Name as it appears on the ballot: Ronald L. Newton

Age: 67

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: electronaldlnewton.com

Occupation & employer: Tax Professional, state of the Art Financial Services

Years lived in North Carolina: 35

1) If elected, what will be your top three priorities for the next four years?

Poverty, Universal Healthcare, and Education. NC has the highest poverty rate in the country. NC has the highest child poverty rate in the country. NC is th 9th poorest State in the country. NC has 15 Counties with a poverty rate in excess of 25%. There are 5 Counties with a poverty rate in excess of 30%. The poverty rate for 2015 will not be out until the consumer price index can be added. One thing is for sure, the rate will be higher than present.  Only comprehensive legislation by our State and Federal Legislature will be able to deal with the appendages that cause poverty. Affordable Housing, Health Care, Minimum Wage Adjustments, Tax Reform, Small Business Tax Credits and job creation are critical to addressing this issue. The effort must rise to the level of the great Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Anything short of this effort will not suffice. This not just a NC problem, but, a national phenonema.  Universal Healthcare, the Affordable Care Act was past by our Federal Legislature. NC by opting out and refusing to expand the medicaid program lost billions of federal dollars that support medical services for woman and our children. More than 550,000 people were affected by this bad decision. NC experienced seven hospital closing and at least four major clinics. These closings devastated our rural communities and we do not know how many people died because they could not see a doctor? The Governor and the legislature knows it was the wrong decision and now you see new bills in the House and the Senate.  To little to late. We need to accept the Affordable Care Act as written and expand medicaid. NC Teachers have been disrepected. Teachers protect our greatest Human Capital, our children. Teacher salaries should be increased. Teacher benefits should include Career Status Standards. Public Education should be expanded to include children at 12 months and older. Finally, we need to listen and support our Teachers. These are the individuals who know Education. Let them tell us what is required in our schools.  

2) Do you believe North Carolina should expand Medicaid? What do you believe the advantages would be? Are you concerned that costs would be greater than expected, as New York has experienced recently?

During my career I have been a professional football player, a Vice and Narcotics Officer, a School Board President, a Business Manager of one of the largest public employee union in the country, a Law School graduate with a specialty in Taxation, and a Business owner for the last 25 years. During these experiences I have been an expert witness in our Justice System and assisted in making the streets safe from drugs and crime.  I have also negotiated at least two Collective Bargaininh Agreements with Duke University in behalf of 1200 Support Service Workers. As a School Board President I was able to unite the community and the shools to ensure quality public education while balancing the per pupil cost to the tax payers. I presently 

teach Continuing Education Tax Courses at Durham Technical Community College and provide internship programming for young Tax Professional.  As a 25 plus year business owner I am regularly in touch with the NCDOR, IRS, Secretary of State, Department of Commerce and other State Agencies.  

3) Citing a growing economy and budget surpluses, Republicans have called for additional tax cuts. Democrats, including Governor Cooper, have argued that the state has other needs, particularly education. Do you believe the tax cuts over the last decade have been effective in stimulating the economy? If given the choice, are there any tax cuts you would rescind or any new taxes you would enact? If so, toward what would you put the additional revenue?

Yes. I am a populus. I do believe in special interest.  Since so many people are hurting right now, we need to do something for as many people as possible.  My campaign has spoken to the issues that are affecting everyday North Carolinians. This is also evidenced by my career achievments.  

4) In January, a superior court judge ruled that the state was not living up to its constitutional obligation to give students a “sound, basic education.” The judge relied on a consultant’s report, which some Republicans have criticized, that called for additional per-pupil spending. Do you believe the state needs to spend more on K–12 education? Broadly speaking, how much more do you think the state should spend?

Creating jobs is the most difficult issue facing any incoming top level Executive, such as, the LT. Governor. To create jobs we must first establish a major tax credit for small businesses. Why? Because small business are the job creators. We need to re-institute corporate IncomeTaxes. This will balance money coming in and going out.  We also need to eliminate Corporate Tax incentives for companies moving into NC until after they have proven that they have produced quality jobs in NC. Since Mr. McCrory became Governor he has experienced a net job loss of 5500. This is a pre-recession number. consider that even the jobs he says he produced, many of these jobs were already in the pipeline. The job loss figure mainly focuses on Manufacturing Jobs. His idea of hiring someone to deal specifically with this issue is not a bad idea, but, he renigged on hiring such a person. An effort must be made to recruit companies by selling NC’s beauty, its educational colleges, the great millenial professionals available, the stability of the economy and all those things that are good about NC. In NC the unemployment rate is listed at 5.9%.  This is a bad number. The most important figure is the underemployment rate, which is 17.9%. This includes over qualified people, people taking part time jobs, and people who have given up. NC has to balance many equities in dealing with this problem. Finally, we cannot leave out the housing and transportation index in trying to create jobs. The index in NC is between 65 to 80%. developers have to be encouraged to build closer to the inner city centers if the jobs are there. By looking at rail systems, wiring optics, and work from home opportunities, the problem could get better. This is a long term problem. If we employ the above people will be encouraged to start small businesses. We should also take advantage and promote federal programs which are available and can contribute to small business growth, such as the Work force Investment Act, which trains and develops quality professional through job links. 

5) Do you believe that tax dollars should go to private schools? If so, under what circumstances? Do you support the expansion of charter schools? Why or why not?

All of the above.  I started my conversation with the people of NC in December 2013.  I have been around the State of NC twice; visiting more than 60 counties.  Being Lt. Governor is not about career building for me. Being Lt. Governor is about helping to steer what we the people will do together.  I’ve done the work and I will continue.    

6) Gerrymandering has been the subject of debate and lawsuits in North Carolina for the last decade. Do you believe the state should establish an independent process for drawing legislative and congressional districts? If so, what would it look like?

Tax Reform.  The Governor has made NC a consumption Tax State. His policies have made NC a regressive tax state. This means the more you make, the less you pay.  No economic system can last if the tax code is regressive. The Governor’s policy in this area should be considered “reverse robin hood”, taking from the poor and giving to the rich. Mr. McCrory increased taxes on the less fortunate from 5.9% to 9.5%.  He decreased taxes on the rich, from 7.9% to 5.9%. He also eliminated corporate income taxes and caused an increase in sales taxes. The reform law also hurt our small farmers who still pay taxes, while the large farmers have been exempted. We need to change the rate back, re-institute bracketing, create a marginal tax rate, and tax everyone according to their earnings.  

7) That National Popular Vote Interstate Compact has been approved by 16 jurisdictions controlling 196 electoral votes for president; it will become effective should states with 74 additional popular votes approve it. North Carolina has 15. Do you believe North Carolina should join this effort, or do you believe the current system should remain in place?

 Governor McCrory acknowledged NC’s first citizens which the Native American Indians.  Mr. McCrory was the first Governor to ever sign a written document or treaty acknowledging this class of people.  This was long overdo. He has also worked closely with the NC Native American Commission or what could be called the Commission on Indian Affairs. 

8) Do you think that transgender individuals should have their treatments for gender dysphoria covered under the state’s health care plan?

 The Democratic Party does not seem to want to seat the best candidates.  The party is still very devisive. The party exercises politics of exclusion.  Even when a candidate is clearly the best the party still refuses to accept the person.  This has caused and will continue to cause flight to the unaffiliated registration. This issue will also lose elections.  The stakes are too high to allow Democratic Voters to suffer because Party people know the system better and fill seats based upon internal party procedures. 

9) Given the conservative makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, several states have recently pursued aggressive abortion restrictions, even laws that directly challenge Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood. If elected, would you support efforts to restrict access to abortion in North Carolina? For that matter, would you support efforts to expand access to abortion?

 You cannot defend the action.  His very statement shows an unwillingness to deal with the issue.  Leadership cannot be taught, it just is!    

10) Later this year, provisions of HB 142, the replacement for HB 2, will expire, including sections that prohibit local governments from passing higher minimum wages and passing antidiscrimination ordinances. Do you think municipalities such as Charlotte and Raleigh should be permitted to raise the minimum wage or pass an antidiscrimination ordinance that includes protections for transgender people in public accommodations?

11) In 2018, voters passed a constitutional amendment requiring voter identification, and the General Assembly soon passed a law putting it into effect. That law has since been put on hold, at least for the primary, pending a lawsuit. Do you believe in-person voter fraud is a serious threat, and the law is a reasonable way to address it? Do you believe the voter ID law should be repealed? Why or why not?

12) North Carolina’s coast has seen several major storms in recent years, and scientists say this trend is likely to continue as the effects of the climate crisis become more pronounced. What steps do you believe North Carolina should take to mitigate the damage these storms can cause? 

13) Do you believe that elected North Carolina sheriffs should be required to cooperate with immigration authorities, even if they believe that doing so makes their communities less safe?

14) What restrictions would you support, if any, on the rights of North Carolina residents to obtain and carry firearms? Do you believe that assault weapons should be banned? Do you believe that the state should pass “red-flag” laws?

15) North Carolina has not executed anyone since 2006, and challenges to the constitutionality of the state’s death penalty continue. Would you support the repeal of the death penalty in North Carolina? If not, do you believe the legislature should change the law to restart executions?

16) Regardless of what you think of his policies, do you believe that Donald Trump is a good role model and an honorable person?

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