Trudi Walend – N.C. District 113
Speaking next was Trudi Walend. Walend was tapped in January to replace Rep. David Guice in the N.C. District 113 House seat after Guice resigned to work in the state’s corrections system.
Walend had previously served 10 years in the state house.
She spoke of things accomplished this year in the legislature, including closing a $3 billion gap in the state budget and passing workers compensation reform, small business tax relief and regulatory reform. She said they also worked on tort reform, medical malpractice and removed the charter school cap. She said the legislature worked to pass a voter ID bill that was then vetoed by the governor.
Walend said she wanted to return to the legislature to put experience, commitment and seniority to work for the district.
“I represented Polk County for many years in the minority in the N.C. House. I fought the good fight and I fought for the conservative principles we all believe in,” Walend said. “Seniority counts – I, with my five terms before, will be among the top 10 in the Republican caucuses. It means we get our choices of committees, of issues. I would be at the table representing you when those things come up.”
Some issues Walend said she believes are coming down the line include work on annexation law changes and education reform, including the potential of a merit-based system of pay for teachers.
She said a top priority, though, would be jobs and the economy. Walend said South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia currently attract more jobs because of N.C.’s higher corporate tax – 6.9 versus 5 to 6 percent; the inheritance or death tax; and the state’s gasoline tax. N.C.’s tax is currently 39.15 percent, while South Carolina’s is 16.75. She said there is currently a move in the N.C. House to reduce that percent to 35.
Chris Whitmire – N.C. Rep. District 113
Chris Whitmire is also running for the N.C. House District 113 seat.
Whitmire is an eighth-generation native of the district who has spent most of his working live in the military.
“I believe in doing more with less – this means having to be a critical thinker and a problem-solver,” Whitmire said. “The most important thing is that I bring passion as a native of this area.”
Whitmire spoke in particular to the suffering local citizens have faced in a bleak economy.
“When your neighbors and your society starts to get undermined, you have a drain of talent – it starts going other places,” he said.
Whitmire’s answer to this was education. He said his experience on the Transylvania School Board afforded him the experience needed to create a big impact with fewer resources. He said he believes this, too, can be done at a state level.
“The over regulation, the over taxation and the career politicians have taken our great state from being at the top to being where we are now – that sickens me,” Whitmire said.
Whitmore said the legislature needs to work to make the state environment more inviting for industry and business to come here and it also needs to protect property rights.
In relation to illegal immigration, Whitmore believes his work teaching counter-terrorism and public security gives him an inside look at the dangers of the problem, and he said it would be one of several things he’d work to address if elected.
“Please consider voting for me – this election you’ve got a choice here. Someone who has done a lot of things and has tremendous leadership experience,” Whitmire said.
Marche Pitman – clerk of court
Marche Pitman has spent the last 11 years as magistrate where he said he’s thoroughly learned the judicial process. Pitman is running for Polk County Clerk of Court and he said his 18 years of total law enforcement experience in Polk County would prove valuable in such a position.
Pitman also has experience running the technology department for the county and is currently responsible for two departmental budgets. Pittman received his bachelor of science degree from Gardner-Webb University.
“I want to make sure we create a customer service-oriented attitude,” Pitman said. “I’d like to see employees falling all over themselves to help each individual in some way.”
Pitman said he’d also like to introduce technology innovation to the clerk of court by coming up with new workflow systems.