Paul L Taylor, Democrat, Vice Chair CoC on Homelessness

Running for Cumberland County Commissioner of District 2

 

Why do you wish to serve or Continue to serve in Public?

 

At first I didnt want to serve, But After I realized that this was my Divine Assignment given to me by our Heavenly Father , I now understand his Grand Purpose and Design. I see that I am being put in a strategic position to help Hundreds of thousands of my fellow citizens increase their Quality of Life, and that this falls directly in line with my true passions; Helping others is my true calling. I am especially motivated to provide assistance to the less fortunate and under-served

  

What are the top three challenges facing the county and how do you plan to address them

 

Creating Living Wage Jobs              Safer Communities               Innovative Education

 

My three priorities may seem separate but they are very much related. By offering Culture exchange education and Diversity Awareness initiatives we can began to address all three. How? By utilizing the resources that are already here Cross Marketed Programs facilitated by local non profits designed to engage our under served populations and our Law enforcement can bridge the culture and mentality gaps of the people we live and serve with and can create safer communities, increase race relations and even help with economic development within the county and beyond.

 

What New ideas or incentives can you suggest to attract business into the region

 

We should incentivize residents for supporting Local Businesses, Have a no or Low Sales Tax policy for certain days of the week or every other weekend out the month, we can encourage those with great ideas to start new small businesses with Mini-Business Incubator programs held at churches and other Community Based organizations.

 

Orphan Roads?

 

Senate Bill 778 seeks to alleviate the problem of “orphan roads” across the state, However to ensure this bill is given adequate visibility and attention by NCDOT and legislatures, I believe Property associations, Homeowners and even real estate agents should take an active role in developing an Unified Petition both online and offline. This will help to send a clear message that this is a very real issue for the people of this county and it needs to be addressed in a timely fashion.

 

What Steps would you take to improve your county property values?

 

Helping to reduce Crime Statistics would surely increase property values, increasing our involvement with the existing programs, increasing Grant funding strategies to attract outside monies to the issues can play a crucial role as well. Specifically lets look at $5 -20 Million Grants that have been issued by HUD to other regions to buy, fix and populate dilapidated residences neighborhoods nationwide. One such example is the NSP Consortia Grant. Local Mission Aligned Nonprofits all over the US are joining forces and working together to access and unprecedented level of funds

(Over $3.9 Billion has been issued thus far)

http://www.safeguardproperties.com/News/All_Client_Alerts/2010/01/US_Housing_and_Urban_Development_NSP_2_Funds_Awardees.aspx

 

I will work with our Community Organizations including entities like Realtor to provide realistic and practical solutions to attract funding and increase measurable values in the areas I serve. Currently Im working with a Funding Strategy Team to create a template for organizations on how to access funds in this manner.

1. Why do you wish to serve or continue to serve in the NC General Assembly?

I believe public service is a responsibility. I ran originally because I care about my community and wanted to improve our rural district. I am running again to continue this pursuit.

2. What are the top three challenges facing North Carolina and how do you propose to address them through your office?

The top three challenges are 1) transportation, 2) schools, and 3) environment.
First, I would like to see a commitment to transportation infrastructure that has an eye toward the future. North Carolina is growing very quickly and must embrace new ideas regarding funding and diversifying transportation.
Second, we must improve public education delivery in North Carolina. One important component to making our schools better and our economy stronger is to invest in Pre-K education. The research is there showing the importance of early learning and the correlation to future success. This would pay huge dividends to the individual students and society as a whole.
Last, the environment in North Carolina is so important. We are blessed with a beautiful state and abundant beaches, lakes and rivers. We must work toward policy that keeps our water safe and our scenery beautiful.
Addressing these three challenges will have a direct positive impact on our economic development and our quality of life.

3. There is a statewide issue with unmaintained roads in neighborhoods recently referred to as “orphaned roads.” A bill was introduced in the General Assembly this year but did not move forward. What are your thoughts for solving this problem?
“Orphaned roads” present an obstacle to growth in the housing market by putting the onus for improvements to certain thoroughfares on homeowners instead of the relevant government entity. Like most of my colleagues in the House, I voted by Senate Bill 778, but it languished in the Senate. I support addressing “orphaned roads.”

4. What NEW ideas or incentives can you suggest to attract business into the region?

A variety of factors come together to make a specific location attractive for business expansion and growth. Economic incentives (both state and local) play a key role, but other factors like the quality of the school system and workforce, entertainment options, proximately to recreation and transportation, and tax rate considerations all play a role in attraction. As a legislator, my role is to be a facilitator between all the interested parties and be a positive ambassador for my district.

5. Do you support a further extension of a tax on services in North Carolina? Why or why not?

No. I believe that taxes on services are regressive and unequal in application. We certainly need adequate revenue for governmental services, but there are better solutions.