Preparing for Our Future

Balancing progress and preservation is crucial for Onslow County's prosperity. While growth is positive, unchecked expansion can challenge unprepared communities. The county must commit to supporting growth without compromising its agricultural heritage and strong neighborhoods. To ensure responsible growth, allocate new taxes strategically to address challenges like reinforcing essential services, safeguarding the environment, and ensuring quality education. This proactive approach preserves the county's character, fosters resilient communities, and aligns with residents' needs, making progress beneficial for all.

Our county government needs to handle money wisely. We want to keep property taxes low so property owners don't have too much financial stress. But, at the same time, we must ensure we have enough money to provide essential county services. To do this, we have to figure out what things are most important and make a plan for spending money on those things. Being responsible with money doesn't mean being cheap; it means making smart choices to get the best value for the county. By carefully managing how we spend money, we can keep things in good financial shape and still provide the services our community needs while looking out for the financial well-being of property owners.

In local county governance, involving the public and being transparent is crucial. One way to do this is by creating a citizen study group from the community. This group acts as a link between the county government and residents. Their main job is to help the community understand the details of the county budget and how the government works. Through open conversations and easy-to-understand information, the study group empowers residents to make informed choices and actively participate in local decision-making. This makes things clear and strengthens the relationship between county officials and the community, promoting teamwork and shared responsibility in shaping the area's future.

Keeping schools safe is really important, and we must do everything we can to ensure students feel secure while learning. But it's not just about school safety – we also want to help young people who aren't in school or working. By putting resources into programs that offer different ways of learning, job training, and mentorship, we can help these individuals gain valuable skills and find meaningful jobs. We understand that everyone has different talents and goals, so our focus on safe schools should also include programs that meet the diverse needs of young people. We aim to create an inclusive community where everyone gets the support they need to succeed.

To help Onslow County grow economically, we must collaborate with other elected officials. Together, we'll devise a plan that creates suitable job opportunities for our residents. We should focus on ideas that bring in new businesses and ensure stable jobs for people. It's essential to connect education with what our local economy needs. We want high school graduates to have chances to work and help our county's economy grow. By partnering with schools and businesses, we can give students the right skills and support to succeed at work, making Onslow County more prosperous in the long run.

I strongly support making our community better by developing affordable housing. It's essential to help efforts that make safe and affordable homes available, as this improves the quality of life for everyone in the county. Our homeless shelter is full, and a waiting list shows how much we need more housing options. Affordable homes help with homelessness and make our community safer and stronger. By emphasizing and backing these efforts, we can move towards a community where everyone has a safe place to live, creating a better and more welcoming environment.