Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Contact Me
NC House of Representatives District 35
300 N. Salisbury St. Room 603
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
919-715-3010
Legislative Website
Health & Human Services
As Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, I have fought in the General Assembly for the health and wellbeing of our citizens. As I mentioned earlier, I have paved the way for massive improvements in our state’s mental health system with $20 million from the sale of the Dorothea Dix Hospital property going to fund treatment. I have provided vouchers for respite services to help families acting as caregivers for Alzheimer’s patients. Also I improved local social services departments and the efficiency of foster care facilities with improved staff training and technical assistance capabilities in both. Health and Human Services is the base for a healthier North Carolina and I have worked hard to enhance our state’s overall health. The changes that my colleagues and I have made will take effect soon and I look forward to creating more improvements in future sessions for a better North Carolina.
Budget Highlights Mental Health
Rep. Chris MaloneNorth Carolina General Assembly
07/07/2016 NC House 35
The North Carolina General Assembly adjourned just days ago and passed what I believe is the best budget that we have seen to date. The budget includes several great improvements to the Department of Health and Human Services, guarantees no in state tuition increases during a four year term at public universities, pay raises for state employees, cost of living bonus for state retirees, large middle class tax cuts, and average teacher pay increased to $50,000 annually with plans for further increases. Our fiscally conservative budget has also resulted in a record setting rainy day fund totaling over $1.5 billion. I am proud of what we accomplished and look forward to more progress next session.
This session I achieved one of my most sought after goals as a legislator, which was to improve our state’s mental health system. I sponsored legislation, negotiated and added the provision to the budget that successfully earmarked $18 million from the sale of the Dorothea Dix Hospital property to convert existing, or construct new, hospital beds into licensed, short term, inpatient, and crisis behavioral health beds. $2 million from the sale of this property will also fund pediatric mental health crisis beds. An additional $20 million have been allocated for the state’s mental health services aimed at improving the lives of those struggling with mental illness and substance abuse. This is one of my proudest accomplishments and I thank my colleagues for their help.
Education Reform
During this short session one of our primary goals was to place more emphasis on education. I am proud to have been a part of this initiative and am glad that our conservative leadership has picked up the slack left by prior legislatures. Some of our spending on education includes fully funded school enrollment increases, funded an additional 260 Pre-K slots, raised average teacher pay by 4.7% equating to over $50,000/yr, and decreased tuition to just $500 a semester for some of our state schools in an effort to make college more affordable. Overall, the General Assembly’s education appropriations has increased steadily since 2010 and has grown to over $8 billion and is poised to increase even more under our current leadership. Keep in mind that this has been done while decreasing taxes and increasing the amount in the Rainy Day Fund to over $1 billion.
Education Reform
During this short session one of our primary goals was to place more emphasis on education. I am proud to have been a part of this initiative and am glad that our conservative leadership has picked up the slack left by prior legislatures. Some of our spending on education includes fully funded school enrollment increases, funded an additional 260 Pre-K slots, raised average teacher pay by 4.7% equating to over $50,000/yr, and decreased tuition to just $500 a semester for some of our state schools in an effort to make college more affordable. Overall, the General Assembly’s education appropriations has increased steadily since 2010 and has grown to over $8 billion and is poised to increase even more under our current leadership. Keep in mind that this has been done while decreasing taxes and increasing the amount in the Rainy Day Fund to over $1 billion.
Wildlife/Agriculture
This session has also yielded several positive results for farmers and sportsman with the 2016 Farm Act. Fish and wildlife enforcement employees using aircraft can now safely eliminate feral swine, a nuisance animal capable of property and crop destruction. However, this practice will not be allowed during waterfowl season in coastal counties to protect hunters. The act also promotes the sale of North Carolina produce to school districts. In addition to that, the act removes several burdensome regulations from farmers.
Unemployment Down in All 100 Counties
The unemployment rate continues to decrease in every county in the state according to employment data. In Wake County we have seen a decrease in unemployment of 2.9 percentage points. To put that in perspective, Wake County had a 7.1% unemployment rate in January of 2013 and now has a 4.2% unemployment rate. This is excellent progress and I look forward to seeing this rate continue to shrink.
Improved Tax Policies
Our budget has made several great changes to our state’s tax policy. For example, families will have the first $17,500 of their salaries exempt from state income tax. This will result in a $110 annual tax cut for families earning $44,000. It is tax policies like this that will foster growth in North Carolina and make life better for our citizens overall.
Transportation
This session also allowed us to improve our state’s transportation system. Our state’s highway fund and highway trust fund revenues are up 5.2% and 4.5% respectively, which allows us to lower taxes as a result of revenue increases. We also appropriated $5 million to modernize the Department of Motor Vehicles by reducing wait times in driver’s license offices, improvements for medical reviews, and enhance call center responsiveness. My colleagues and I in the House also voted to eliminate any possible toll roads along I-77. We continue to demonstrate our commitment to the taxpayers in all areas of state government.
Improved Tax Policies
Our budget has made several great changes to our state’s tax policy. For example, families will have the first $17,500 of their salaries exempt from state income tax. This will result in a $110 annual tax cut for families earning $44,000. It is tax policies like this that will foster growth in North Carolina and make life better for our citizens overall.
Transportation
This session also allowed us to improve our state’s transportation system. Our state’s highway fund and highway trust fund revenues are up 5.2% and 4.5% respectively, which allows us to lower taxes as a result of revenue increases. We also appropriated $5 million to modernize the Department of Motor Vehicles by reducing wait times in driver’s license offices, improvements for medical reviews, and enhance call center responsiveness. My colleagues and I in the House also voted to eliminate any possible toll roads along I-77. We continue to demonstrate our commitment to the taxpayers in all areas of state government.
New Technologies
In the previous long session I sponsored a bill, (House Bill 81) which proposed a new way of assessing taxes on mill machinery. As we try to rebuild our manufacturing base, the way we tax business activity must change to reflect the new processes involved. Creating the environment for businesses to expand operations in the district helps everyone. This bill, which was included in the budget, will qualify companies to have a 1% or $80 tax on the purchase of machinery and equipment used to make their products. Wake County and the entire state can expect job and economic growth as a result of 3 ½ years of effort in keeping their taxes low and simple. I am confident that these companies’ success from this will benefit all of us in the district by allowing them the flexibility and freedom to do business in a competitive market place.
Local Improvements
Towns in my district have continued to benefit from my work here at the General Assembly.
Rolesville: After noting unanimous approval by the Rolesville Board of Commissioners, I passed a bill out of the House allowing an annexation of state property by the town of Rolesville. The property included the right-of-way for the Rolesville Bypass. The property is also located adjacent to a school and will ensure pedestrian and overall public safety.
Wake Forest: I advocated for the town of Wake Forest by reserving $144,000 from two separate grants to go towards revitalizing our downtown. This funding will go far to improve downtown Wake Forest. I'm happy that our programs of fiscal austerity and accountability have allowed us to realize two years in a row of 'budget surpluses' (revenue higher than projections) even while reducing taxes for all North Carolinians. These
Legislative Intern
It was a pleasure working with my intern Samuel “Sam” Gray of Wendell, NC during the short session. Sam was a dedicated, reliable, and hardworking intern who will be missed in our office. Before joining our team, Sam had recently graduated from NC State with a BA in Political Science and will start law school at Campbell University in Raleigh this August. I want to thank Sam for all of his hard work and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
Summer Page
I was proud to sponsor House Page Julia Ellen. She did some great work in her first week and we hope to see her return one day as a fellow legislator.
High School Graduations
One of my favorite parts of short session is attending high school graduation ceremonies that are taking place. I had the pleasure of attending graduation ceremonies at Heritage High School, Rolesville High School, Wake Forest High School, and Wakefield High School. As a father, I know the feeling of pride that comes when your child reaches an important milestone such as graduating from high school. With that said, I applaud the parents of these graduates for their contribution to their children’s success. I was very impressed by the bright young men and women I met and look forward to hearing about their accomplishments in the workforce, military, and college. Congratulations graduates!
New Technologies
In the previous long session I sponsored a bill, (House Bill 81) which proposed a new way of assessing taxes on mill machinery. As we try to rebuild our manufacturing base, the way we tax business activity must change to reflect the new processes involved. Creating the environment for businesses to expand operations in the district helps everyone. This bill, which was included in the budget, will qualify companies to have a 1% or $80 tax on the purchase of machinery and equipment used to make their products. Wake County and the entire state can expect job and economic growth as a result of 3 ½ years of effort in keeping their taxes low and simple. I am confident that these companies’ success from this will benefit all of us in the district by allowing them the flexibility and freedom to do business in a competitive market place.
