologists in each public school to help confront teen depression, suicide, the consequences of hunger, homelessness, and in-home home trauma that one in four of our school children now face. Counties and municipalities will have the choice to use their share of the revenues ($93.6 million, or 21%). This money will help fund behavioral health, alcohol and drug treatment, and combat the opioid health crisis.

Controlled Access Gives Our Rural Farming Communities Opportunity

Rural unemployment is persistently high. At least 39 counties have unemployment rates above the national average.[v] Raleigh politicians have not acted to improve those economies for the last decade. Mainstay row crops such as corn and soybeans barely pay the bills. Producing cattle is only marginally profitable. North Carolina’s 46,000 farms need crops that generate more profits and create more jobs. Controlled access gives our farmers the opportunity to grow valuable cash crops again.

In Canada, where cannabis use is legal, cultivation managers, quality assurance professionals, cultivation assistants and processing assistants earn between $81,000 and $103,000 per year. The average national wage in Canada is around $51,000 per year.[vi]

Here in the US, assistant cannabis growers earn $20.55 per hour on average and master growers typically earn $104,000 a year.[vii] North Carolina’s agricultural industry contributes $84 billion to the state’s economy, accounts for more than 17% of the state’s income and employs 17% of the workforce.[viii]

North Carolina’s historical relationship with tobacco means our farmers are in the perfect position to create new jobs, if only our politicians will let them. We must demand Raleigh legislators give our farmers a chance to create more jobs and establish themselves as leaders in the market for what will soon become a high value American crop.

Controlled Access Means Safer Communities

Our teens can easily buy cannabis today because we aren’t controlling the access. What’s sold can be laced with any number of toxic substances. Controlling sales keeps marijuana out of the hands of children and makes sure what’s sold is safe and unadulterated. “Prohibition has cost American taxpayers more than $1 trillion and has been largely ineffective in decreasing marijuana use,” notes Prof. Jeff Miron, Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Harvard’s Economics Department and Director of Economics Studies at the Cato Institute.[ix]

Just like the 1920’s Prohibition ban on liquor that brought us gangsters like Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly, today’s fifty-year prohibition on cannabis can put distribution and sale in the hands of gangs willing to commit crimes to control turf. “Legalization opponents claim that drugs increase violent or criminal tendencies, but any association between drugs and violence arises mainly from prohibition’s impact on drug markets. […] Prohibition raises drug prices, which motivates some consumers to commit crimes to fund their drug use,” says Miron.[ix]

Possession and use of marijuana under 1.5 ounces is a criminal misdemeanor in North Carolina. Punishment is typically a minor fine, community service, and can lead to up to 45 days in jail. Possession is now a crime because no politician has had the courage to say the truth – controlled purchase, personal possession and home use of marijuana should be legal.

Still, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report shows arrests for marijuana possession consume a great deal of North Carolina’s law enforcement resources. More than 60% of all North Carolina’s drug possession arrests were for possession of up to 1.5 oz of marijuana in 2016 and 2017 — between 13,700 and 16,400 arrests for each of those years.[ii]

In contrast, less than 25% of arrests were for possession of dangerous narcotics like opium. The numbers show that marijuana enforcement makes up a large part of many police agencies’ caseloads. Federal drug task forces and forfeiture rules encourage this misallocation of drug enforcement resources because cannabis is easy to find, and local agencies get to keep cash and other valuables they find in the course of a bust. We are wasting precious law enforcement resources on marijuana possession arrests, resources that should be devoted to confronting the serious law enforcement concerns in our communities.

Opioid overdose death rates in states with marijuana access are nearly 25 percent lower than in states without, and abuse-related hospitalizations are also 23% lower.[x]

Reports have found that in the majority of states that have approved medical marijuana, use among teenagers has actually decreased. Experts say this is due to a diminished “forbidden fruit” effect and decreased access to marijuana as it moves from the unregulated streets – where there are no age requirements – to inside licensed dispensaries, where you need to be 21 to purchase marijuana.[xi]

The evidence shows that most people can use cannabis safely. Of course, there are always those who lack the restraint for responsible consumption, but the repercussions are much more severe with other substances. When people consume too much alcohol, it can be fatal. The Centers for Disease Control reports 88,000 alcohol-related deaths each year, with binge drinking accounting for about half of these deaths.[xii]

The number of deaths caused by cannabis is almost zero, with one study finding that it would take an ounce or more of THC (the active ingredient in cannabis) to be fatal.[xi] Men who use cannabis are less likely to commit an act of intimate partner violence than those who use alcohol, according to a study published last year.[xii][xiii]

Controlled Access Allows Medical Use

Cannabis has medicinal value, particularly for pain management and cancer patients. “The most common use for medical marijuana in the United States is for pain control,” says Peter Grinspoon, a Practicing Physician and Professor at Harvard Medical School. “While marijuana isn’t strong enough for severe pain (for example, post-surgical pain or a broken bone), it is quite effective for the chronic pain that plagues millions of Americans, especially as they age.”[xiv]

“The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS — or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them,” says Joycelyn Elders, ’93-’94 Surgeon General.“And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day.”[xv]

“I think obviously physicians make decisions based on their relationship with a patient. Do I believe that medical marijuana should be available in that equation? I do, yes,” says David Satcher, ’02-’06 Surgeon General. “I’m not convinced that there’s any evidence that marijuana is any more harmful, maybe not as harmful, as alcohol and tobacco. I’m not pushing marijuana, I’m just saying … physicians ought to be able to make decisions about the use of medical marijuana. I’m not advocating for any new drug on the street.”[xv]

In 2014, North Carolina took a small step forward, enacting a CBD-focused law for patients with intractable seizure disorders. The law leaves most patients behind and fails to provide an in-state source for cannabis extracts.

Controlled Access Just Makes Sense

An Elon College poll taken in 2017 found 80% of North Carolina voters support controlled access for medical purposes. Support was broad across political party, age, gender and race.[i] As of last month, 33 states (including Michigan, Utah and Colorado) have cannabis access laws – whether for medical use or controlled access.[xvi]

It’s time North Carolina joins them.^[7]