N.C. House Rep. Karen Ray responds to Report questions

Dear Readers:
I did not include Karen Ray and Grey Mills, the two local GOP candidates for the N.C. House of Representatives, when I asked you to submit questions for candidates. But one reader graciously sent questions for the two House candidates, so I sent an e-mail to them two days ago, asking them to respond by noon today. Since it was a last minute request, I did not expect to hear from the candidates. But this morning, Ray e-mailed her responses. If and when Mills responds, I will post his answers.

Here are the questions and Karen Ray's answers:

1. Do you support the county’s current two-school system, or should the Mooresville Graded School System be eliminated and rolled into the Iredell-Statesville Schools System?

I HAVE ALWAYS OPPOSED THE MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OF THE MOORESVILLE GRADED SCHOOL DISTRICT. I RESPONDED TO SEVERAL HUNDRED CONCERNED PARENTS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL LAST YEAR THAT MY POSITION IS THAT THE MGSD SHOULD REMAIN AUTONOMOUS.

WE HAVE A FIRST CLASS SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES EXEMPLARY EDUCATION TO OUR STUDENTS, AND I WILL ALWAYS FIGHT ANY MERGER OF THE SYSTEM.

I WORKED CLOSELY A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE PAST WITH FORMER SUPERINTENDENT SAM HOUSTON, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT JANE CARRIGAN AND OTHERS WHEN THIS ISSUE WAS FILED IN THE LEGISLATURE. THE LAST TIME A BILL WAS FILED TO MERGE THE MGSD WAS IN 1995, HB 649, FILED BY IREDELL COUNTY’S OWN MEMBER, FORMER REPRESENTATIVE FRANK MITCHELL, WHO IS SUPPORTING MY OPPONENT, MR. MILLS, AND WAS A PRIMARY SPONSOR OF THE FUNDRAISER FOR MR. MILLS RECENTLY.

I HAVE ALWAYS FOUGHT FOR THE MGSD AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO ALL I CAN, AS I DID LAST YEAR AND THE TIMES BEFORE, TO PREVENT ANY SUCH LEGISLATION FROM PASSING.

I HAVE GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER MEMBERS IN THE LEGISLATURE AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT IN OURS EFFORTS TO STOP ANY MERGER OF OUR GREAT SCHOOL SYSTEM. MY CHILDREN ARE GRADUATES OF THE MGSD AND I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION PROVIDED AND THE EXCELLENT TEACHING, COACHING AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.

2. How can you help fix a “broken” NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT)? There is not adequate funding for local projects, nor for any this side of I-95 (Piedmont and Western NC)? Our “transportation infrastructure” is overburdened as it is. How will you direct NCDOT to address and prioritize our local concerns?

FIRST OF ALL, I WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AS OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE - STAY ON TOP OF THE PROJECTS FOR IREDELL COUNTY, SUCH AS THE WIDENING OF BRAWLEY SCHOOL ROAD, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT THIS YEAR THROUGH DOT, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL MONIES TO COMPLETE THE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION.

I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVE TURN LANES AND SIGNALS AT A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS IN OUR AREA THAT WERE NEEDED. I JUST LAST WEEK WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN SIGNALING FOR THE LAKESHORE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL INTERSECTION ON PERTH ROAD AFTER BEING CONTACTED BY PARENTS OF STUDENTS AT LAKESHORE. I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN AUTOMATIC SIGNALING AND GATE ARMS FOR THE RAILROAD CROSSING AT TRIPLETT CHURCH LAST YEAR, A CROSSING THAT HAS NEEDED SIGNALING FOR A LONG TIME DUE TO LACK OF VISIBILITY.

THE NC HOUSE DOES NOT MAKE DECISIONS RELATIVE TO ROAD PROJECTS. THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE AT A DIFFERENT VENUE. I CAN, HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO ADDRESS OUR NEEDS WITH DOT AND MAKE THE CASE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS OF THE NEED FOR CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON OUR ROADS.

I WAS ABLE TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY IN STATESVILLE AT THE I-40 INTERCHANGE AND HIGHWAY 21. I AM WORKING ON HIGHWAY 70 TO MAKE CHANGES THERE AT A DANGEROUS AREA.

I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK I HAVE DONE IN THE PAST TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW AND MAKE MORE SAFE THE ROADS WE TRAVEL IN THE DISTRICT I REPRESENT.

SECONDLY, WE MUST WORK TO GAIN LOCAL CONTROL OVER OUR ROADS. DOT IS A MONOLITHIC YELLOW GIANT THAT IS DYSFUNCTIONAL AND NEEDS TO BE DISMANTLED. WE NEED TO RECLASSIFY STATE AND LOCAL ROADS. WE NEED TO RESTRUCTURE THE FUNDING FORMULA TO REFLECT NEED AND REVENUE GENERATING SOURCES. IT IS UNFAIR TO TAKE REVENUE FROM THE REGION THAT IS GENERATING THE MOST AND SPEND IT ON OTHER AREAS WITH LESS PRESSING NEEDS. WE NEED TO REMOVE LOCAL BOARDS THAT SET FUNDING PRIORITIES FROM THE POLITICAL PROCESS OF RALEIGH.

A DECENTRALIZED DOT THAT SETS THE STANDARD, BUT ALLOWS LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT TO SET PRIORITIES AND CHOOSE CONTRACTORS WILL SOLVE MANY OF OUR PROBLEMS.

3. How will you help insure state cooperation in storm water and water/sewer issues such as interbasin transfers and “regional” cooperative initiatives to provide necessary services for our overburdened infrastructure?

WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WATER IS A RESOURCE THAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE BOUNDARIES OF CITIES, COUNTIES OR STATES.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE STATE TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT FULLY INTEGRATES ALL OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. THE QUALITY OF OUR TOMORROW WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE DECISIONS WE MAKE TODAY, AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL OUR CITIZENS ARE GRANTED THE ASSURANCE OF SAFE AND ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF WATER. THIS IS VERY MUCH A STATE ISSUE THAT REQUIRES ATTENTION BEYOND ANY MUNICIPAL OR LEGISLATIVE BOUNDARIES.

I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AREAS IN THE DISTRICT THAT ARE FACING MAJOR CONCERNS OF WATER SHORTAGES, SUCH AS THE BRAWLEY SCHOOL ROAD PENINSULA. I AM CURRENTLY INVOLVED WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF SUBDIVISIONS ON THE PENINSULA, CRESCENT AND MOORESVILLE IN NEGOTIATIONS OF FUTURE WATER RESOURCES.

DEHNR MUST STEP UP ITS ENFORCEMENT OF REGULATIONS AND VIOLATIONS IN SUBDIVISIONS IN AND AROUND LAKE NORMAN DURING CONSTRUCTION. OUR LAKE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE POLLUTED WITH SILT BECAUSE THE REGULATIONS ARE NOT BEING ENFORCED. DEHNR POINTS THE FINGER AT SOMEONE ELSE AND THE FINGER GETS POINTED BACK AT DEHNR. UNMANAGED STORM WATER AND RUN-OFF DAMAGE AND DESTROY PROPERTY AND PROPERTY VALUES. DEHNR HAS THE MEANS TO ADDRESS THIS ABUSE AND NEEDS TO DO IT.

I WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS THIS ISSUE AND KEEP DEHNR’S FEET TO THE FIRE REGARDING REGULATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT.