Government Affairs Insights
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March 2012 Edition
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The official filing period began at noon on February 13, 2012 and ended at noon on February 29, 2012. The candidates for the May 8, 2012 primaries have officially filed. There are many interesting races all over the state, but Forsyth County will be represented by several people who will make some waves in this election.
- Representative Dale Folwell, who currently represents House District 74, will be running to become the next Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. Representative Folwell will face Dan Forest, architect; Tony Gurley, Wake County Commissioner; Arthur Jason Rich; and Grey Mills, NC Representative in the primary election.
- In Senate District 31 there will be no primary. Incumbent Pete Brunstetter is running against Delmas Parker. Senator Linda Garrou, who currently represents N.C. Senate District 32, has announced that she will be retiring after serving in the General Assembly since 1999. Senator Garrou, through redistricting, is now a part of Senate District 31.
- In Senate District 32 there are familiar names, but none more familiar than Representative Earline Parmon. She has served as a member of the Forsyth County Legislative Delegation since 2003. There was a formal press conference held at the Forsyth County Government Center in the Board of Elections office on February 21, 2012. It was there that Representative Parmon announced she will leave her current House District 72 to run for the N.C Senate. She will be challenged in this primary race by City Council Member James Taylor and Wilbert Banks. Reginald Reid will run unopposed.
- Representative Larry Womble, who was critically injured during an automobile accident on December 2, 2011, also announced at the press conference that he will not run in the upcoming election for House District 71. In that same press conference County Commissioner Everette Witherspoon announced that he was filing at that very moment for House District 71. Commissioner Witherspoon will run against former Winston-Salem Council Member Evelyn Terry, Kris McCann will run unopposed.
- In House district 72 there will be a three man race in the primary between Jimmie Bonham, a 2010 candidate for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board; S. Wayne Patterson, Forsyth Co NAACP President; and Edward (Ed) Hanes, Jr. Charles Mellies, an attorney in the public defender's office, will run unopposed.
- There are many familiar names in the House District 74 race. David Moore, CEO of Moore Aerospace Service and Consulting is running against John C. Gladman. House District 73 was eliminated from Forsyth County in redistricting. Representative Larry Brown, who now represents District 73, is now a candidate in District 74; Forsyth County Commissioner Debra Conrad; and Glen Cobb, who is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors, will all be running in the primary.
- Representative Bill McGee will not run for reelection in House District 75. Donny Lambeth, Chairman of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board is running unopposed for the District 75 seat.
- District 79 will also see a primary between Representative Julia Howard, who currently represents District 79 and Forsyth County Commissioner Bill Whiteheart. Cristina Victoria Vazquez, a former ESL teacher will run unopposed.
- In the local race for Forsyth County Commissioners there is a full slate of candidates vying for 3 seats on the Board of Commissioners. Three incumbents, Gloria Whisenhunt, Dave Plyler, and Chairman Richard Linville will be in a battle. John Bost, current Mayo of Clemmons; Mark Baker, Tobaccoville Village Council Member; Robert Prescott, Jr., Kernersville; Gail McNeil, Winston-Salem; Marvin Lowder, Winston-Salem; and Jimmie Boyd, Winston-Salem will all run to gain one of the 3 seats available.
All of the candidates will be asked to fill out a questionnaire compiled by the Council of Government Affairs that will give further insight into their positions on local and state issues. Stay tuned because we will share all of this information with you before the primaries.
Unemployment Insurance- A $2.6 Billion Dollar Debt
In January there was a federal flat tax increase of 0.3% to FUTA rates. This rate will continue to rise each year until the debt is paid off. As an advocate for business we support the North Carolina Chamber, as a study is underway that will recommend ways to help return North Carolina’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to a position of solvency and strength. In order to avert this crisis North Carolina must increase its competitiveness through a balanced approach, encourage quicker re-employment and allow for a common sense affordability structure.
The Unemployment Insurance (UI) program in North Carolina is part of a national system designed to provide temporary economic benefits to eligible workers. The benefits and administrative costs of the UI program are paid by employers through the State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) payments. No money is withheld from workers’ checks to pay for unemployment benefits.
North Carolina has the 5th largest UI debt in the nation and business will bear the weight of this debt. The severity of the Great Recession caused high numbers of laid-off employees to turn to the state’s UI system for assistance with day to day expenses. Record high unemployment rates, a very slow economic recovery, extended UI mandates from the federal government and an unbalanced and expansive benefits structure have all combined to make the “perfect storm” for North Carolina’s UI system. North Carolina owes $2.6+ billion to the federal government and the interest on this huge loan continues to accrue.
Lunch with LeadersIf the attendance for the first Lunch with Leaders in the 2012 series is any indicator of series success, what a year we have to look forward to. On February 22, 2012 there were 45+ members of the business community in attendance for Lunch with Leaders. The crowd was lively and asked questions about Winston-Salem and Forsyth County that are relevant to small businesses, economic development and quality of life. Commissioner Whisenhunt was very informative and gave some real numbers as the revaluation process begins. In 2013 revenue neutral will be $20 million short, which means a cut to services or an increase of about $.07 in property taxes.
Council Member Montgomery offered great insight into the challenges facing the city with a deficit in mass transit looming. In 16-18 months mass transit will go into a deficit and general fund dollars will have to be used to cover that cost. The city and the county both have some tough decisions to make moving forward. The level of understanding and thought demonstrated by the elected officials in attendance will surely be a plus to make sure that not just the easy decisions, but the right decisions for Winston-Salem and Forsyth County are made.
Upcoming Events
Your Local Taxes…Higher, Lower, or Status Quo?
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
10:00am - 11:00am
Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce Boardroom
601 West Fourth Street, Suite 101
Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Map
The Chamber's Council of Government Affairs invites you to take a look at what our City Manager and County Manager are anticipating for the 2012-2013 budget year. City Manager Lee Garrity and County Manager Dudley Watts will set the stage for the challenges they face in framing the budget for Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. This event is free, but registration is required and seating is limited. Please RSVP here.
Business Accelerator
Put your business in the FAST LANE to success with Business Accelerator 2012! These monthly seminars will be presented by top local experts and will focus on subjects relevant to small business owners in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Encompassing the Chamber’s small business wisdom into a single package for 2012, Business Accelerator will provide that extra edge you’ve been looking for to help you find success in your company. Participate in all ten of the programs throughout the year for a discounted rate, or pick and choose the topics most important to you.
Class sessions last from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Each seminar is only $10 for members, or pay $75 for the entire series. Speed your way to success and make 2012 the best year ever for your company.
March 21: "Cold Calls...you have to do them, so do them right."
Outside business developers who must call strangers and beg for appointments are in a tough spot. It's hard to reach hard-to-reach prospects, and when you do connect what do you say? Salespeople who attend this session will learn a stress-free system to make colds calls that actually get prospects to invite you in to talk. Don't believe it? Come over and see for your self. This is a simple system that works. Reserve your seat now!
SAVE THE DATE
2012 Candidate Review Briefing
Thursday, April 12, 2012
3:00pm-5:00pm
Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce Boardroom
601 West Fourth Street, Suite 101
Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Map
In collaboration with the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce the NC Free Enterprise Foundation will give their review of a comprehensive list of all the candidates in North Carolina. Learn about who filed to run for U.S. Congress, Governor & Council of State, Appellate Judiciary, N.C. Senate and N.C. House. A special focus will be placed on the races that are heating up in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
In addition, a summary of candidate campaign finances and other key data will be provided to help bring the electoral landscape into focus while the dust is still settling after the close of the candidate filing period on February 29.
More details coming soon on how to register for this free event!
Stay Informed with the Latest News!
For daily news impacting Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, the Triad, State and Nation – make sure to visit Winston Salem Voice. There are new and exciting changes being made to the site for 2012. You will find all the political and government related news right at your fingertips!
Becoming a Council of Government Affairs Advocate!
The mission of the Council of Government Affairs is to advocate for public policy that is in the best interest of business, encourage more efficient, less costly governments, and to protect and educate members on key business issues. We are focused on serving the interests of our 1,800 plus business members. From local ordinances to federal regulations, we work to make sure your collective voice is heard. We provide you with the information you need to become informed advocates as well. Click here and let Wendy know you want to be a part of the Grassroots Action Center. We look forward to you being an active participant in protecting the business climate in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, NC and the nation.