On The Issues

Learn more about Thom Tillis' positions on key issues...

As a member of the North Carolina legislature, I will work to establish strong Conservative leadership to build a bright future for all North Carolinians.  When I am elected as your State Representative, I will have an intense focus on the key issues, such as lowering taxes, controlling spending, and improving education.  If you would like to know more about my position on the issues, CLICK on the underlined link below.

Taxes
In January 2006, the gas tax was raised by 10% and the gas tax has risen more than 20% in total over the past 12 months.  Only 5 other states have a higher gas tax than North Carolina and almost ? of the price you pay (more than 48 cents) at the pump for a gallon of gas is composed of State and Federal taxes.  Combine this with increasing County and City property tax increases over the past year, and the burden is simply unacceptable.  North Carolina has just been rated one of the least attractive States to base a business.  Without a diverse tax base and a thriving business and industrial sector, all North Carolinians will literally pay the price in the form of tax increases.  We must turn this around.

We must focus on a tax policy that fully realizes the potential of our growing workforce, our abundant natural resources, and our strategic geographic position.  As your NC House Representative, I will focus on:

• Enacting legislation that results in a more straightforward and more pro-growth system.  We should have a tax code that helps families own a home and that fosters broader support for charity in North Carolina.  To truly reform North Carolina's tax code, we must be willing to work with all legislators to bring about effective, lasting change
• Restraining spending by the State Government
• Making tax cuts and rolling back recent tax increases, such as the Gas Tax enacted in January.  We need to reduce the burden on individuals and small businesses to keep our improving economy on track.

Our Governor and the democrat-controlled General Assembly seem content to approve tax increases that put a strain on individuals as well as large and small businesses, leaving them few options but to look for lower cost places to live and work, sometimes just next door in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia.  As a member of the General Assembly, I will work to reduce the corporate income tax and to expand the state child tax credit for families with dependent children.  I will support the Republican Caucus in our efforts to make North Carolina one of the most attractive states to live and to base a business.
  

Spending
Over the past five years, our budget has increased by nearly $1 billing dollars each year and our State budget is approaching $18 billion dollars.  As our economy strengthens and the tax revenues increase, numerous examples of overspending and waste on unnecessary projects abound in North Carolina.  Republican members of the North Carolina legislature have been stifled in their attempts to put limits on spending and to force the legislature to make tough choices and fiscally responsible decisions.  We need to put controls in place that make it difficult to increase spending beyond inflation- and growth-driven factors, and we need to eliminate the spending spree mind set of many legislators.

Education
While we have a lot to be thankful for in our schools, we must improve the state of our education for the sake of our children and for North Carolina's future.  North Carolina lags behind on test scores and graduation rates, and we are consistently ranked among some of the lowest performing states.  North Carolina has the resources and the ability to rank among the leading states for student achievement, and we must work together to bring about positive change.

Closer to home, we must continue to improve our schools in North Mecklenburg and the entire county and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School (CMS) systems must be more responsive to addressing over crowding in many of our schools.  As a parent of a high school student in public school, as a school improvement activist, and as the President of the PTSA of one of the largest and most over-crowded schools in Mecklenburg County, I know fundamental change is needed to get CMS on track.  We need to break up the school system into more manageable districts, and we need to put the authority for running schools in the hands of the people closest to our children, not the people in CMS headquarters in downtown Charlotte.

Although the ultimate decision as to how the Mecklenburg Schools district rests with the County Commission and School Board, the scope of change needed to get CMS on the right track will require enabling legislation from the General Assembly.  I will work hard to secure support for enabling legislation to bring about the transformation of CMS.
   

Jobs
North Carolina continues to lose jobs to neighboring states and offshore competition.  We need to enact legislation that will make North Carolina a desired destination not of point of departure.  We need to work with local jurisdictions and with businesses to create economic development opportunities that will produce jobs and financial security for all North Carolinians.  North Carolina's growing economy requires a flexible, highly-skilled workforce.  We must work with County and municipal agencies to ensure that North Carolinians workers get the the training that they need to succeed.   We must ensure every adult can access the training necessary to close the skills gap in America. With the diverse workforce and natural resources we have been blessed with in North Carolina, I believe North Carolina can become one of the most prosperous State economies, and we can do our part to ensure that the United States continues to be the most prosperous economy in the world.   To accomplish this, we must:

• Reduce spending and pass legislation that limits spending in the future
• Pass legislation that promotes economic growth including tax cuts for personal income tax and the corporate marginal tax rates
• Help improve our high schools to better prepare our children for college and to offer skilled-labor training alternatives to students who decide not to pursue a 2- or 4-year degree, and
• Reform State immigration policies to ensure only legal immigrants can compete jobs

Theses are not lofty goals.  They are achievable and they are critical to North Carolina's future.

Transportation/Roads
We must step up the focus on improving North Carolina highways, roads, and transportation infrastructure.  We must pass legislation which allocates a portion of money in the Highway Trust Funds to be used for projects that will reduce congestion and improve safety on North Carolina's most dangerous roads.  We must also ensure that the proceeds from the gasoline tax (the 30 cents a gallon you send to Raleigh for every gallon of gas) are used for the maintenance and improvement of our highways and roads, not special projects.
  

Crime & Punishment
We cannot let pressure on the judicial system and crowding in our jails prevent us from our obligation to remove criminals from the vast majority of the population who are productive, law abiding citizens.  If you commit a serious crime, you must go to jail and you must serve your sentence.  If we must expand our prisons to ensure that convicted felons are not released before they have served their time, and if we must increase funding for prosecutors to ensure criminals are not given reduced sentences, it is a price we must pay.

I will work to impose the toughest penalties allowed for domestic violence, sex offenses, and crimes against children.  I support sex offender registration and all measures focused on tracking and monitoring repeat offenders.
 

Environment
I know our environment is one of our most important assets and it must be protected.  Our air and water quality continues to improve and we must take measures to ensure that we maintain a continuous process of improvement.  We must find ways work towards continued improvement without complex and costly regulations on business.  I do not believe burdensome, costly legislation is needed to achieve this, and I believe there are viable options that will preserve and improve our environment.

Public Safety
All elected officials have a moral obligation to ensure the safety and security of its citizens.  In the challenging times we find ourselves in today with rising crime and threats from abroad, we need to be sure our police, fire & rescue, and other public safety organizations have the personnel and the materials needed to protect our citizens.  When faced with the tough choice between an investment in public safety and virtually any other area, you can be certain that I will never make a choice that I believe would put our citizens at risk.  I will put a priority on public safety and on protecting the brave men and women in police, fire, and rescue jobs.