Name as it appears on the ballot: Erv Portman
Campaign website: ervportman.com
Phone number: 9199246025
Email: [email protected]
Years lived in Wake County: 26
1. In your view, what are the three most pressing issues facing Wake County? If elected, what will you do to address these issues?
Reforming the way we fund our schools, keeping up with the growth, and protecting those most in need are the three biggest issues we face.
Funding our schools
On
this board has been a strong supporter of public schools. The new board elected in 2014 has increased funding over the last 4 years by more than any other board in our history. But the process can and must be improved. To do that I advocate a 1,2,3 approach to better funding.
1. Fund every student, so as enrollment goes up so does funding.
2. Adjust the “per student funding” each year for inflation and productivity.
3. Beyond
If more money will help us improve, we should be open to new continuous improvement ideas at any time but ask that they
presented with
of the costs and the benefit.
Planning for growth
Preserving some of the natural beauty of this area… forever, before it’s lost to development is key to maintaining a healthy place people will want to call home. That’s why outdoor recreation, parks
greenways are such an advantage to living here. We need to build on that investment before it’s too late to do so. Doing so will also protect our air and water, something we can’t take for granted.
Protecting those most in need
We are a highly educated, well-off county, but in our midst are 100,000 that live in poverty. We are their safety net. We need to help be sure they too can see and experience the benefit of a growing economy and not feel left behind. It’s the right thing to do for all. To do this we are supporting affordable housing, and evaluating better ways to provide health care to those in need but not covered, while growing workforce jobs with a living wage and benefits.
2. If you are challenging an incumbent, what decisions has the incumbent made that you most disagree with? If you are an incumbent, what in your voting record and experience do you believe entitles you to another term?
I have been consistent
the need to better fund education and to reform the way we fund public schools, we are building a collaborative approach with the Board of education that will ensure a reliable flow of funds to keep up with growth, cover inflation and a public process to be open to even more funding, by considering continuous improvements. Our board has agreed on this as a top priority and the board of education has now confirmed they too seek a better more reliable approach to planning future needs. Each board blaming the other, year after year does not serve our students, teacher nor taxpayers well. We all work for the same public, they expect us to fix this, and I know we can.
My website at ervportman.com lists the promises and results made and kept. The list shows I have done what I promised in 2016 and can be counted on to do so in the future.
3. The county is by most accounts prospering and growing. What do you think Wake County has done effectively? What policies would you like to see put in place to ensure growth going forward?
We have a diverse base of business and a well-educated workforce. This is key to our success. People like living here, they like the climate and the beauty of the area. Our job is to be sure as we grow we don’t lose that charm. Planning for improved transit, keeping some key parks and greenways, funding great schools. Improving the way we do all that with a 5-year rolling plan will help us meet this goal and get our tax rate to be consistent with our needs, so we don’t have to raise taxes every year. It can all be built into a sustainable plan to meet our needs as we grow.
4. With that rapid growth, of course, comes challenges related to suburban sprawl, transportation, and affordable housing, among other things. In your opinion, what
been the county’s successes in managing this growth in recent years? What about its failures? What would you do differently?
Our failure was the old board not moving on transit sooner, but the new commissioners elected in 2014 fixed that. The new board is paying attention to the needs for 10-20 years out. For 30 years Wake County has done this too little / too much thing, with a
in elected boards spending too much or too little. That has held us back. The new board understands this and is being careful and strategic… just right.
5. What should be the county’s role in addressing issues of economic inequality, such as gentrification and affordable housing? Do you believe the current board is doing enough to help its municipalities manage Wake County’s growth in order to prevent current residents from being priced out?
question with no easy answer, our success is driving up the price of land. If you own land that’s good, if not, you are left out. That’s bad. So we need to be creative to find ways to help people succeed. Wake County’s adoption of a living wage is a start. A change in the leadership at the NCGA even better. Funding job training and targeting some incentives to workforce jobs with benefits will also help. Better transit options allow families to save on transportation that can go to housing. There is no one fix, we need to do all at the same time.
6. How would your experience―in politics or otherwise in your career―make you an asset to the county’s decision-making process? Be specific about how this experience would relate to your prospective office.
I know the issues and the leaders, have served and am well respected by Mayors, town and city council members. That’s why so many have endorsed me both in 2016 and 2018. My 45 years of business experience adds a perspective not offered by my peers. That ability to create new jobs, meet a payroll and get things done adds a practical can-do approach to the way I lead. As a strong pro-education Democrat I know our schools are part of the solution to building and keeping a great workforce, and the prosperity that comes from that.
7. Last year saw some tension between the county commission and the school board over school system funding. Ultimately, the county gave the school system less than half of the new funding it asked for. But from the county’s perspective, it has raised property several times in recent years to benefit the school system. Do you believe Wake County needs to commit more funds to its schools? If so, would you be willing to ask taxpayers for more money?
Let me be clear we have increased funds more than any other board in decades. We did not have the money to do it, the board raised taxes 4 years in a row. That is unprecedented.
last year we only funded 95% of the $455 million
local ask, $430 million, up 20 million over the prior year. And in 2017 the school system underspent its budget by 23 million. That left them the $23 million they did not spend form prior year and the new additional 20 million for a 43 million increase over 2017 actual spending. I wish we could always fund everything asked. But I have learned that is not realistic or fair to all the other needs of our county, so we do the best we can for all. That’s the job.
8. Wake County has raised property taxes four times in the last four years. Currently, the county is considering three potential bond referenda in November: one for school construction, another for parks and greenways, and a third for Wake Tech. Together, these, too, would likely require a property tax increase. Do you believe the citizens of Wake County are paying too much in taxes? Some think so, others say it’s not enough, we must be doing something right. These taxing decisions are never easy and they are judgment calls. I am confident we have used good judgment and made the right call to fund what we have. The voters will decide if we spent too much or too little.
9. The embezzlement scandal at the Register of Deeds office highlighted the fact that the county does not scrutinize the offices of elected officials, such as the Register of Deeds and the Sheriff’s Office, in the way it does other county agencies. Do you believe there are steps the county could have taken—or could implement now—that could catch theft or fraud earlier?
Yes, I was critical of our response, I felt we needed to be more proactive on “locking down cash” more quickly. Only a small part of our annual budget comes in the form of cash, but that small percent is a lot of money. Every store from Target to Krispy Cream knows how to manage cash and balance the till every night. The county should have been more proactive and I have directed staff to do so. They have completed that training. We also have clarified that audits can and will be done on all departments as needed by the internal audit team not just on request. Both of these changes will help. But theft is theft and it’s a violation of public trust. We need to learn from it, and those found
need to serve time.
10. North Carolina is a “Dillon Rule” state, meaning that the only powers municipal and county governments have are the ones granted to them by the legislature. Would you like to see this changed? How would you work with state legislators from Wake County, as well as mayors and council members from the city’s municipalities, to ensure that Wake County, its municipalities, and the state are on the same page regarding policies that affect residents of Wake?
I would support a broader authority for local control. I think the local school board should be setting teacher pay, not 170 state legislators, same for class size. I think your local town council should be able to set your town’s appearance standards and stream buffers. Local control
state control. Makes good sense to me.
11. The replacement bill for HB 2 that passed last year prohibits local governments from passing living-wage or nondiscrimination ordinances until 2020. If you are in office in 2020 when the moratorium expires, what sort of nondiscrimination and/or living-wage policies will you push the county to adopt, if any? Do you favor, for instance, a nondiscrimination ordinance that would apply to public accommodations, like the one
passed in 2016 that led the legislature to pass HB 2? Would you consider raising the county’s minimum wage?
Wake has already adopted a minimum wage for county employees to $15.05 and I support expanding it to WCPSS employees as well. We also have adopted a broad non-discrimination ordinance to be sure all are respected. I would not support any new bathroom bills and I don’t think it’s an issue we need to define in law.
12. 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.
I have been opposed to the certificate of need law for
buildings and services, but have come to see the benefits of it when used well. The dispute on building a Hospital in Holly Springs was the issue, which I supported. It was held up by CON. But I also see that
hospital emergency rooms could not exist if all the profitable hospital operations were taken by
clinics just leaving hospitals with unprofitable emergency trauma care. We all count on that help being there 24/7 whenever we need it.
13. Identify and explain one principled stand you would be willing to take if elected that you suspect might cost you some points with voters.
Not “fully funding” every request is a perfect example of disappointing some voters. Everyone has programs they support and hope we will “fully fund” but in
we always have many more good and worthy ways to spend other people’s money, than money. I know that and am willing to say no to some so I can fund the best ideas we have for improving our community. That’s the job.
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