There is a better way!

As Norman’s campaign team has talked to folks across Craven and Pamlico Counties, one message has been consistently heard: “Our state government is going in the wrong direction. We need to make some changes, and quickly.” Here are four key issues where there is a BETTER way.

Fuel Costs

Everyone is feeling the pain of high fuel costs, from private households to businesses both large and small. Fuel costs are draining our budgets. We must reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil. The decision to drill for natural gas and oil will most definitely come down to the discretion of each state. We need leaders in our legislature that are willing to make educated assessments based on quality data that will benefit our citizens. We have the intellectual capacity in our state and nation to create alternate fuel sources and establish a timeline for reducing our foreign oil dependence. If that will mean responsible drilling off our North Carolina coast, Norman will support that measure.

Job Creation

Small businesses are the hub of our economic wheel in Eastern North Carolina. Statewide, small businesses make up 98% of all businesses and contribute close to $20 billion to our economy annually. Unfortunately, small businesses bear the burden of taxation and unnecessary paperwork. Resources for small business development, training and success are nil, unlike their larger counterparts. We need to support small business development and growth in Eastern North Carolina. As a small business owner for eleven years, Norman has first-hand experience in the challenges and needs of small business. Norman will use his experience to help our small businesses, and all businesses thrive, so as to produce more jobs in Eastern North Carolina.

Affordable Healthcare

Our citizens should not have to make a decision between buying food and buying medicine. We need more affordable healthcare in our state. This can be accomplished through a number of legislative actions. Malpractice lawsuits should be capped thereby reducing the need for doctors to practice defensive medicine (unnecessary tests and procedures due to fear of lawsuits). Such capping often results in insurance companies lowering their rates. North Carolina currently has 47 mandates for health insurance companies, increasing by the cost of insurance by approximately 40 percent. Such excessive mandates often single out small businesses and individuals. Reducing our mandates would lower health insurance and encourage more competition by bringing new insurance companies into North Carolina. Tax credits for uninsured workers would also make healthcare more affordable. Norman personally understands the challenge of affordable healthcare. As a small business owner, Norman pays for his and his wife’s healthcare costs solely out of pocket.

Government Spending Accountability

Many politicians seem to forget whose money they are spending in Raleigh. Our state budget is littered with pet projects and wasteful spending. In a time when most citizens are having to cut their personal budgets, the North Carolina legislature just passed its largest budget in history. We wish every citizen received his or her full paycheck without taxes taken out first and then had to sit down and write a check to the government. If government were run more like a business, we would all be better off. That is why Norman believes that zero-based budgeting, coupled with non-biased measures of success in productivity would improve spending accountability in our state government. Zero-based budgeting would require that every department receiving state funds start their budget at zero every year or every other year, as opposed to the current system of starting from what was a line item the previous year. Departments would have to budget what they really needed as opposed to adding to the top. There also needs to be a website whereby citizens can see where tax dollars are being spent. Norman is for open government and more accountability. Pet projects termed as “economic development” that only touch a small portion of the population should not be allowed.