Representative Larry C. Strickland Seeks Re-Election Bid
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pine Level, N.C. - Today Representative Larry C. Strickland (R-Johnston) released the following statement announcing his re-election campaign.
“It has been my highest honor to serve the people of House District 28 and the citizens of North Carolina this past year in the North Carolina General Assembly. By working together, we have made great strides since the Great Recession and have turned our economy around, but there is still work to be done”
I am proud of what has been accomplished in the 2017 long session and look forward to seeing our great state reap the benefits of sound fiscal policies. From historical tax reform to setting a goal for savings reserve and meeting that goal for the first time ever; we can honestly say that the state of North Carolina is now on the right track.
I am pleased to have had such a successful first year in the General Assembly. I authored or co-sponsored 53 pieces of legislation - 9 of which were enacted into law and 23 that passed the House and await action in the Senate during the upcoming 2018 short session of the General Assembly.
I believe that Johnston County has a lot to offer to our state’s economy and with responsible legislation, we can lead by example for our surrounding counties. As I mentioned previously, there is still work to be done. That is why I am seeking re-election to the North Carolina House. I look forward to continuing to represent the people of House District 28 and continuing to defend our conservative values in Raleigh.”- Representative Strickland.
Here are some of the North Carolina General Assembly's accomplishments from this past session:
EDUCATION
• Increased funding for public education by nearly $700 million over two years.
• Fully funded K-12, community college, and public university enrollment growth.
• Allocated more than $100 million from lottery funds over the biennium for grants to economically struggling, rural counties to assist with critical public school building needs.
• Invested an additional $11 million in textbooks and digital resources and increases funding for children with disabilities.
• Supported the new N.C. Teaching Fellows Program through the N.C. Education Endowment Fund.
• Restored funding to Eastern North Carolina STEM and extends the “TA to Teacher” pilot program.
AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT
• Increased funding for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the Tobacco Trust Fund and the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.
• Expanded support for the aquaculture industry and provides funding for dredging to ensure valuable economic activity at the North Carolina coast can continue.
• Allocated over $750,000 to expand international marketing of North Carolina agricultural products.
TRANSPORTATION
• Increased funding for the Strategic Transportation Investments Program (STIP) by $320 million over two years, which will allow 100 new highway projects to be added over a ten-year period.
• Included $241 million to improve structurally deficient bridges across the state, adds $143 million to improve the condition and safety of existing roads, increases contract resurfacing by $20 million and increases funding for pavement preservation by $30 million, extending the life of thousands of miles of roads.
• Invested $100 million to fund immediate need construction projects across the state that improve mobility and safety, reduce congestion and spur economic development.
• Included $208 million over two years for a Roadside Environmental Fund dedicated to ensuring the safety and beautification of the state’s highways.
TAXES & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Reduced the tax burden on North Carolina families and small businesses by cutting the personal income tax rate from 5.499 to 5.25 percent in 2019, and by increasing the amount of income that is exempt from state income tax.
• Lowered the corporate income tax rate from 3 percent to 2.5 percent in 2019, continuing the business tax reforms that have helped create more than half a million new jobs since Republicans took control of the state legislature in 2011.
• Simplified and reduces the franchise tax on small businesses by cutting what is effectively a statewide property tax on small businesses and creating a flat $200 tax on the first $1 million of a business’s net worth.
• Provided over $4 million to support tourism advertising as well as domestic and international advertising to promote economic development.
• Allocated close to $4 million for revitalization grants in towns and cities across the state. OTHER BUDGET PRIORITIES
• Brought the rainy-day fund to $1.838 billion, or 8.2 percent of last year’s budget – the largest dollar amount and percentage in state history.
• Added $125 million to make needed repairs and renovations to state and university facilities.
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Paid for by Larry C. Strickland Campaign Committee
