Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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6 OCT 29 - NOV 4, 2014 ELECTION GUIDE 2014 ELECTION 2014: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Larry Lancaster, At-Large Candidate, Democrat For the past 18 years, it has been my honor to serve the citizens of Cumberland County as a member of your Board of Education. In those 18 years of service, we have faced many challenges and produced some very significant positive results. I have faced every decision with only one goal in mind-to make responsible decisions that are in the best interests of the stu- dents, parents, employees and residents of Cumberland County. I am very grateful for your support and humbled by the confi- dence you have placed in me. I love Cumberland County and I am excited about the future for our great community. Today, citizens depend on county government more than ever before, which makes it more important than ever that qualified, dedicated people run for the office of county commissioner. It is because of that I have decided to offer my service as a county commissioner. I believe the strength and legitimacy of county government begins when it is closest to our citizens. I also believe it is very important for county government to be credible and trustwor- thy. Cumberland County is part of the backbone of the state's governmental system. We should be viewed as the unit of government closest to the people re- sponsible for providing services mandated by the state including education, law enforcement, public health, mental health, and many social service programs. I believe counties should play a larger role in state government. Maybe it is time to redefine that role while responding to increasing demands for new services and improved delivery. Collectively we must find a way to examine the role of the state and other local governments to determine levels of service and who pays for what while continuing to respond to increasing demands for new services and improved delivery. There is value in making the system more consistent, but I believe some things should be determined by local government. Simply stated, is there a better way? Our county leaders have made great progress through the years, but as we grow and face the expectation of providing the very best quality of life for the citizens of Cumberland County, we certainly face many UNPREC- EDENTED challenges. I want to use my experience of budgeting, personnel management and strategic planning to address those issues which affect us all. Quality in education, recreation, senior citizens and health care is a must. The safety and well- being of everyone can never be compromised. Those necessary programs and services, which all citizens deserve, can only be offered if we remain a vital, progres- sive community with a visionary economic-development plan. Opportunities for all Cumberland County citizens to work and prosper will only be realized when we make smart, strategic business decisions. We must continue to do everything necessary to promote economic development and self-sufficiency but also take care of the many small businesses that we already have. I will bring a collaborative decision-making process to the table, realizing the need to find ways of conducting govern- ment business more efficiently and eliminate waste so that tax dollars are spent wisely. I have a desire to focus not only on the immediate challenges of the day, but also have a vi- sion for the future of our county. I have a commitment to be a continuous learner of what it takes to be an effective county commissioner. I will be informed and not a single-issue candidate. I also believe that being an effective leader requires compromise and political skill to balance differ- ent points of view. We all know our county has some major challenges but some significant op- portunities. With quality schools, good jobs and good government, Dr. Seuss would say, oh, the places you'll go! I believe that my history of service to this community confirms my commit- ment to the people of Cumberland County. I welcome the opportunity to serve as your county commissioner. Thank you in advance for your support and confidence in me. It is my pledge to the people of this great county that I will work tirelessly to serve all people as we work together to make Cumberland County a better place to live, work and raise a family. Jaunita Gonzalez, At-Large Candidate, Democrat What I stand for sounds like a super hero motto — "truth, justice and the American way!" I do believe government should be truthful and transparent to its people. Citizens need to feel confident that good, sound judgement is being used to run their county government and spend their hard earned tax dollars. I believe all our citizens should be treated with respect and listened to, no matter where they live or their socioeconomic status. I believe citizens identify with me as an average, everyday person who has gone through good times and bad times and who works hard at a retail job trying to make ends meet and pay my taxes. Being a military dependent all my life also gives me the perspective of the military life with the fears, the loneliness and being far away from family. I also believe all our citizens should feel safe in their homes, in their schools or workplaces and on our streets. While serving on the Board of Education, the Board of County Commissioners, the Fayetteville City Council and the plethora of committees, task forces and city, county and state boards over the years, I have always tried to make decisions that would improve people's lives while looking at the bigger picture of the county. Having been the only person in Cumberland County to have had the honor of being elected to all three governing bodies, I do have the unique perspective of knowing how these boards conduct themselves. I know their hot buttons, how far to go before crossing over into their affairs and how we could all work together, build consensus, and make improvements in educa- tion, crime statistics and job recruitment. Having the most experience and political knowledge, I can tell you that the only way we are going to solve our crime problems and start attracting more quality businesses with good jobs to Cumberland County is that we must all start working together in harmony. We must come together for a common goal and base our decisions on accomplishing that goal. I want you to vote for me because you believe I will work for you diligently, I will listen to you tirelessly and I will stand up for you when you think you are all alone and no one cares. I will make your concerns, my concerns. I will treat the spending of your tax dollars with the same critical attention that I give to my own home budget. I will work with others to expand our tax base to a more equitable shared sales tax to take the burden off of property owners. I will not accept turf battles, but will support our sheriff's department and our police department working together to tackle our crime problem. My political intentions are pure and I am not beholden to anyone. I believe we can make Cumberland County a great place to live, raise our families and become a shining star in North Carolina. You have two votes for two seats on the Board of County Commissioners and I am humbly asking for one of those votes.