NC Senate District 13: Scott Lassiter

Name as it appears on the ballot: Scott Lassiter

Age: 36

Party affiliation: Republican

Campaign website: www.votescottlassiter.com 

Occupation & employer:  Assistant Principal, Wake County Public School System, Vice Chair of Wake Board of Soil & Water Supervisors

Years lived in North Carolina: 36

1. What in your background qualifies you to represent the people of your North Carolina district effectively? What would you cite as your three biggest career accomplishments?

I’ve spent nearly 15 years as a public school teacher and assistant principal. I founded an innovative alternative public middle school to support students who were not successful in their base schools.  I’ve earned a B.A. in secondary education from NC State University, a M.S.A. (masters of school administration) from NC Central University, and an Ed.D. (doctorate of educational leadership) from NC State. 

I served on the Apex Town Council for 4 years where I chaired the budget and planning committees and oversaw complex personnel issues. 

I’m serving the last year of my term (elected in 2020) as Wake Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor where I have prioritized non-source point pollution remediation, preserving open space and farmland, and educating all stakeholders on the importance and benefits of implementing best management practices for soil and water conservation. 

2. What do you believe to be the three most pressing issues facing the next General Assembly? What steps do you believe the state should take to address them?

Our crisis in education in North Carolina. For some students our constitutional mandate to provide a free and appropriate public education is going unmet. I’m committed to using my first hand experience and academic credentials to speak honestly and realistically about the problem and propose real solutions. Those solutions are broadly based on 3 key areas where the General Assembly can either directly or indirectly intervene. They are: 1) Compensation- We’ve got to pay our public servants, of all types, a wage that attracts talent and rewards positive performance. 2) Curriculum- Lots of teachers and schools are lost. End of year goals exist for students but little resources are provided that actually get the student there. We haven’t had textbooks in years and though they may need to be digital now there is still a need for a common, vetted, research based curriculum that is the basis for each subject each year. 3) Collaboration- Parents, schools of all types, businesses, local governments, institutions of higher education, and the armed services must work together to provide multiple pathways for students to be skilled enough when they graduate to experience success.

Infrastructure: Our state’s infrastructure that includes highways, rail, ports, power grids, water and sewer systems, bridges, public buildings and other important assets that we all benefit from need to be prioritized. As we continue to grow we cannot let development outpace our existing infrastructure or we risk harming everyone’s quality of life. Economic development is excellent but we need to take steps to ensure that current residents and young people are able to access those new opportunities. 

Public Safety: Equally as important as infrastructure and interconnected, are the professionals that serve our communities. Recruitment and retention is extremely important as is advanced training. Our firemen, police, and paramedics should be the best in the country and prepared to answer the complex and difficult calls for service that inevitably come. 

3. To what extent do you support municipalities exerting local control over issues such as regulating greenhouse gas emissions, criminal justice reforms and police oversight, and passing development-regulating ordinances?

I generally support allowing those closest and most accountable to the people they represent (town councils, county commissions, etc.) to govern their communities consistent with the wishes of those who elected them. However, I believe that these regulations have to be consistent with both the United States and North Carolina Constitutions. 

4. Do you support raising North Carolina’s minimum wage, and if so, by how much?  

Realistically, our minimum wage has already been raised by the free market. No one is hiring at $7.25 an hour. Having said that, I believe that all labor is sacred and that anyone working 40 hours a week should be making a living wage, that’s a concept that’s much different. 

5.  What, if anything, should the state legislature do to address the growing affordability crisis and support low-income families in North Carolina?

Workforce development programs are key to lifting families out of poverty. Additionally, equipping young people with skills through a strong education sets them up to be able to attain high paying jobs. Creative measures regarding housing affordability should be explored by all local governments including accessory dwellings and dedicated veteran communities. Additional state tax breaks may need to be explored for those living under the poverty line. 

6. Do you believe that the state government has an obligation to prevent the impacts of climate change? If so, please state three specific policies you support to address climate change.  

Our state government, just like any individual, corporation, or other institution has a responsibility to be environmentally conscious and implement common-sense cost saving measures to protect our small part of a shared planet. 

7. Would you support an independent process for drawing new legislative and congressional districts?

Unfortunately, I do not believe that there is such a thing as a truly independent process. That’s the harsh and sad reality of today’s hyper-partisanism. 

8. Does the General Assembly have a constitutional obligation to comply with the state Supreme Court order in the Leandro case to fully fund public schools and give every child in North Carolina a sound basic education? What else should state lawmakers do to improve North Carolina’s public schools? 

I believe, wholeheartedly, that our public schools need to be funded in such a way as to meet the need. The stakes are too high. Greater flexibility needs to be given to local boards and local school leadership along with increased accountability. I believe in the separation of powers and I think the necessary increases in resources for our struggling schools needs to come directly from the General Assembly as it is in their constitutional purview. 

9. When it comes to teacher pay, North Carolina is one of the lowest-paying states in the nation. Schools across the state are facing shortages of educators, support staff, and other key personnel. Do you support raising teacher pay to at least the national average? What else can the General Assembly do to improve working conditions for teachers and make the teaching profession more attractive to potential future educators?

Teacher pay in NC needs to be the highest in the South East. We’re growing quickly and housing and other essentials are becoming increasingly expensive. Our public servant salaries of all kinds are not keeping pace with inflation and they are certainly not at a level that attracts the best (or even any) candidates for vacant positions. Compensation should be tied to experience, performance, and extra responsibilities. There should be a professional path for an effective teacher that keeps them in the classroom and allows them to appropriately provide for their family. 

10. Last year, following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, North Carolina lawmakers banned abortion after 12 weeks’ gestation. Do you think abortion access in North Carolina should be expanded or further restricted, or do you support the current law? As a state lawmaker, would you support legislation that further limits or prohibits abortion in North Carolina, or punishes/criminalizes abortion providers or patients?

I support life. That means I support the lives of the unborn and of women. Abortion is not and should not be used as birth control. 

11. Do you support reforming North Carolina’s marijuana laws? Do you support full legalization? Please explain your position. 

Marijuana is practically legal in NC based on the work of the synthetic marijuana producers. It can be found in nearly every gas station in our community. This concerns me because I see the harmful effects it has on young people. Though I believe it’s important not to ruin the lives of those who possess small amounts of marijuana for personal consumption I do believe that the state government should not fully condone the use of this drug. 

12. Do you support strengthening gun safety regulations such as expanding background checks, banning bump stocks, and raising the age to buy or otherwise regulating the sales of assault-style weapons? Please explain. 

No. I believe that our current laws, if appropriately applied and enforced, appropriately criminalize violent behavior regardless of the type of weapon. 

13. Are there any issues this questionnaire has not addressed that you would like to address? 

Serving in the state legislature requires a candidate with a broad breadth of experience in various aspects of life, government, and service. I encourage voters to research their candidates and make rational choices that reflect their values. 

Comment on this story at [email protected].