Name as it appears on the ballot: Valerie P. Foushee
Campaign website: www.valeriefoushee.com
Phone number: 919-245-3266
Email: FousheeforNC@gmail.com
Years lived in the district: 62
1. What do you think are the three biggest issues facing our state? If you are an incumbent, what have you done to address those issues, and what more would you do if given another term? If you are a challenger, what would you do differently to address those issues than the incumbent has done?
1) Investing in quality public education; 2) Providing access to quality healthcare; and 3) Ensuring fair voting districts and elections
- During my tenure in the General Assembly I have and will continue to sponsor and advocate for legislation that provides funding to ensure a sound basic education for all of North Carolina’s children. That funding should provide for quality teachers in every classroom, support staff to ensure a safe and healthy school environment, and adequate facilities. I have and will continue to support policies that promote fairness, equity and opportunity for all students.
- I have sponsored and co-sponsored legislation supporting Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act to provide access to affordable healthcare to as many as 500,000 residents.
- I will support establishing an independent redistricting commission to draw congressional and legislative districts after the 2020 Census is completed.
2. It seems hardly a day goes by without news of another mass shooting. On the state level, what changes to gun laws, if any, do you support? If you do not support any changes, please explain why you think the current laws are successful.
I support common-sense gun legislation that maintains Second Amendment rights but eliminates the proliferation of military-style assault weapons and the sale of “bump stocks” in our communities. I support criminal background checks by local law enforcement for all firearm purchases including at gun shows and on the internet.
3. In recent years, Duke Energy’s coal ash spilled into the Dan River and Chemours’s GenX leaked into the Cape Fear River. Do you think these companies have been held sufficiently accountable? Do you believe the state has put in place sufficient regulations to prevent these problems from occurring again? If not, what more do you propose doing?
We want to be a welcoming state for people and for businesses but we expect businesses to act as good corporate neighbors. As legislators, we need to hold them to a higher standard. The cost of doing business should not be passed on to families – and we should not put a price tag on public health and safety. The current majority has eliminated regulations without considering the long-term implications on our natural resources. We need to hold polluters accountable, and make sure they pay for clean-up instead of passing the cost on to their customers.
4. In the wake of Hurricane Florence, at least six hog-farm lagoons were damaged and more than fifty saw discharges or were inundated with floodwaters as of this writing, according to the DEQ. More than five thousand hogs have died, and right now it’s unclear what the ultimate long-term environmental impacts will be. Since Hurricane Floyd, environmentalists have warned that, in a severe flooding event, the farms’ “anachronistic” waste-disposal techniques could pose a threat to the state’s waterways and public health, while the industry has insisted that its farms utilize best practices and are already heavily regulated. Do you believe these farms, and their lagoons, pose a risk to the environment? If so, do you believe the state has done enough to minimize that risk?
I believe that the potential exposure to hog waste could result in a serious public health crisis. The General Assembly needs to review the regulations currently in force that continue to let industrial hog farms operate within the flood plains. We need a comprehensive review and update of storm water and dam-safety rules and regulations to ensure protection of residents, businesses and the environment. North Carolina has seen two 500-year floods in two years. The Republican majority has actively rejected scientific studies outlining the direct impact that climate change will continue to have to our state. The effects of global warming are here and we need to respond accordingly.
5. This year, Smithfield Foods—the world’s largest pork producer—has lost three verdicts in North Carolina totaling millions of dollars, after juries found that its farms’ methods of waste disposal infringed on the property rights of their neighbors. But in the last two years, the General Assembly has taken steps to make it more difficult for these neighbors to sue or to recover substantial damages, citing the threats these lawsuits pose to the well-being of family farmers. Do you believe the legislature’s actions with regard to these nuisance lawsuits are prudent? Why or why not?
The recent farm bills sent a clear message that Republicans chose CEOs over constituents. The effects these industrial farms have on communities are devastating and it is our responsibility as legislators to strike a balance between good business and safe communities. We have failed these North Carolina families and they were right to seek relief through the court system. The recent bills were a gross overreach by the General Assembly to intimidate both the affected residents and the court system.
6. It has been estimated that special sessions of the North Carolina legislature cost about $50,000 per day. Since 2016, the General Assembly has called seven of them to deal with everything from passing HB 2—the so-called bathroom bill—to passing restrictions on the governor’s powers after Roy Cooper defeated Pat McCrory to, most recently, clean up controversial constitutional amendment language so that it complied with a court order. Under what circumstances do you think it’s appropriate to hold a special session?
Special sessions should be reserved to address immediate/emergent situations such as natural disaster relief, an economic crisis, or to comply with court orders that occur after regular session adjournment.
7. What are your thoughts on the six proposed constitutional amendments before voters this November? Please explain which you support and which you don’t support and why. What do you think about the process behind these amendments—what critics have described as a limited public debate, for example, as well as the elimination of amendment numbers and ballot summaries, and the lack of so-called implementing legislation, which could be passed in another special session after the November vote?
I am opposed to all six of the proposed amendments because they are intentionally vague and misleading. The legislation to approve the ballot measures was rushed through at the end of the session and lacked input from the public. If approved, the Republican majority will have a blank check to write policy for the amendments AFTER voters have approved them in a session that has been scheduled after the election. Particularly troubling are the amendments that would essentially give the legislature powers that threaten a fair and impartial judiciary. Every prior attempt to require voter-ID has been invalidated by the courts because the requirement discriminates against people of color, the elderly, students and others. Lowering the income tax cap will deny future legislatures the flexibility to acquire the necessary revenue to provide essential services to North Carolina’s citizens.
8. In May, thousands of teachers from all over the state marched on the legislature to demand better pay, more resources for students, and more respect. Do you think North Carolina’s schools are being adequately funded? If not, what taxes would you be willing to raise—or what services would you be willing to cut—to fund them better?
No. Funding for North Carolina’s public schools is lower than funding appropriated prior to the 2008 Great Recession, when adjusted for inflation. We rank 39th in the nation for per pupil spending and 37th for teacher pay. Schools lack sufficient funding for textbooks, technology, teacher assistants and support personnel such as nurses and social workers. Additionally, many of our facilities are in of desperate need of repair. Facing an unfunded state mandate to reduce class size for grades 1-3, school districts are scrambling to identify space to meet the mandate.
The budget proposal submitted by Governor Cooper would have provided raises of a least 5% for all teachers and an average of 8%. If we approved a similar proposal in the coming session, no additional tax revenue would be necessary. We could freeze the proposed additional tax cuts for large corporations and individuals making more the $200,000 annually. I sponsored SB 542 – Public School Building Bond Act 2017 that would have provided nearly $2 billion to assist with repairs and construction costs if passed. The General Assembly should direct more “Education Lottery” proceeds to be used for facility and technology needs. Moreover, all funding earmarked for private school vouchers should be redirected to public schools.
9. Currently, twenty-nine states have minimum wages above the federal minimum. North Carolina is not among them. Do you believe North Carolina should raise its minimum wage?
Yes. I support building a stronger economy that works for all. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to earn a living wage; for the millions of people earning the minimum wage, that is not a reality. Their pay does not cover necessities. I support raising the minimum wage to a living wage and as the economy grows, wages should grow with it.
10. Under current law, toward the end of 2020, municipalities will gain the authority to pass nondiscrimination and living wage ordinances—unless the General Assembly intervenes. Since the winner of your race will be in office at that time, do you believe local governments in North Carolina should be allowed to make these decisions for themselves?
Yes. Over the past six years, the North Carolina General Assembly has passed legislation that remove the authority of local governments to enact policies/ordinances that closely impact residents of their jurisdictions. Locally elected officials are closer to and better understand the needs of those whom they serve. It is my goal to repeal HB 142 should the majority leadership of the General Assembly change for the 2019 session.
11. Over the last couple of years in Wake County, county commissioners and school board members have battled over local school funding. Recently, some commissioners have made moves to petition the legislature to allow for a pilot program in which the Board of Commissioners turns over school-taxing authority to the Board of Education, as is the arrangement in most states. In general, do you believe the state’s elected school boards should have the responsibility to raise taxes for the schools they oversee? Why or why not?
As a former school board member, I continue to advocate for comprehensive study of the merits of taxing authority for school boards. Careful consideration must be given to develop a system or structure that is not confusing to taxpayers and does not entirely abandon the checks and balances of the current system.
12. Since Governor Cooper’s election, the legislature has taken a number of steps to assume powers that were previously the executive’s domain, including overhauling the State Board of Elections. Do you believe these decisions were merely power grabs, as Democrats have alleged, or that they were made in the interests of public policy?
I do believe that these actions of the Republican-led General Assembly are designed to undermine the authority of the executive branch generally and Governor Cooper specifically. These actions have resulted in increasing the powers of the General Assembly. They ignore our system of checks and balances and three co-equal branches of government. Further, they disregard the separation of powers principle of our constitution.
13. Over the last year, the state has frequently found itself in court over its legislative and congressional districts, which courts have ruled to be unconstitutional racial and partisan gerrymanders. Given this, do you believe the state legislature of that last several years has acted as a legitimate body? If not, what do you propose as a solution? If yes, please tell us why.
As the courts have ruled that 28 of North Carolina’s legislative districts are unconstitutional gerrymanders, the elections held in those districts produced unfair results. With new maps in place, fairer districts have been drawn and are being used in the November elections. Although I believe that the legislature has not acted as a legitimate body, it is unreasonable to speculate how to change legislation that has been ratified and enacted, other than by repeal of extreme laws in the next general session.
14. Give an example of a time, during your political career, when you have changed your position as a result of a discussion with someone who held an opposing view.
As an advocate for public schools, I did not fully support the concept of charter schools, mainly because I felt that we should concentrate on correcting issues within the existing traditional system and that there should be more oversight than was provided at the inception of charter schools. As an advocate for public education for all of North Carolina’s children, I have learned that unfortunately, zip codes often reflect the level of quality of education due to the economic viability of some of our communities. Students who face these circumstances deserve other opportunities to succeed. However, I oppose using public funds to hire for-profit agencies to operate charter schools. Moreover, charter schools should be subject to the same accountability standards as traditional schools to ensure student success.
15. Identify and explain one principled stand you would be willing to take if elected that you suspect might cost you some points with voters.
I am pro-choice and will continue to support women’s reproductive freedom. I will oppose any legislation that prohibits access to safe, legal abortions directly or by imposing unnecessary burdensome mandates.
