Name as it appears on the ballot: Gerard Falzon
Age:
Party affiliation: Republican
Campaign website: http://gerardfalzon.com
Occupation & employer: Property Manager for Stanner Properties LLC (self-employed)
Years lived in North Carolina: 23
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?
23 year resident of the district; 1st generation American which is representative of the voters of my district; small business owner; volunteer soccer coach mainly within this district; parent of a PCHS grad.
Biggest career accomplishments – Successful admittance to the US Military Academy which is a process that begins in grammar school. Graduation from US Army’s Ranger School. Continuously married for 23 years.
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?
Crime – A change in mindset from “Criminal Justice” to “Victim Justice”. Re-participate in ICE’s 287-G program. Detain those credibly accused of violent crimes until their court date. Improve physical security at school buildings.
Education – Direct state funds for education so that they follow the parents’ choice rather than the public school district (Arizona’s model). Ensure integrity in female athletics. Ensure that free speech rights are upheld at all campuses.
Economic Development – Replace income tax with a sales tax regime to remain competitive with TN, FL, & TX. Develop a local, dependable, low-cost energy supply from offshore sources such as waves, winds, currents; uranium harvest from seawater.
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 do not oppose this provided that there are no conflicts with existing state or federal laws.
4. Do you support raising North Carolina’s minimum wage, and if so by how much? If not, what other initiatives would you take to support low-income families in North Carolina?
I would support a raise in the minimum wage to keep pace with inflation. Additionally, I would work to repatriate manufacturing jobs from China to NC. Skilled manufacturing jobs demand high wages and can go a long way toward supporting a family in NC.
5. With rent, property taxes, and home sale prices all rising, what, if anything, should the state legislature do to address this growing affordability crisis?
I believe that the American dream of home ownership is becoming too expensive for average income families. I propose that counties be given the authority to impose refundable excise taxes on non-owner occupied single-family homes as a way to get these homes on the market at prices that average income families can afford.
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.
No. State government has obligations for public safety, public education, and a small number of other functions. If the public wants the state to take on the management of climate change, it must do so through the constitutional amendment process.
7. Would you support an independent process for drawing new legislative and congressional districts?
No because this would violate Article I, section 4, Clause 1 of the US Constitution that only empowers state legislatures with this power.
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?
No. This a Co-Equality of Branches issue whereby the state’s constitution vests full control over education in the Legislative (and Executive) branches. The Judicial branch is not vested with any power over this issue. It has no organic expertise on this issue. The other 2 branches may easily access expertise in the normal course of their work.
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?
In order to remain competitive with other states, I would support raising teacher pay to the national average. The best thing that the General Assembly can do to improve working conditions for teachers is to allow for parental choice so that children who are not performing well in the public school system can exit easily. This will leave only those students in public schools who are performing well and are a joy for their teachers.
10. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling this spring that overturned Roe v. Wade. The legal cutoff for abortion in North Carolina is now 20 weeks. Do you believe the 20-week cutoff is too restrictive, not restrictive enough, or just right? As a state lawmaker, would you support legislation that further limits or prohibits abortion in North Carolina, or punishes/criminalizes abortion providers or patients?
Regarding the 20-week cutoff, I would need to understand more about when, how, and why was it decided. It seems like an arbitrary number. I believe that the General Assembly needs to hear from medical, legal, and theological experts to re-evaluate this limit and update it, if appropriate. As a state lawmaker, I would support legislation that furthers the intent of the Equal Protection clause of the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment ( “nor shall any State … deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”). Inevitably, the definition of a “person” will be decided by federal courts rather than by state legislatures.
11. Should North Carolina expand Medicaid? Where do you stand on increasing the number of slots for the Innovations Waiver for special needs individuals?
I have no expertise on this subject and would have to listen to expert testimony before arriving at an opinion on this issue.
12. Do you support reforming North Carolina’s marijuana laws? Do you support full legalization? Please explain your position.
I have no expertise on this subject and would have to listen to expert testimony before arriving at an opinion on this issue.
13. 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.
I strongly support the 2nd Amendment’s intent for a law-abiding citizen to be able to easily access weapons to protect themselves, their families, and their properties. I do not believe that the Founders ever intended to allow those with any other intent to easily access firearms. Thus, I support universal background checks as a means to keep firearms only in the hands of law abiding, mentally stable, and well-intentioned US citizens. Bump stocks have already been addressed by the ATF so this is not an issue for the state legislature. I am open to raising the age for the purchase of firearms provided that it is consistent with age to vote, to purchase contraceptives, or to procure an abortion.
14. Are there any issues this questionnaire has not addressed that you would like to address?
Yes, I would like to address the issues of inflation, jobs, energy costs, and national security. The elixir to all these issues is energy independence. NC is not a fossil-fuel rich state. However, we do have a coastline that can be tapped for energy production from waves, winds, and currents. Additionally, Uranium harvesting is a process by which uranium and be extracted from plain seawater. This uranium can be used in our nuclear power plants to produce the cleanest form of energy. I would like to lead a coalition of legislatures of states with coastlines to develop these forms of energy.
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