tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115584192023-06-21T00:45:08.084-04:00Representative Bert JonesNorth Carolina House of Representatives
District 65 - Rockingham and Caswell CountiesBert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-64852980913812143952016-07-21T16:22:00.000-04:002016-07-21T16:22:32.675-04:00Good Reasons to Oppose Welfare Expansion<br />
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73 million Americans are already on Medicaid<br />
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"Control healthcare to control the people" has been long taught by socialists and communists. The left, as well as others who stand to benefit financially in the short term, will clamor for Obamacare Medicaid expansion, but the sound reasons to oppose this are many if not obvious.<br />
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The hard Left simply wants more government dependents. Others may be softhearted folks who see welfare expansion as charitable, but it is neither charitable nor is it sustainable. The welfare system has not solved poverty. Furthermore, Obamacare Medicaid expansion is another step toward socialism and will expand poverty far beyond what our country has today.<br />
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Medicaid was established in 1965 for the truly indigent. It was projected to cost nine billion dollars by 1990. The actual cost that year was $67 billion! Now, 73 million people are on Medicaid (almost one in four Americans) at the tremendous annual cost of over $500 billion (up 14% last year). Half of U.S. births are now paid for by Medicaid. Skyrocketing Medicaid costs are projected to pass $1 trillion within five years. Meanwhile, the U.S. leads the world in debt and is going broke.<br />
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The current Obamacare plan would expand the number of recipients to almost one in three Americans, and the numbers would continue to grow. The current plan is only the next artificial benchmark which the Left will always advance. This plan is not the end; it is simply a major step toward the Left's goal of government-run healthcare.<br />
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True poverty, a state of deprivation, is an age old concern. It may seem difficult for some to define true poverty and how best to address it. In the Bible, the Lord says the poor will always be among us. But, who is "poor"? Are a fourth (or more) of Americans truly destitute and unable to sustain without dependence on government assistance?<br />
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Studies clearly show that many Americans defined as "in poverty" by our government live better than Europe's "middle class", and far better than most of the world. Many Americans "in poverty" own many luxuries compared to the rest of the world. No one suggests poverty does not exist or there should be no safety net, but America's welfare system has gone very far beyond this.<br />
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Fifty years ago, the Left launched its "war on poverty". After over $20 trillion (mostly borrowed) spent, poverty rates are not improved but broken homes have skyrocketed. Too often, an attitude of entitlement has replaced responsibility. The nation is on the brink of bankruptcy, the economy is stagnant, and American jobs move elsewhere as U.S. corporate taxation leads the world.<br />
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America has never been more divided, and this divided house with its continued budget deficits cannot stand too much longer. Socialized medicine is a huge nail in the coffin of a free America, as many on the Left celebrate the nation's demise.<br />
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Welfare dependence for many has become a way of life, as the programs have created more poverty than they have cured. There is no incentive for anyone to save money with Medicaid. The program needs reform, not expansion. Many meaningful healthcare cost reforms have been suggested, including health savings accounts, more transparency in pricing, competing health insurers across state lines, and yes - tax dollars certainly available for the truly indigent, but with some personal accountability and incentive built into the system. Also, programs such as Medicaid should be managed at the state level, rather than the overgrown federal government.<br />
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It is past time for straight talk instead of false promises to tickle the ears of the public. America is at the brink, with a current debt greater than all the goods and services produced in this country. The national debt will exceed $20 trillion by the end of the year, and total U.S. debt is $800,000 per family. If America does not get its financial house in order right away, which seems impossible, there is no alternative to financial collapse. When this happens, poverty in America today will seem like the American dream. Thoughts of money for programs like Medicaid will be a fantasy. Americans need to wake up and get real, or the American dream will soon be a nightmare.<br />
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Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-24998476079811405812012-07-25T15:46:00.002-04:002012-07-25T16:59:45.204-04:00Much Accomplished, Much More to DoThe 2011-12 session of the General Assembly has come to a close. The second year of the session (called the "short session") is traditionally the year when the budget passed in the "long session" is tweaked, and unfinished business from the first year is completed. This session was historic for multiple reasons. It was the first time in 140 years that Republicans had majorities in both the House and Senate. The challenges were exceedingly abundant, but there were significant accomplishments on behalf of the citizens of North Carolina.<br />
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The new leadership inherited a massive $3 billion deficit, the largest in state history and among the nation's largest in 2011. However, the Republicans (68 in the House, 31 in the Senate) were joined by five moderate House Democrats and balanced the state budget without repeating the tax increases of the past. In fact, taxes were reduced by eliminating the $ 1 billion "temporary tax" imposed by Gov. Perdue and legislative Democrats that they wanted to continue indefinitely. With more tax relief for businesses scheduled for 2012, it is believed these efforts will help restore our economy and create long-term jobs in our state. However, for significant improvements to occur, we need to elect a new President and a conservative Governor in 2012. The state legislature cannot by itself fix the problems with this economy.<br />
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With a liberal governor and a conservative legislature, North Carolina had deeply divided government in 2011-12. Yet, with the help of a few moderate Democrats, the legislature achieved some significant improvements as the state's finances were put on better footing… certainly a good step in the right direction. Budget reforms were incremental rather than dramatic, but the growth rate of state spending was curbed significantly. <br />
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In the area of education, reforms were implemented to strengthen student literacy, encourage effective teachers, and improve graduation rates. Last year, legislators were also able to remove the cap on charter schools in response to parents and students that want opportunity to make the best educational decisions for their families. Over 20,000 students had been on charter school waiting lists. However, a tax credit allowing businesses to provide scholarships to low-income children attending private schools did not garner approval. This program and others have been successful in other states where educational performance is on the rise. Many parents are pleading for such opportunities in our state, as we have been flooded with letters and emails. Some even testified recently to our House Education committee on which I serve. As our state considers tax reform and education reform next year, we should step up our efforts to ensure children with special needs and those from low-income families have better access to quality education opportunities under the new system.<br />
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The energy sector was also revived through actions at the General Assembly as bipartisan legislation was passed to create jobs and attract businesses to North Carolina. The new law, the Clean Energy and Economic Security Act, will hopefully begin to lower energy prices as alternative sources are found and ultimately generate more revenue and jobs for our state. After years of stagnation in this area, our state has finally taken the first step to create a commission to ensure that any such activities emphasize safety first, while potentially making our state a leader in the production of much needed domestic energy. <br />
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An extremely popular measure statewide was the effort to protect citizens' property rights by reforming our archaic anti-citizen annexation laws. Gone is forced annexation as we knew it. Going forward, a referendum vote will be required by the area’s registered voters before that area can be annexed by a municipality. Lawmakers also de-annexed several towns that were involuntarily annexed and these towns may not be re-annexed for the next 12 years.<br />
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While there were several successes, a big disappointment was that we were unable to bring true election reform to our state. Every Republican in the General Assembly passed HB 351, the Restore Confidence in Government Act, which would have implemented a free photo voter ID for all voters to ensure integrity in our elections and decrease voter fraud. However, Gov. Perdue vetoed the bill, and no Democrats would help override that veto. About 80% of our state favors this measure, which other states have passed and has been upheld by the Supreme Court. It is unfortunate that it is a partisan issue in Raleigh. It will happen next year if we elect Pat McCrory governor and maintain Republican majorities in the House and Senate.<br />
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The realm of health care was also positively affected, but more could have been done with bipartisan help. The legislature passed tort reform and medical malpractice reform that will have a positive effect on lowering health costs and maintaining high quality of care. But, the bad news of Obamacare continues to keeping businesses from hiring and is a specter that will hurt the quality of care while increasing costs. The legislature passed the Protect Healthcare Freedom Act, HB 2, but it was vetoed by Gov. Perdue with no Democratic help for an override. The Freedom Act would have provided some protection for North Carolinians from the intrusive individual mandate. The majority of states had passed such legislation. Now, it appears the 2012 presidential election will decide our fate on Obamacare. While there may be a few decent provisions within the 2700 pages of this sweeping government intrusion of health care, the vast majority of this law will help bankrupt our country and destroy the health care system.<br />
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In May, voters were given the choice on a Constitutional Marriage Amendment. North Carolina joined 30 other states by affirming the definition of marriage as one man and one woman. Despite the huge influx of money and distorted presentations by nationwide anti-marriage groups, a large 61% supermajority voted for marriage. This included a whopping 75% in our House District. Clearly, North Carolinians support the traditional values of marriage. Every age group, political party, gender and race voted for marriage… a measure opposed by Gov. Perdue, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Dalton, and at least 62 of the 71 Democrats in the legislature. It is clear that whether the issues are taxes and spending, annexation reform, voter ID, or even marriage, the Democratic leadership is way out of touch with the majority in North Carolina. <br />
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The legislature also reformed a law that allowed convicted murderers on death row to appeal their sentence using arbitrary statistics to attempt to prove racial bias. The law had been an effective moratorium of the death penalty, as anyone and everyone could make such a claim… it had nothing to do with their race. In order to prevent criminals from abusing the law, the legislature limited the statistical analysis to the county or prosecutorial district where the sentence was imposed as opposed to using statewide and irrelevant statistics.<br />
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In short, the new legislative leadership had a successful two-year beginning. Many good changes were accomplished, but only a step toward much that needs to be done. There are still several opportunities to bring government back within its original authority. No doubt after many decades of progressive liberal policies, runaway taxes, spending and debt, the fixes will not come overnight.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-38028298033187148212012-05-01T15:54:00.000-04:002012-07-25T17:02:32.319-04:00Vote for the Marriage AmendmentFriends, It has continued to be a busy time for me in preparation for the upcoming Short Session beginning in two weeks. The House and Senate rules limit what legislation we will undertake in this session (or every session would be a Long Session, I suppose). But, I expect it will be somewhat 'fast and furious'. <br />
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I do not have an opponent in the May 8 primary, but I ask you to vote FOR the Marriage Protection Amendment. Let's be clear, the only legitimate reason to vote "no" is if you want homosexual marriage. If that is the case, vote your conscience and we'll agree to disagree. <br />
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Don't be confused by the barrage of deceptive ads by those against traditional marriage. Let's consider briefly a few myths versus facts in this debate. The opponents of traditional marriage are using a 'divide and conquer strategy' with odd, conflicting arguments. They know that 30 states already have Constitution protection of marriage. It has passed every time voters have had that opportunity. Every scientifically sound poll indicates a wide margin of NC voters support marriage. <br />
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I ask you to apply common sense to their main two arguments. First, they admit that the amendment simply affirms current marriage law and puts it in our Constitution. They argue it is therefore unnecessary. Of course, we know the amendment is necessary to keep a liberal activist judge from trying to challenge the law as in some other states. There is already a lawsuit by an elected official in NC for not allowing "same-sex marriages". <br />
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But then, opponents argue that if the amendment passes, all sorts of terrible things will happen. Not only are these claims false, but keep in mind that the definition of marriage between one man and one woman is already the law. No one will lose rights when this amendment passes. These terrible things do not occur now, and they do not occur in the 30 states with constitutional protection of marriage. These false claims are only attempts to confuse voters to oppose the amendment. <br />
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Finally, they appeal to 'limited government' conservatives by claiming this is "big government overreach". The truth is that there will be a legal definition of marriage one way or the other. This amendment vote allows citizens to decide, rather than a "big government" activist judge or potential future legislature changing our marriage laws against the will of the people. <br />
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All credible polls show the supporters of traditional marriage leading by huge margins even with all the deceptive ads in opposition. But, we cannot depend on polls or take victory for granted. People must be sure to vote. Let's make a strong statement for traditional, biblical marriage. Vote FOR Marriage! For more information, go to www.voteformarriagenc.com. For "Myths vs. Facts", see http://www.voteformarriagenc.com/docs/nc_mythsandfacts.pdf <br />
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Announcements: Thanks to all who came out for the Marriage Protection Amendment rally at the Rockingham County Governmental Center last week. The Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve a resolution supporting the Marriage Protection Amendment that evening. Thanks to Commissioners Keith Mabe, James Kallam, and Craig Travis for voting for marriage. There will be another rally in Yanceyville, in the courthouse square in front of the Old Caswell County Courthouse, this Friday, May 4 at 5:30 pm. Please join us if you can for a brief 20 minute rally to affirm biblical, traditional marriage between a man and a woman.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-44489352147249475852012-03-01T15:56:00.000-05:002012-07-25T17:05:15.937-04:00Legislative Update, Townhall Meetings ContinueSince the last newsletter, I have filed to run for a second term in the North Carolina House of Representatives. I will continue to run and serve on the platform of honesty, integrity and fiscal responsibility. Everyone is invited to examine my stand on important issues at our website, www.BertJonesNCHouse.com. I will continue to serve true to these principles that I believe the large majority of our district shares. <br />
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Because of redistricting which the Constitution requires, and the population shifts in our state, the new House District 65 is expanding in geographical size and welcomes our friends in Caswell County. District 65 still includes the majority (about 2/3) of Rockingham County and all of Caswell County. Because Rockingham has a much larger population, about three-fourths of District 65 is in Rockingham County. <br />
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District 65 shares Rockingham County with District 91. Because of Rockingham County’s size, we have two House members. The county is too large for only one representative, and too small for two by itself. So, we share District 65 now with Caswell, and share District 91 with Stokes. It is too much to explain here, but these county groupings were not randomly chosen. They were mandated by court-ordered laws that determined the larger statewide plan. <br />
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District 91 is represented by Rep. Bryan Holloway, my good friend and an excellent legislator. We are likeminded and enjoy serving together. Among other things, Rep. Holloway is a teacher by profession and serves as Chairman on the House Education Committee on which I am also fortunate to serve. With redistricting, some Rockingham County residents were shifted from one of these House Districts to the other. This was unavoidable. However, Rep. Holloway and I want you to know that we are both delighted to serve you together, regardless which side of the District line you live on. <br />
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You can see a map of the House Districts at www.ncleg.net. Click on “Redistricting” on the bar that extends across the top of the page, and then in a gray box you will see “Enacted District Plans”, including the NC House, NC Senate, and Congressional plans. If you have friends or family in Caswell County that would like to begin receiving this newsletter, please reply and let us know so that we can begin to serve them in this way. <br />
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On another note, many citizens in the Reidsville area in particular have indicated they would like an update of the upcoming Freeway Drive road expansion project. NCDOT Division Engineer Mike Mills has been very helpful in responding to our request for an informational public meeting, as have the City of Reidsville officials been very cooperative as well. The meeting will be at Reidsville City Hall on Tuesday, March 13 from 5:00-7:00 pm. It is not too late for us to offer good recommendations. For example, we recently were able to get a traffic light approved for the busy Ashcroft Dr. intersection, which was needed for traffic and safety concerns. I encourage you to come to this meeting if you have questions or concerns. <br />
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We have continued to have Townhall Meetings around our District, and other opportunities to speak with groups. There is one scheduled at the Wray Center in Eden, Sat. April 7 at 10:00 am. I have enjoyed these meetings, and am told that citizens have found them very informational. If you have a group that might like a presentation regarding our work in the General Assembly or a townhall style meeting, please reply and let us know.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-60009608683996366672012-02-01T15:59:00.000-05:002012-07-25T17:08:00.752-04:00Update on Education Spending: The FactsThe recent news has been saturated with Governor Bev Perdue’s withdrawal from her re-election campaign, and her call for even higher taxes and spending in our state. The 2011 legislature took office with taxes and spending at an all-time high, which was fueling the depressed economy and huge job losses. While we wish the best for Gov. Perdue personally as she leaves office, we also call for her to govern responsibly as she finishes out her term. <br />
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The governor has criticized the state budget in particular for "extreme cuts" to public education. It is time to get past the hypocritical rhetoric and look at the facts regarding the General Assembly's actual K-12 public education budget compared with Gov. Perdue's budget proposal for 2011-2012. <br />
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Teachers often remind us that Gov. Perdue has been no friend to teachers (or parents and students). She consistently supported the bureaucracy and liberal union leadership over the needs of classroom teachers, even choosing to furlough teachers and cut their pay rather than cutting the bloated bureaucracy. Now with historically low approval, the governor has withdrawn from her re-election campaign and is focusing her efforts on increasing taxes and demonizing the legislature which has been charged with the difficult task of cleaning up the fiscal mess in Raleigh. However, the polls have consistently shown that most NC voters are not “buying what she is selling”. <br />
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The bipartisan 2011-12 budget passed over her veto, with the help of five moderate Democrats. However, the governor and other liberals insist that an $800 million tax increase (a 16% increase in the state's share of the sales tax) was and is necessary to avoid dire consequences to the public schools. <br />
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In the last session with a Democratic legislative majority during the Purdue administration (2009-10), they had passed a $1.3 billion tax increase that sent an already struggling economy into record numbers of bankruptcies, foreclosures, and unemployment. Businesses left, closed, or cut employees as jobs were lost in droves. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation ranked NC in the worst ten states in the nation for businesses regarding taxes and regulations. <br />
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Perdue and her liberal allies in the legislature have consistently denounced the 2011-12 budget as devastating to public education (and other core services). This false rhetoric was compounded by the fact that the legislature inherited a budget in shambles with a $3 billion projected shortfall. Even with the highest tax and spend levels in state history, and even spending the $1.5 billion federal “stimulus” in the previous budget, the Democrats still had not given state employees and teachers a pay increase for three years running. <br />
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Regarding the 2011-12 state budget, let’s look at the facts: Once the liberals' political shell game is exposed, in reality, Governor Perdue proposed fewer real net dollars for K-12 public education in her proposed 2011-12 budget than the legislature actually adopted. (The legislature also mandated more percentage for the classroom and less for the Raleigh bureaucracy, but that’s another story in itself.)<br />
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Consider that the direct appropriation in the K-12 education budget was a mere 0.57% under the governor’s proposal. The numbers look like this: the governor proposed a total K-12 budget of $7.57 billion. The budget that passed is $7.53 billion. This also accounts for $65 million for the More at Four program (which sensibly was moved from the Dept. of Education to Health and Human Services) to make an ‘apples to apples’ comparison. The difference is $43.2 million (0.57%). <br />
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However, Governor Perdue's budget included approximately $300 million in unfunded mandates to the counties (and would have added a few more cents to our county property tax rate). Included in this, the governor’s budget would have shifted $74.5 million that had been the state's responsibility onto the local school boards. These items included $35.2 million for school buses, $4.6 million for tort claims and $34.7 million for worker's compensation, totaling $74.5 million. <br />
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The General Assembly's budget eliminated these unfunded mandates that our counties simply could not afford, particularly low wealth counties such as ours. As a former county commissioner, I know how such unfunded mandates wreck county budgets. It is a political shell game with tax dollars that the previous majority played for years, and another ploy to borrow, tax and spend more… grow government… and send our children the bill they will never be able to pay. <br />
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The governor and the old-style tax-and-spend Raleigh politicians wanted to continue this game, but they failed this year. Their rhetoric has been heated and they will not go quietly. But once you wade through the numbers and the politics, it becomes clear there were actually more dollars available for K-12 education than the governor had proposed. The big difference was that the legislature cut the bureaucracy… the pet of the governor and her liberal allies. Thus we hear their “sky is falling on NC education” mantra constantly. It just is not true. <br />
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The 2011 legislature also enacted a number of other notable accomplishments to improve the quality of education in our state. The legislature did the following:<br />
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1. We provided for enhanced student enrollment growth in its budget (the governor did not). <br />
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2. We removed the cap on charter schools, in response to the heavy demand of parents for this option. Over 20,000 students were on waiting lists, and the previous legislature refused to address this basic parental right to make the best choice for their own child. <br />
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3. We eliminated unnecessary End-of-Grade tests, which many teachers and parents agree wasted valuable class time and promoted a ‘teach to the test’ mentality rather than true learning. Now we have only those tests required by federal law. Schools are using true assessments based on national norms to measure student achievement with ACT tests in 8th, 10th and 11th grades. <br />
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4. We produced a net gain of state supported teachers despite balancing the budget and eliminating the projected budget shortfall. The reports confirm that the number of state funded education employees actually increased by 3.7 percent (4,720). It is true that federally and locally funded positions decreased by a total of 9,407. People should also realize that many vacant positions were eliminated, and historically there is always considerable turnover. Also, this decrease would have been far greater if Gov. Perdue's $74.5 million “money grab” from local school boards had occurred. <br />
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5. We particularly increased teachers up to the third grade level, to emphasize the need for children to learn to read. Too many children fall behind early and never catch up. The poor readers are much more likely to drop out… one-third of ninth graders never graduate. Of those that do graduate and go to college, 60% must take remedial courses. SAT scores have declined, even as the scoring system was changed to inflate the scores. Just spending more money has not addressed this problem… it has worsened over the years as the bureaucracy continued to grow. <br />
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6. We passed new legislation to offer educational tax credits to families of children with particular disabilities that allows the parents to choose the best educational avenue for that child. This is a win-win situation: it is better for the child, and also can save significant money to the local school system in many instances. It is being touted as a national model. <br />
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7. We provided teachers with the liability insurance they need at no cost to them… saving teachers up to $400 a year. What was happening was that the previous legislature refused to provide the insurance, and many teachers felt forced to pay bloated union dues to get the coverage. The legislature had actually passed a special law to force state employees to do the work of collecting the union dues through automatic deductions, and the teachers would never see the money. Then, a portion of their dues could be funneled to liberal politicians through the NEA/NCAE political action committee. This group had spent $3.5 million to elect Gov. Perdue, and 99% of NCAE PAC dollars went to Democrats (although polling shows that more teachers say they are conservative than liberal). <br />
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Such manipulation was deplorable, and underscores the need for reform. It is time to get the politics out of the classroom, let the parents raise their children, and let the teachers teach. The 2010 election brought some change to education politics as usual in our state. Students, parents and teachers have been used as pawns in the system for too long. These changes must continue. Education must be about what is best for parents and their children, not a bureaucracy. <br />
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I am delighted to serve on the House Education Committee, and work for better quality education in our state… education we can both afford and be proud of. I will continue to work hard on behalf of parents, students, and teachers to make better education a reality, rather than someone’s campaign slogan. <br />
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I appreciate the dedicated service of honest liberals and conservatives alike, but I will continue to report the facts and not succumb to the liberal rhetoric that often dominates the so-called ‘mainstream media’. I hope anyone with questions or concerns will not hesitate to contact me at Bert.Jones@ncleg.net. We can do better by our parents, students, and teachers in this state, and I believe that as we build more new leadership in Raleigh, we will do so. <br />
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Best regards, BertBert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-73935446715154792482011-12-31T16:02:00.001-05:002012-07-25T17:13:28.057-04:002011 Year End Legislative ReportDear friends, As the year draws to a close, here is a review of some of the highlights of the General Assembly session of 2011. It was a busy session in which 1,731 bills were filed, of which 428 became law. (Most bills do not become laws, or sometimes are consolidated into laws.) <br />
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We took office with an anemic economy, double-digit unemployment, unprecedented foreclosures and bankruptcies, and a projected state budget shortfall of over $3 billion… the worst in NC history. The $1.6 billion federal stimulus money spent in the prior budget was all gone. The $1.3 billion/year temporary tax increase passed by Gov. Perdue and the previous legislature was set to expire, before the governor decided it should not be temporary after all. <br />
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However, we promised to balance the budget without yet another tax increase (which would have been the seventh in nine years). The result was as promised, with the passage of a still generous $19.7 billion budget. The budget battles were often fierce, as a new sense of "spending within our means" in Raleigh meant we had to prioritize and make tough choices. Measures were enacted to help revive jobs and the economy. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation had placed NC among the worst ten states in the nation concerning tax and regulation policies. <br />
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- Small businesses were extended much needed tax relief by exempting the first $50,000 of business income from taxes. Nonpartisan sources confirm this will benefit at least 450,000 businesses in this state, will no doubt save thousands of jobs and help create thousands more. <br />
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- The local land transfer tax was repealed, providing some long awaited relief for the decimated real estate market. We recognize the need to encourage home ownership rather than punish it! <br />
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- The State Health Plan was rescued from its huge shortfall and a $33 billion longer term insolvency. After years of mismanagement, the necessary changes were made to save the plan... a move greatly applauded by the long neglected State Employees Association. Meanwhile the NCAE union leadership opposed the efforts, and reinforced their "war" on the General Assembly. Many of our educators were bombarded throughout the year with political rhetoric from the left, that the Republican majority was out to get them. I appreciate all the educators who are opposed to such political rancor and regularly update me on the liberal agenda they get bombarded with. It is time to end Raleigh's tradition of using teachers and students for political purposes, and get the politics out of the classroom. <br />
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- We began to restore important dedicated funds that had been raided to spend in other areas, such as the Rainy Day Fund and the Highway Trust Fund. We are also paying back $2.5 billion with interest to the federal government, money that was previously borrowed to pay unemployment when our state unemployment funds were also depleted. Several much needed and overdue reforms were passed, which many other states have done, including: <br />
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- Meaningful tort reform was passed which limits business liability, places limits on attorneys’ fees, and allows a jury access to actual medical bills. This is simply cost saving, common-sense, fair legislation to help address a lawsuit frenzy that has often spun out of control. <br />
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- Medical malpractice reform was passed to address a major factor in rising medical costs. This caps noneconomic ‘pain and suffering’ damages at $500,000, and sets clearer standards as evidence of true malpractice. Many trial lawyers opposed such caps (they often get a percentage), but the cap is even much lower in some other states ($250,000 in Texas, for example). There is still no cap on economic damages, including loss of income. Most people understand the need to address the lawsuit frenzy and help control spiraling health costs, while still protecting the ability to recover reasonable damages when there is clearly fault. <br />
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- We passed workers compensation reform that is fairer to both sides (employers and employees) and makes the NC business climate more competitive with other states. This passed with a huge majority of votes, with input from both labor and management. Again, most would say this is reasonable and fair, while striving to make NC more jobs-friendly. <br />
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A major victory for advocates of private property rights was Annexation Reform. North Carolina annexation laws were virtually the most ‘anti-citizen’ in the country. Residents now have a voice in whether to be annexed, pay city taxes, and accept services they may neither need nor want. Several forced annexations in progress were stopped by the legislature, saving years of litigation and huge court costs… to the relief of many citizens affected. <br />
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We also witnessed the beginnings of some meaningful education reform, despite major pushback from many in the union and education bureaucracy. No other issue elicits more concern than education. But, one-third of students entering high school in NC do not graduate. Of those that do graduate and enter college, 60% must take remedial courses at college. We have many excellent educators, but the problem is the system. The old system is not adequately meeting the needs of students, parents, or even educators. Parents want choices, and more choices make for better quality education. For example, over 20,000 students were on waiting lists for charter schools as the former majority in the legislature refused to lift an artificial charter school cap established many years ago. This legislature lifted the cap on charter schools. Already, at least 27 new schools have submitted application for consideration. This alone is not the answer of course, but more choices and parental responsibility are much needed reforms. <br />
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Over 56% of the state budget is spent in the category of education. The legislature cut the education bureaucracy (including Raleigh bureaucrats making big salaries... even more than the governor). We fully funded student enrollment growth (which the governor’s budget failed to do), and funded all active current teacher and teacher assistant positions. Additional positions were funded through the third grade, especially to stress early education and learning to read. We also passed tax credits to help families with children with disabilities to help meet their special needs. Many families have personally contacted me with thanks for this much needed help. Unfortunately the bill does not benefit everyone that needs it, due to compromises with those in the education establishment who believe the public school should meet every need of every family... which puts unreasonable expectations on the teachers, and punishes the students and their families. Politics in education is simply awful, as the students, parents and teachers are used as pawns in the system. <br />
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The governor’s budget included over $100 million in unfunded mandates to the counties. These are forced new expenses not funded by the state, and would have forced higher county property taxes (likely 2-3 cents in Rockingham County). When I personally questioned the governor’s Budget Director in committee, his reply was, “when times are tough, stuff flows downward”, a reply I found unacceptable and I said so. The legislature eliminated the unfunded mandates in its budget. <br />
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Regarding jobs and the economy, Agriculture is by far the largest economic engine in North Carolina… responsible for over $70 billion/year. The governor’s budget cut the Agriculture budget by an unrealistic 21%, which Ag Secretary Steve Troxler stated would be crippling to the economy. The governor also proposed closing agricultural research stations, including the Upper Research Station in Rockingham County. Sen. Berger, Rep. Holloway and I all stood strong to save the station, and I thank the many Rockingham citizens and groups that contacted the legislature. The legislative budget saved the agricultural research stations, and Agriculture ended up with modest reductions like other areas of the budget… reductions that Secretary Troxler could endorse and work with in understanding of the times. <br />
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The 2011 legislature also downsized government through consolidation, reorganization, and elimination. DENR (the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources) was modified and some divisions transferred. Other duplicate or unnecessary programs were eliminated. Three agencies for law enforcement were consolidated into one Department of Public Safety. This cost saving measure will also help streamline agencies and avoid duplicating efforts. The first role of government is the protection and safety of our citizens. We must do so as efficiently and effectively as possible. <br />
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There was comprehensive regulation reform following an extensive series of meetings with citizens and business leaders around the state. I mentioned the Tax Foundation's report last year citing NC as one of the worst ten states for business regarding taxes and regulations. It was a priority to address these types of concerns, to attract and retain jobs in our state. Many unnecessary regulations were eliminated, including state environmental rules that were not in line with their federal counterparts. For the first time, a cost-benefit analysis is now required for all such new rules and regulations. Imagine that... planning for costs! <br />
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Several social issues were addressed which North Carolina had woefully neglected, compared to many other states. These include: The Woman’s Right to Know Act. This is an informed consent law regarding abortion. The majority of states at least had some provisions for pre-abortion counseling including risk counseling, an ultrasound, and a 24 hour waiting period. This better ensures that the medical situation and potential risks are understood. We that believe in the right to life also hope that other alternatives to killing a preborn child may be considered. In other states, abortion rates have declined under such laws. Even many ardent abortion proponents claim to want abortions to be "safe and rare", and this law advances that goal. With a few Democratic votes, the legislature passed an override of the governor's veto by the narrowest of margins. <br />
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"Ethan’s Law" - The Unborn Victims of Violence Act. Before this law, criminals could only be charged for the killing or injury of an unborn child in North Carolina if the crime had been committed on federal property. Many other states (even liberal California!) had such laws protecting preborn children and their mothers. The reports of many hanus crimes targeted by this law were heart wrenching, as families of victims addressed legislative committees. North Carolina legislators had been trying to pass this law for at least 25 years, but the Democratic leadership would not allow the bill to be voted on. This year, it passed by a wide margin.<br />
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This legislature also passed comprehensive legislation protecting and defending Second Amendment Rights, and promoting the Concealed Carry Law which has proven to reduce violence, not increase it as opponents had claimed. Common sense confirms that only law-abiding citizens will obey laws... not the criminals! A criminal carrying a weapon to do harm to others will not stop because of a law against carrying his gun! This principle has been confirmed worldwide, as if common sense needs confirmation. Violence long preceded guns in human history. People may not like guns, but be thankful that law abiding citizens can carry them and not just thugs and criminals. <br />
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The legislature could not accomplish all the majority of citizens wanted. It is a fact that our state has divided government, and Republicans do not have enough votes to override Gov. Perdue's vetoes without some Democratic support. At least 75% of citizens want a Voter ID bill to help protect the sanctity of voting, as some other states have done. Also, a majority does not favor the sweeping, enormously expensive reforms of Obamacare. Many have little or nothing to do with healthcare but are crippling businesses (and state governments) with costs, and will cost untold jobs. A majority also favors the death penalty option for the most hanus of crimes, but the previous legislature had enacted what is in effect a stop of the death penalty and keeps court cases ongoing for years when there is clear guilt. This legislature passed bills supporting the will of the majority of people on these issues and more, but did not have the bipartisan support to override Gov. Perdue's vetoes (sixteen total this year, more than all previous vetoes combined). It seems these will remain election issues to be settled in 2012. <br />
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Finally, this was the year for Redistricting that follows the census every ten years. I served on the Redistricting Committee, as new maps were approved for the NC House, NC Senate, and Congress. These maps were approved (even by the Democratic Obama Justice Department) in record time compared to the redistrictings of recent decades. Of course, the standard lawsuits go forward as everyone knew they would. But, the Justice Dept. has agreed they are fair and legal, and so far nothing different has been demonstrated. <br />
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The new maps have House District 65 (which I represent) covering about two-thirds of Rockingham County, and adding Caswell County. District 91, represented by Rep. Bryan Holloway, covers the rest of Rockingham County and also Stokes County. The district lines in Rockingham County will change some by necessity. The effect is also that more districts are competitive with less gerrymandering than in the past, and better reflect their communities. Our House District 65 will be a bit more conservative based on past voting patterns. <br />
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Rockingham County is now included in the 6th Congressional District, currently represented by Rep. Howard Coble. This puts us back in a Piedmont area district, as we had been in for decades before being put last time in Rep. Brad Miller’s new 13th District with Raleigh. Virtually all the feedback from our citizens suggests that this move back to the 6th District is a very welcomed one. <br />
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As you can see, even the summary of highlights is extensive and I could not begin to cover all of what was done. It was indeed a historic, busy, but efficient session. The new majority made good on its “100 day agenda”. But, North Carolina (and Washington, DC) have divided government. The Governor was able to thwart some of our efforts, and the President's liberal spending agenda continues to be a major factor in the state of the economy. A state legislature certainly cannot change all that. But, we did begin to change the direction of the state whose borrow, tax, and spend policies had spun out of control. It is only a start, as the road to getting our state and nation onto a sound footing will be a long road indeed. <br />
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There are no quick fixes to the major problems we face. If you generally agree with these initiatives and a change from the "borrow, tax and spend" big government mentality that is crippling our state and nation, thank you for all your support that made these changes possible. Without your votes, financial support, volunteer efforts, and definitely your prayers... none of this would have happened. With your support, we will continue to work to make a difference for the better. God bless you, and best wishes for a wonderful new year in 2012. I do ask for your continued support as together we face the great challenges before us. BertBert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-80440246291924671072011-10-25T16:33:00.000-04:002012-07-25T17:22:48.963-04:00Legislative Record - Pro-Jobs, Pro-BusinessBy the time the current legislature had taken office in January, we had inherited the worst economic crisis in our state since the Great Depression, aside from our problems nationally. As state government spending had doubled in the past decade, we had the largest budget shortfall in state history even after huge billion-dollar tax increases in six of the past eight years. <br />
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The one-time federal “stimulus money” had been spent during the prior year to prop up the state budget for that year, rather than facing the difficult choices necessary to address a recurring, growing problem. Dedicated funds such as the state Rainy Day Fund and the Highway Trust Fund had been depleted to spend on other government expenses rather than cutting optional spending. The State Health Plan was insolvent with an actuarial shortfall exceeding $30 Billion. <br />
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The direction of the fiscal policy of our state simply had to change. Meanwhile as our state unemployment had risen to record levels, the nonpartisan Tax Foundation ranked our government policies among the worst ten business climates in the nation regarding taxes and regulations. Our state government needed to be more responsive and supportive for businesses to create jobs. More “borrow, tax and spend” was the problem, not the answer. We simply had to chart a better course for our state. <br />
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A report released this week by the nonpartisan North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation says that the new majority kept their word and began a new direction that will help our state recover. The report says that the legislature was considerably more pro-jobs and business, and had successfully reversed the course of decline in this critical area over the past decade. <br />
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FROM THE REPORT… Representative Bert Jones (R-Rockingham) received a perfect score on the fourteen House Bills measured in the report. Every state legislator was evaluated based on their votes on these bills deemed most important to support businesses and jobs in our state. Over half the House members received favorable pro-business ratings (about 98% of Republicans and about 12% of Democrats), but only about ten percent of all members received a perfect (14 for 14) score. The foundation recognized Jones in their top category as a “consistent supporter” of these free enterprise positions. <br />
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Jones said he was honored to be recognized for his work on behalf of much-needed jobs in our state. “It was a team effort of people that were committed to making necessary changes to improve our state. There is still much work to do, but the new direction was needed and long overdue. More government, more taxes, more debt, and more spending are not the answer.” <br />
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The General Assembly passed new laws that limited huge subjective medical malpractice awards, established more balanced and fair workers' compensation rules, restricted how local governments could compete with private businesses, and pulled back the rule-making authority of environmental bureaucracies. Many of these laws were similar to those already in effect in other states whereby North Carolina had been at considerable competitive disadvantage. The recovery will not be immediate and there is much to be done on a national scale, but a better course has been charted in many areas for our state. <br />
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North Carolina lawmakers recognized that our businesses needed to be spurred on during an economic downturn, and that jobs and the economy are top concerns, said John Rustin, executive director of the nonpartisan foundation. "The legislature and the legislative leadership allowed significant business-related bills not only to come up for consideration but to be voted on," Rustin said. "The members of the legislature in large part understood the importance of those bills." <br />
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SOME FINAL COMMENTS… I am particularly pleased with the objective nature of the survey of votes on these important bills found in this nonpartisan report. This was not one of these rubber-stamp endorsements by some partisan group. The foundation is reporting on fourteen important bills that substantially improved the business climate in our state so that businesses can create and keep jobs… jobs our people desperately need. The nonprofit foundation has a bipartisan board of Republicans and Democrats, and its history shows it to be issue-oriented and nonpartisan. <br />
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I will continue to be in touch with and respond to the needs of our people. Most people just want an opportunity… a chance for a decent job. Our state government needs to encourage businesses and jobs, whereas too often government has been a jobs-killer in the past. There is still much to do, and we desperately need a new vision from Washington. But as long as I serve, I will work hand-in-hand together with our business community, including our locally owned small businesses that create the vast majority of jobs. Together we will work for the best, pro-business, pro-family state we can be. <br />
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Our next series of newsletters will highlight several of the important bills that were passed during the 2011 session… the “long session” of this biennium. The legislature is currently out of regular session until the “short session” which begins next May. In the meantime, we will only meet in Raleigh when our committees have meetings or when we are called for a special session, which may be just a day or two at a time as needed. Our legislative office remains open and my legislative assistant checks our messages, so do not hesitate to call (919-733-5779) if you need our assistance. <br />
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Take care and God bless, BertBert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-86310143478174878842011-09-20T16:39:00.000-04:002012-07-25T17:31:32.803-04:00Marriage Defined: One Man, One WomanI am writing this newsletter update slightly belated after a couple of weeks ‘on the road’… a session in Raleigh, a quick family vacation that was postponed because of Hurricane Irene, a return to Raleigh to meet with committee, and then a trip to a legislator’s conference on improving education for K-12 children.<br />
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The legislature met last week to take up several items of business. The issue grabbing the headlines was giving the citizens the right to vote on a constitutional amendment to clearly define marriage as between one man and one woman. Ten House Democrats joined with 65 Republicans to clear the three-fifths supermajority necessary to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. No Democrats voted with the 30 Republicans in the Senate that supported the measure. The governor cannot veto a constitutional amendment vote. <br />
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Both statewide polling and especially local reaction has been very favorable regarding this issue. Over 30 states have already enacted such constitutional protections regarding marriage. North Carolina remains the only state in the entire South that has not done so. Opponents argue this ‘discriminates’. I disagree that this discriminates unfairly... but any definition of marriage discriminates in the true sense of the word. We discriminate by not allowing polygamy. We do not allow one to marry a close relative, a parent or a sibling. We do not allow children to marry. You can't marry your pet. In fact, those of us that are married discriminated our spouse from everyone else when we married them. So... marriage discriminates (not negatively, but it 'discriminates' in the true sense of the word... just as we discriminate red from yellow from green, etc). <br />
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Other relationships can and will still be practiced after this amendment passes, if it does. They just will not be classified as "marriage", and that traditional union between one husband and one wife will remain distinctive. Natural law has affirmed this definition of marriage for thousands of years. I believe that it is the proper family structure that God has ordained and has been the fundamental building block of our society. <br />
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Such a constitutional amendment ballot initiative simply puts the question in the hands of our citizens to decide, rather than letting one judge make a decision to plunge it into a court battle as has happened in other states. The vote will be held during the May 2012 primary. The preference was to vote on it in November when more people vote, but the House Democrats would not agree to this and their votes were needed in order to pass the measure. <br />
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On a personal note, I have decided that I will run for a second term in the House next year. I have also decided to rejoin the Republican Party. As a conservative, I have caucused with the Republican majority from day one in Raleigh as I have reported. The session has been historic and produced much needed change to begin to put our state on a better course. I continue to very much value principle over partisanship. Like many conservatives and Republicans, I have at times been very disappointed when the national Republican Party abandoned its principles of limited government scope and spending. As a private citizen this had led me to become unaffiliated after many years service as a Republican. But, since our system basically runs as a two-party system, I feel that going forward I can continue to serve most effectively on behalf of my constituents by serving within the more conservative party of the two in Raleigh. My faith in God, patriotism of country, and loyalty to the values we share continue to guide me as always. <br />
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Finally, if you didn’t already know, this past week was Constitution week… the 224th anniversary of our U.S. Constitution signed in September 1787. It has been disgraceful to see the steady decline of personal and states’ rights during the progressive era, but let us hope that true constitutional principles will make a dramatic comeback. The document was not perfect, but the perfect is not the enemy of the good. Long live our Constitution and those principles of liberty and freedom for which it stands. <br />
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Take care and God bless, BertBert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-15393252096690974572011-05-02T15:51:00.000-04:002012-07-25T17:34:26.275-04:002011 Budget ProcessGreetings, friends! The last two very busy weeks have been filled with budget meetings in committees. I anticipate that next week will be just as busy as the budget is debated on the House floor prior to a vote. <br />
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On Wednesday, our Appropriations committee spent nine hours to hear 105 proposed amendments to the budget. Many people involved in the budget process have commented on the efficiency of this year's process, and attributed the overall expediency to the groundwork that had been laid in the various subcommittees. By the end of April, we are where the process usually is in June. We started early, and have worked hard throughout the session. <br />
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This year's budget process has been the most honest, transparent and open one that has been seen in the last decade. From the onset of our budget meetings, decisions have been made with openness and transparency. The House budget has been built from the bottom up in an effort to "right size" state government. We absolutely must reduce spending, reduce the tax burden and shrink the scope of government and this budget turns us in that direction. <br />
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After a decade of tax increases that have given our state the highest tax burden in the Southeast, this budget offers the single-biggest tax cut in North Carolina history. By balancing the budget without increasing tax rates, we are restoring over $1.5 billion into the private sector. <br />
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This is all about improving jobs and the economy. After the last tax increase, unemployment and bankruptcies in our state went through the roof. The Tax Foundation lists our state among the ten worst in the nation regarding how taxes and regulations affect the jobs climate. This budget is a step toward reversing that ugly distinction. <br />
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For the first time in many years, members and the public have had the budget for almost a week to study, rather than receiving it late night prior to the day of floor debate. I applaud our leaders for doing this. The budget is available to the public on-line and you may go to the NCGA website at www.ncleg.net to view the entire budget. <br />
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Some of the highlights of the budget bill to date are as follows: <br />
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Education <br />
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We have funded teaching positions in K-12 to the fullest level - every teaching position in the state has been funded. Our budget also accounts for projected enrollment growth, whereas the governor's proposed budget did not. We funded every position in K-12 except for some of the teacher's assistants. Many superintendents across the state have already made priority decisions to remove many of the TA positions. However, in our budget we have also given superintendents the flexibility to save dollars where they can, rather than making every local spending decision from Raleigh. This budget avoids the huge unfunded mandates to the counties that the Governor's budget had proposed. Such mandates could have likely added three to four cents to our county's tax rate. I personally told her budget director that this was unacceptable. Among other things, her budget would have shifted responsibilities from the State to local education agencies for workers compensation, tort claims, and school bus replacement. These mandates alone would shift $74.5 million of state operating responsibilities, and our county taxpayers cannot afford this. This budget shifts emphasis from the bureaucracy to the classroom. It reduces the Department of Public Instruction agency budget by 16%. For years, legislative leaders continued to believe that throwing money at education is the only necessary solution. This is about more than money; this is about reversing the trend of continued increased spending, fueling more bureaucracy, and decreasing outcomes. This budget requires that at least 65% of “education” money actually be spent toward the classroom. <br />
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Health & Human Services <br />
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Over half of all budget reductions in HHS have been achieved through savings, including swapping federal block grant funds to replace state funds to the extent possible. This will cause no loss of services. All HHS treatment facilities, schools, mental health hospitals and contract beds have been preserved. We have laid the groundwork for future healthcare innovation and reform; better management and utilization of services; and made substantial progress toward the goal of bending the cost curve for medical and mental health services in North Carolina. We also recognize the cost savings when people use community public health centers when possible rather than hospital emergency rooms. For this reason, we restored the funding to Public Health centers that the governor’s proposed budget had cut. <br />
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Justice & Public Safety <br />
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The budget creates a new Department of Public Safety, which combines the Departments of Crime Control and Public Safety, Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and Correction. A net reduction of 7% was achieved by eliminating over 800 vacant positions and reducing administrative costs in all six agencies. <br />
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Transportation <br />
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Funding for maintenance and construction of the existing road system has been increased by $670 million over the biennium. The neglect of road maintenance as the Highway Trust Fund has been raided has been a sad commentary, as our state used to be known as the "Good Roads State". The budget begins the process of removing politics from transportation funding by removing all urban loop projects from statutes and moving them to the Mobility Fund. <br />
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General Government <br />
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The budget achieves savings through reduction of operating costs, administrative reductions, and elimination of vacant positions. It fully funds the building reserves for new DHHS buildings. It eliminated 17 positions from the General Assembly and 13 positions from the Governor's office. <br />
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Natural & Economic Resources <br />
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We have reduced operating budgets across agencies and eliminated programs to achieve almost 23% in savings. We also provide nonrecurring funds to promote job creation and economic development. <br />
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Fees <br />
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The budget includes some reasonable fee increases which only help to recoup the costs for state government providing a service. The fees are not designed to generate a profit for government. Fees are, by definition, only applied to those who use the service. Most people believe this is only fair, rather than increasing taxes on everyone to further subsidize these services. <br />
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Just the Facts <br />
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There will of course be those liberal detractors of the budget that are pushing for a continued policy of tax increases and higher spending. Our budget spending is up almost 50% in only seven years! This is unsustainable, and we were not elected to continue such irresponsible spending. But, here are two items of misinformation that we hear. <br />
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1) Liberals in Raleigh are saying this budget hurts jobs by laying off state employees. For many reasons, this is not true. The budget downsizes some areas, and eliminates approximately 18,500 positions (thousands of which are vacant). The normal attrition rate of state positions is 30,000 per year... read this again, we lose 30,000 jobs a year through natural turnover and attrition. It bears note that North Carolina's state government jobs are reported to be well above average in number, and have grown considerably at a time private sector jobs have considerably declined. <br />
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2) Liberals in Raleigh are saying this budget cuts too much and will ‘take our state back to the dark ages’. One legislator said ‘it is draconian’. This is also not true. This budget is equivalent per capita in real, inflation adjusted dollars to the budget from fiscal year 2003. That means that if the budget had simply grown annually based on inflation plus population growth, this is where we would be. If this budget is 'draconian', the same must be said for the 2003 budget (which was passed by a Democratic House, Senate, and Governor). Clearly, any hysteria is all political in nature. <br />
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We cannot continue on the spending path we have been on. Many of our dedicated funds (Highway Trust Fund, Rainy Day Fund, etc.) have been borrowed, and our State Treasurer says we cannot continue to borrow more. Our State Health Plan is insolvent, with a shortfall of $515 million (and a actuarial shortfall of $33 billion). There are many responsible choices restored in this budget - too many to list. One is that we are once again fully funding the "Rainy Day" emergency fund as it was designed. The recent barrage of tornadoes has reminded us that we need to be ready for such emergencies. <br />
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In short, we cannot continue to spend what we do not have. This budget represents a step in the right direction as we attempt to get North Carolina’s fiscal house in order. <br />
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Finally, as mentioned, our state has seen devastation over the past two weeks in the aftermath of storm damage from widespread tornadoes. Major damage and destruction barely missed the legislative complex but is very evident in downtown Raleigh. I want to encourage each of you to do what you can to help our tornado victims, no matter how small. Many of these victims lost virtually all their belongings. We are very fortunate in our district to have been spared from the total devastation these storms produced in other parts of the state. <br />
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Thank you for allowing me to serve you in Raleigh. With all of the death and damage we have seen in North Carolina and through the southeast, let us all remain thankful for all we have and for the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. I encourage you to remember the National Day of Prayer on Thursday. <br />
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Take care and God bless. BertBert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-49642003943873156012011-04-20T16:42:00.000-04:002012-07-25T17:35:48.500-04:00Highlights as the 100-Day Agenda ProceedsThe legislature continues to work for needed progress in many areas. The “100 day agenda” seems to mirror the majority of our citizens according to surveys. It is a foremost objective to make our state much more attractive for businesses to create jobs! This means reversing the former policy of regular tax hikes to fuel increased government spending. We inherit the largest tax burden in our region of the country, which is stifling our families and businesses in this struggling economy. <br />
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We are committed to balancing the budget by reducing spending, despite the cry from some in Raleigh to raise taxes again. It is a fact that the last tax increase in 2009, in the midst of the Great Recession, was followed by the largest recorded job losses and foreclosures since the Great Depression. We must work to reverse that course, even amidst criticism from certain interest groups opposed to reductions in their programs. We must learn to prioritize limited resources, and spend within our means. <br />
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State government is divided as the governor opposes this agenda. This has never been more obvious than the past week, when the governor issued a string of vetoes and threatened more. It is clear that the lines are being drawn as the 2012 elections will determine whether there will be a real change in the state’s direction. I maintain that the borrow, tax and spend policies of the past decade are not sustainable. <br />
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This week, the House and Senate passed a continuing resolution budget. If the final budget were not passed by June 30, this would allow the Governor to continue funds for spending by state departments at a level that would balance the new budget without raising taxes. It is a measure intended to provide a level of certainty for state employees and the public. People do not want a standoff such as we have seen in Washington. However, the governor vetoed this legislation - a troubling sign. Several bills were recently passed to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens on small businesses. A new Joint Commission on Regulatory Reform is also holding meetings across the state to address this matter. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation ranks North Carolina in the bottom ten in the country regarding the tax and regulation environment that affects job creation. We cannot afford to continue to lose jobs as we have. <br />
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The House and Senate have passed bills to help meet the demand for more charter schools. About 20,000 students remain on waiting lists as their parents want this choice. Public charter schools are less funded than traditional public schools, so this would also free more money per pupil for the traditional schools. It is a win-win situation. We are hopeful to pass a law this year, but it will require some Democratic support from either the governor or a few House members to override a potential veto. <br />
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Other bills are being passed to protect private property rights. Many address abuses regarding forced annexations. We expect to pass a comprehensive reform bill this year. Also, the House Judiciary Committee (on which I serve) passed the “Eminent Domain” constitutional amendment bill to protect private property rights. <br />
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The vast majority of NC voters surveyed believe that a voter ID law will help protect the integrity of elections. The House Elections committee has passed this bill, but there was vigorous opposition and the vote was divided on straight party lines. Our bill is modeled on the Indiana and Georgia laws that were upheld in the Supreme Court. <br />
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We took a step toward better government by passing a constitutional amendment bill that would limit the Speaker or President Pro Tem to no more than two consecutive terms. Too much power is not a good thing, as has been evidenced unfortunately. Speaker Tillis and President Pro Tem Berger are to be commended for leading the effort on this good bill. The Governor cannot veto a constitutional amendment. <br />
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These are just some of the recent highlights. There is much in Raleigh that needs to be addressed. We will do what we can in a reasonable time frame, given the restraint of divided government. We remain hopeful that we can accomplish enough this year to put our state on a better track. Please pray for wisdom for us as we proceed.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-82575488413085750682011-03-04T16:43:00.000-05:002012-07-25T17:37:10.069-04:00Regulatory Reform and Other Legislative ReformsIn this historic and extremely challenging session of the General Assembly, we remain committed to moving our state toward fiscal stability and order. <br />
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We recently passed Senate Bill 22 into law, which provides a stopgap on job-killing state government regulations. Meanwhile, the Joint Committee on Regulatory Reform is meeting throughout the state, hearing from citizens and determining which burdensome small business regulations we can eliminate. <br />
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The House passed Senate Bill 109, freeing hundreds of millions of dollars that can be used for job retention or taxpayer refunds. We also passed House Bill 2, which if not vetoed by the Governor, would put North Carolina in opposition to the job-killing mandates of the Federal health care bill. North Carolina is the only state in the Southeast that is not part of the 29 states legally challenging these mandates which judges have been declared unconstitutional but will end up in the Supreme Court. We are continuing to work diligently on reforms in areas such as education and elections. These include lifting the cap on charter schools. Also, a bill was passed that would end some unnecessary and ineffective testing – a bill strongly favored by parents and teachers. <br />
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A sad commentary on Raleigh politics was the condition of the State Health Plan for teachers and all state employees. The neglect and mismanagement had led to insolvency of this plan – a disgrace and a slap in the face to the state employees. The new majority inherited a plan with a current $515 million shortfall, and a longer term actuarial shortfall in excess of $33 billion. <br />
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This week the House concurred with the Senate and passed SB 265, which not only revives the health plan but incorporates many provisions the State Employees Association of NC (SEANC) has been asking for over the years. The SEANC representative at our committee meeting made a strong statement endorsing the plan. The SEANC newsletter counteracts much of the political posturing this issue has created among some politicians and special interest groups. As a supplement to this newsletter, I will forward you a copy for those that would like to see it. <br />
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Regarding election reforms, there are several bills filed that would help ensure a more fair process and the Voter ID bill would help ensure the integrity of our elections. Surveys consistently indicate that this is favored by over 80% of NC voters. We have also passed bills that seek to address North Carolina’s laws related to a citizen’s Second Amendment rights. The concealed carry laws have reportedly been a huge success, and there is evidence of reduced crime involving guns since they have been in effect. <br />
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As a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights, I find myself continuing to remind people that gun-restricting laws will only restrict law-abiding citizens’ rights! The criminals will carry their guns regardless of the laws. Last week we passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, as many parents and grandparents of victims emotionally watched in the gallery. At least 35 states reportedly have similar laws, including California since 1969. Republicans have been introducing the bill for 25 years, but the Democratic leadership would never allow a vote. It passed with a 75-vote veto-proof majority. I was delighted to co-sponsor this bill. <br />
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I am on the House Government Committee. Many of our bills have dealt with forced annexation abuses across the state. Some of these situations have been tying up our courts as citizens attempt to fight these abuses. North Carolina annexation laws are among the most anti-citizen in the nation. We are attempting to address these individual situations in progress, while we are also taking up broad annexation reform going forward. The Speaker appointed me to two other special committees that I am delighted to serve on. The House just elected eight new members to the UNC Board of Governors; I was on the Nominating Committee. I am also especially pleased to serve on the Redistricting Committee. We are just now getting all the necessary census data to carry out the important task of drawing fair and legal congressional and legislative districts. <br />
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On a final, happy note, I was delighted to spend time this week with several classes of students from our area as they visited the General Assembly. It is always a rewarding experience to work with children. I also enjoyed the well attended Townhall Meeting that we had this morning in Wentworth. It is good to know so many citizens that are interested in participating in a civic discussion with their representative. As always, I appreciate your prayers as I continue to do my best to serve the citizens of Rockingham County and North Carolina. It is an honor and privilege to represent you in the legislature.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-77941077832580801142011-02-17T16:47:00.000-05:002012-07-25T17:39:02.199-04:00Not "Business as Usual"It is definitely not “business as usual” in Raleigh these days! Longtime observers of the General Assembly agree that the new majority has ‘hit the ground running’ at a pace not witnessed in recent years. <br />
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Our state has the highest tax burden in the Southeast, which has fueled the loss of jobs and a poor economy. It is reported that over 128,000 net jobs have been lost in our state since January 2009 alone. This reality and the necessity to address the inherited current budget crisis resulting from years of overspending are all related and are at the core of our efforts. However, the longer term situation is truly more alarming. Government spending has been growing at an unsustainable rate, and our state has fallen much deeper into debt. The estimated unfunded state debt obligations over the next 20 years cause the current dismal budget numbers to pale in comparison. <br />
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There are no “quick fixes”, but the new legislative majority has mapped out a bold ‘100 day agenda’ to begin to change the 'tax and spend' big government culture, and start the long process of changing North Carolina for the better. This newsletter simply hits some highlights of our very busy agenda to date. <br />
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This General Assembly is committed to making the tough spending priority choices necessary to balance our budget without raising taxes again. Billion dollar tax increases were enacted in 6 of the past 8 years, but more spending has still left a current budget deficit near $3 billion. The tax-and-spenders have admitted they knew this was coming, but to no avail. Some argue that our taxes are still relatively lower than some other societies. Apparently the job creators in our state are not impressed with that argument. It is reported that the state has lost over 128,000 jobs since January 2009 alone. <br />
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The Balanced Budget Act of 2011 is one attempt to begin to address the problem. It passed both the House and Senate. Many observers see this as relatively mild legislation to cut spending by a minor fraction of the needed reductions in the coming year. It represents the “low hanging fruit”, if you will. However, fierce opposition from the ‘old guard’ indicates their stance of “business as usual” in the face of this unprecedented economic crisis in our state. The needed reforms will not come easy. <br />
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I have co-sponsored several bills to help address these issues, including the aforementioned Balanced Budget Act and the Healthcare Protection Act. This bill enables North Carolina to join the majority of other states that have passed legislation designed to protect their citizens from the detrimental federal mandates. These mandates are already costing our state untold precious jobs, as new hiring is already being stifled. Some judges have already declared these mandates unconstitutional. <br />
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Another issue that has been in the forefront for many citizens is that of forced annexation. This has long been a grave concern of many, as our state’s archaic annexation laws are among the most ‘anti-citizen’ in the nation. I am a co-sponsor of the Moratorium on Forced Annexation, which would immediately stop this onerous practice while more permanent pro-citizen annexation laws can be enacted. We will also work for free and fair elections. To that end, I will co-sponsor a bill requiring photo identification to vote, as is done in many other states. I am also drafting other bills regarding fairer elections. It is a privilege to serve as Vice-Chairman of the Elections Committee among my appointments. <br />
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Education accounts for about 57% of the state budget. Many of us believe in prioritizing classroom education and local decision making, while cutting back on the expensive bureaucracy that has resulted in less input by parents, teachers, and local authorities. The decline in measurable achievement as system costs have skyrocketed speaks for itself. More parental choice and competition is essential to improve quality in education just as it does in everything else. To that end, our agenda includes eliminating the cap on charter schools to address the demand of families as about 20,000 students are currently on waiting lists. Another bill would extend modest tax credits to parents that choose private or home schools. This will have the practical effect of supporting parental choice while potentially saving the state billions of dollars in the next decade. Needless to say, those that support a government controlled monopoly in education have strongly opposed these efforts.<br />
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Many citizens are fed up with overreaching government that has grown too big in size, scope, and cost. We cannot overemphasize that the path of government spending is unsustainable. I remain committed to the work of reining in government back to its rightful role in our society. This will be a long, difficult process and many prevailing attitudes regarding entitlement and the “nanny state” will have to change. Our challenge is to transition back toward a more free-market oriented society where rights and responsibilities go together hand in hand. Most unfortunately, we now have a mind boggling government debt to address as well. It is an understatement to say this is easier said than done, and there is very fierce opposition. Please pray for those of us working to make strides toward fiscal responsibility and more citizen liberty during a very difficult time period in our state and nation.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-43243812383525671182011-01-31T16:49:00.000-05:002012-07-25T17:40:55.962-04:00NC House Passes Healthcare Freedom ActRaleigh – The North Carolina House of Representatives today approved House Bill 2, the “NC Healthcare Protection Act”, by a vote of 66 to 50 on final passage. This legislation protects North Carolina citizens from the unconstitutional mandates enacted under the federal healthcare legislation passed last year. Enactment of HB 2 would also make North Carolina a plaintiff with twenty-eight other states in federal lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”. Every neighboring state had already passed such legislation, and it was a stated campaign issue by the new conservative majority. <br />
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The House vote came two days day after U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson ruled the entire federal health care bill unconstitutional. Judge Vinson’s ruling agrees with the assertions of the majority of the NC House that Congress cannot mandate individual citizens to make particular decisions regarding healthcare for themselves and their families. <br />
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Representative Bert Jones of Rockingham County co-sponsored the NC Healthcare Protection Act, which recent surveys indicate was favored by a 66%-25% margin by citizens of the state. "We have received letters of support for our bill by at least ten to one," Jones said. "I believe the vast majority of citizens agree that this federal action was a vast overreach beyond the proper role of the government. I will stand firm with our citizens in protecting against big government that has grown far too big in cost, power, size, and scope. I believe that lies at the core of what I was elected to do." <br />
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Many other legislative leaders agree. "The federal healthcare legislation is the first time Congress has imposed onerous requirements on citizens merely because they are alive and draw breath,” said House Majority Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake). “We believe today’s vote in the House defends our citizens against the clearly unconstitutional mandates in this overreaching federal statute.” Representative Jeff Barnhart (R-Cabarrus) led the floor debate. “Enactment of HB 2 will release North Carolinians from the excessive taxes and fines imposed by the bill if they choose to exercise their right to pay for their own healthcare rather than one of the mandated insurance plans,” said Barnhart. <br />
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One of the primary points expressed in opposition to the federal healthcare legislation was the detrimental effect its implementation will have on the economy. Job creation will be severely curtailed due to the huge costs placed on the backs of small businesses to provide mandated insurance coverage for their employees. Significant evidence from the private sector indicates the requirement will make it more difficult for businesses to expand and create jobs. “Increased federal regulation and costly government mandates are wrong anytime, but are especially harmful during this time of severe recession,” said Rep. David Lewis. “The costs imposed on small businesses and pharmaceutical manufacturers will severely hamper efforts at job creation essential to an economic recovery in North Carolina and the country.” <br />
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Representative Tom Murry (R-Wake), a pharmacist by profession, pointed out that the bill would allow North Carolina to join other states in the litigation challenging the constitutionality of the federal legislation. ”While our bill does not require the NC Attorney General to file a separate lawsuit,” he said “it does provide that our state join the other 28 states in defending our citizens against this unconstitutional individual mandate in the federal healthcare law. It’s long overdue that North Carolina stand up in defense of our citizens’ rights in this important case,” said Murry. During floor debate it was stressed that individuals must have the right to make their own health care decisions, and must not be compelled by government to choose certain options. <br />
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“It is everyone’s right and responsibility to consider which health care options are best for them and their families,” stated Representative Mark Hollo (R-Alexander). Rep. Hollo is a physician’s assistant. Government must not inhibit people’s ability to do what is in their best interest concerning their own health care decisions.” HB 2 will be sent to the Senate for its consideration. <br />
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Meanwhile, Rep. Jones stated that he intends to co-sponsor more legislation during this session that will promote job growth and also reduce the cost of healthcare, including a tort reform bill to cut frivolous lawsuits and the high cost of defensive medicine. Such initiatives are also favored by a majority of citizens according to many surveys.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-65936536839912648372010-12-11T23:27:00.002-05:002010-12-11T23:41:46.034-05:00An Honor and a Privilege to ServeDear Friends,<br /><br />It is an honor and a privilege to have been elected as your state representative to represent the citizens of House District 65 in Rockingham County. I accept this great responsibility with a sense of both humility and excitement. We have an opportunity before us to make some much needed changes in the way our state government does business – changes that can improve the quality of life for North Carolina’s citizens. <br /> <br />The next several years of governing will be a tremendous challenge. We must make very difficult decisions as we face a huge financial shortfall. It is immoral how government has been spending our children’s future and saddling our society with huge government debt. The citizens have clearly spoken, and we must listen and act. Business as usual will not suffice. But, government cannot do it all. Citizens must work together to foster changes in behaviors, as the era of expanding government and the oft-prevailing attitudes of entitlement must change.<br /> <br />Lord willing, the historic 2011 session will mark the beginning of several long awaited changes that will change our state for the better. Some of these changes will include balancing the state budget without raising taxes, protecting private property rights by ending forced annexation as we know it, passing the Healthcare Freedom Protection Act, eliminating the artificial cap on charter schools, passing the Honest Election Act to require a valid photo ID to vote, and protecting the sacred institution of marriage between one man and one woman. Another critical issue will be addressed by establishing fair and legal congressional and legislative districts. <br /><br />I am excited about serving the Lord throughout this endeavor, and serving my constituents in Rockingham County. Just as I did as county commissioner, I will be true to the platform that I campaigned on – honesty, integrity, and fiscal responsibility. As a fiscal and social conservative, I believe in limited, effective government that does not exceed its constitutional role.<br /> <br />We will have regular email newsletters and townhall meetings to continue good communication. This continues to be a grassroots citizens’ effort. This seat belongs to you, the citizens of our district. With God’s blessing, together we will continue to work to help improve our community and our state.<br /><br />The tasks before us are great, but definitely worth our best efforts. Please remember to keep me and leaders at all levels of government held up in prayer. <br /><br />It is easy to contact me anytime at BertJonesNCHouse@gmail.com. I want to know your concerns and how I might be of assistance, if possible.<br /> <br />Take care and God bless.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-25677742500004349892010-07-01T07:25:00.001-04:002010-06-30T16:29:49.802-04:00We Need Fiscal Responsibility in RaleighAccording to recent polling results, less than one quarter of North Carolina voters believe that our state is headed in the right direction. The vast majority believe that state government is failing us. This series of articles discusses policy reforms that many believe are needed to move our state in the right direction. Our campaign is about issues, and a vision for a better North Carolina. We ask you to join with us. <br /><br /><br />We need FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY in Raleigh!<br /> <br />The problem: Unsustainable budget growth! Government spending has skyrocketed as the size, scope and control of government has continued to grow. The result is that certain economic disaster looms unless we change course.<br /><br />State spending has grown by 300% (adjusted for inflation) while our population grew by only 60 percent. This is not sustainable! North Carolina has the highest tax burden in the South, killing jobs. We are in the top 10 states in unemployment. Moreover, our state is accumulating huge debt, while exhausting the dedicated reserves in our Highway Trust Fund and Rainy Day Fund. <br /><br />A recent Debt Affordability Study released by the State Treasurer concluded that our state has virtually exhausted its debt limit, and its AAA bond rating may soon be in jeopardy. This would accelerate the debt interest even more, among other grave concerns! Our annual debt payments have already almost tripled in this decade. This is an economic crisis.<br /><br />The solution: State government must balance its budget! It must prioritize spending, and spend within its means. We are living on a borrowed, false economy that cannot continue. Our children will never be able to pay back the interest on our debt. <br /><br />No society has ever survived this approach. As Winston Churchill said, “for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle”. The high tax and spend approach is not sustainable.<br /><br />The choice is very clear in this election. Our opponent has a consistent record raising debt, taxes, and spending! His progressive tax and spend crowd is looking for new taxes to fuel bigger government, such as the proposed Vehicle Mileage Tax! <br /><br />The Vehicle Mileage Tax would be disastrous for North Carolina families and businesses! We must stop higher spending and new taxes such as the VMT!<br /><br />Friends, it is definitely time for a change!Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-322895337281041072010-06-15T08:19:00.003-04:002010-06-15T08:28:49.082-04:00Reduce the State and National Debt!• According to recent polling results, less than one quarter of North Carolina voters believe that our state is headed in the right direction. The vast majority believe that state government is failing us.<br /><br />• This series of articles highlights policy reforms that many believe are needed to move our state in the right direction. Previously, we reported on the need to support businesses and jobs by easing our state's comparably high tax burden. <br /><br />This article focuses on arguably the biggest threat to our society - the massive government debt. <br /><br />Policy Reform #2 – REDUCE THE STATE AND NATIONAL DEBT!<br /><br />The problem: Government debt is excessive, out of control, and unsustainable. Before long the interest on the debt will consume our resources. It is an economic disaster in progress. Our children will never be able to pay the debt off that our government is spending today. Bigger, more intrusive government not only does not solve problems, we cannot afford it. There is absolutely no time to waste, but politicians continue to grow government control, spending, and more debt. <br /><br />The solution: We absolutely must reduce government spending. You cannot spend what you do not have but for so long. The time of disaster is soon approaching. This is a grave concern both on the national and state levels. We need honest leadership! Can you continue to spend money you don’t have just because you want something? Of course not. You spend within your means, or eventually you go bankrupt. If families and businesses operated like our government, people would go to jail. Those that say “government can just print more money” obviously do not know their history. Every society that has tried this has faced certain economic disaster. It can and will happen here, unless we change course. But, rather than changing to avoid a socioeconomic trainwreck, politicians are simply speeding up the train! <br /><br />We will effectively reduce government spending when we rein in big government, and restore it to its proper constitutional role. But, an immediate solution is to prioritize spending with a balanced budget. We cannot continue to borrow more! <br /><br />Our opponent has continually voted for higher taxes and more borrowing, to fuel more government control and huge increases in spending. Government watchdog groups report that our state budget is up 300% during the time that state population has grown only about 60%. The result has been devastating to the state’s economy and jobs.<br /><br />With redistricting in 2011, the General Assembly will greatly affect national issues, including the debt. Congressional and state legislative districts currently drawn to benefit liberal, progressive politicians can be redrawn to better represent the will of the people. 2010 is a huge election year that will very much affect state and national politics for ten years. <br /><br />Friends, it is definitely time for a change!Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-40240251498109217022010-06-04T01:02:00.000-04:002010-06-04T01:04:12.640-04:00Highlights From a Recent InterviewI recently participated in an interview with a newspaper reporter. Here are some highlights from that interview.<br /><br />Question: What decisions did you make as a county commissioner that you are proud of?<br />Bert Jones: 1) I kept my word to the voters. I never told anyone I would do one thing and then did something else. I never made promises I could not keep. <br /> 2) I voted against more tax increases and against more borrowing against our dwindling county emergency funds. <br /> 3) I consistently worked to improve government services through efficiency and common-sense businesslike initiatives. At the same time, I treated our employees with respect, and worked to hire good people and pay them competitive wages. <br />4) I also worked diligently to defend citizens’ property rights, but NC laws are very poor in this area and need to be reformed. For example, 48 states protect citizens from forced annexation better than our state does. <br />5) I demonstrated leadership on tough issues. We built the needed courthouse and jail for safety and security reasons, but it would have saved the taxpayers a lot of money if it had been done years before. I worked to keep costs down where possible.<br />Question: Why are you deciding to run for state house as opposed to any other political office?<br />Bert Jones: I saw firsthand as a commissioner that several changes are needed at the state level. We are consistently losing jobs because our state has the highest tax burden in the South. North Carolina is in the top 10 in unemployment in the country, and our county is particularly hard hit. Our state’s “borrow, tax, and spend” government is crushing our economy. The state treasurer has warned that we cannot continue to amass more debt. Another huge issue is that all state legislative and congressional districts will be redistricted next year. The current district lines are grossly unfair, and are largely drawn to benefit incumbents and Democrats. It is time for our representatives to reflect the will of the people.<br />Question: Do you believe running as an independent improves your odds of defeating Mr. Cole in the general election? <br />Bert Jones: The biggest challenge is that people have to know not to just vote a straight party ticket. They must vote specifically for me or their vote will be wasted. As long as people know this, I do not think it will affect my odds of winning the race. <br />Question: Why should people elect you instead of the incumbent? What has Cole done specifically that you disagree with?<br />Bert Jones: Mr. Cole and I disagree on many important issues, including borrowing, taxing, and spending, because we disagree about how much government control is best. This is a primary national and state issue this year. For 16 years, he has consistently voted to increase our debt, to raid and deplete important dedicated funds (such as the Highway Trust Fund and the Rainy Day Fund), and to increase taxes and spending. He is even interested in more new taxes, such as the Vehicle Mileage Tax that would be a huge burden to many families and businesses. The state budget is up 300% (adjusted for inflation) during the time when the state population increased just 60%. People are figuring out that this is unsustainable and we will not be able to repay the debt. Many politicians like Mr. Cole may mean well, but bigger government is not the answer, nor can we afford it.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-60678964591034597432010-05-28T10:27:00.003-04:002010-05-28T10:32:52.739-04:00Needed Policy Reform - SUPPORT JOBS!According to recent polling results, less than one quarter of North Carolina voters believe that our state is headed in the right direction. The vast majority believe that state government is failing us.<br /><br />Over the next several weeks, I will outline a series of policy reforms that many believe are needed to move our state in the right direction. I don’t pretend to have all perfect answers, but more government control certainly does not solve every problem. Our campaign is about issues, and a vision for a better North Carolina.<br /><br />Policy Reform #1 – SUPPORT JOBS <br /><br />The problem: High Unemployment!<br /><br />The solution: Encourage businesses and job creation. Ease the tax burden! North Carolina has the highest tax burden in the Southeast, which kills jobs. Unemployment (11.2% reported in April) ranks in the top 10 in the nation. Our county’s unemployment numbers are much worse. We are losing jobs to neighboring states that have less tax burden on businesses, especially small businesses that create most jobs.<br /><br />North Carolina’s job growth has lagged miserably behind other states in our region during the entire decade – a decade riddled with tax increases. For example, Virginia’s job growth rate during that time was more than five times that of NC. All these states have lower tax burdens than North Carolina. Unfortunately, the political answer has been to try to offset an anti-business environment with handouts and targeted tax breaks to a select group of politically connected companies. But, 87% of voters favor across the board tax reductions to all, whereas only 7% favor targeted tax breaks to a few large companies. The legislators are not listening to our citizens. <br /><br />Our opponent has continually voted for higher taxes and more borrowing, to fuel more government control and huge increases in spending. The result has been devastating to the state’s economy and jobs.<br /><br />Friends, it is definitely time for a change!Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-11294134332168317752010-04-15T07:16:00.002-04:002010-04-16T11:28:14.406-04:00A "Tax Day" Story... Too Bad This One is TrueDespite mounting government debt and amidst unemployment figures in the top ten in the nation, North Carolina has the highest tax burden in our region of the country. Keep in mind that our opponent has supported every budget to increase debt, taxes, and spending during his 16-year career in Raleigh. And, a person with the mindset that more government is the answer must even look for new taxes such as his proposed vehicle mileage tax. (At least he has been consistent!)<br /> <br />Not long ago, a professor came up with a simple story to help explain our tax system. It is worth reading. Suppose, ten men go out for dinner every evening. The total bill is $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this: The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing. The fifth would pay $1. The sixth would pay $3. The seventh would pay $7. The eighth would pay $12. The ninth would pay $18. The tenth man would pay $59.<br /><br />One day, the restaurant owner said, “Since you are such good customers, I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily meal by $20.” (He reduced their “tax debt”.) So, now dinner for the ten men cost $80. The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay taxes. So, the first four men were unaffected. They would still eat for free. But what about the other six paying customers? How could they divvy up the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his “fair share”?<br /><br />The six men realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth and sixth men would each end up being paid to eat their meal. So, the restaurant owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same percentage amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each man should pay. And so:<br /><br />The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings). The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% savings). The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% savings). The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings). The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings). The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).<br /><br />Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to eat for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. “I got only a dollar out of the $20,” declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, “but he got $10!” “Yeah, that’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved a dollar, too. It’s unfair that he got ten times more than me!”<br /><br />“That’s true!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back when I only got $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!” “Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison. “We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!” Then the nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.<br /><br />The next night, the tenth man didn’t show up for dinner, so the nine sat down and ate without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between them to pay even half the bill!<br /><br />That is how our tax system works. When big government decides to tax and spend too much, many of the people (and the jobs their businesses create) just might not show up at the table anymore. (NC ‘reported’ unemployment now exceeds 11%!)<br /><br />No country or state has ever borrowed, taxed and spent itself into prosperity. We are living on a false economy. It’s time to wake up to reality – it’s time for a change.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-11470515821828967862010-03-22T23:09:00.003-04:002010-04-05T13:54:23.808-04:00Why I Am Running for State RepresentativeAs a Christian, as a husband and father, as someone that has worked hard throughout my life to try to achieve something better, and just as a concerned American – I seek this office in this critical election year to defend the principles that have made our nation great. These principles include faith, family, freedom, liberty, work ethic, capitalism, and a limited government under the control of its citizens.<br /><br />Today, our constitutional republic is under attack as never before by those who would transform us toward a social democratic welfare state that marginalizes citizens’ rights. Our state and federal government has simply grown out of control and has exceeded its constitutional role. The effects have been devastating, but the worst is surely yet to come if we ignore the perils of history.<br /><br />Our state and nation are drowning in government debt. This is unsustainable, and is quickly growing at a rate that will be impossible to fix. Thomas Jefferson sternly warned against this practice and rightfully called it immoral. But, he could never have imagined the extent to which our politicians would ignore his warnings 200 years later. History has proven time and again that this will lead to certain economic disaster.<br /><br />Big government takeovers (healthcare, education, business bailouts, banks, and more) will not solve our problems. Those that would sell their liberty for the promise of prosperity deserve neither, and many will live to regret it. Government attempts to fix our society through transfers of wealth and the abandonment of faith-based values have failed miserably. America continues to descend into further socioeconomic chaos as the family structure is under attack. The politics of envy and greed are taking a huge toll. While never perfect, America was once the enviable pattern for the world. Today, as we see abandonment of many of the principles that made us great, we are falling behind. As many socialist countries have been moving toward our model, we are unfortunately moving toward theirs to our peril and destruction.<br /><br />This year’s election for the North Carolina House is very important regarding our representation on both the state and national levels. Next year, the General Assembly will do redistricting. This means every Congressional and state legislative district can be changed. Progressive legislators have created such ill-drawn, ridiculous districts (a process known as “gerrymandering”) that the will of the people is not being carried out. It is so blatant that a substantial majority of voters elect members of one party to serve, but the other side wins a huge majority of legislators. This is more than unfair, it is an abomination. I will work to end this immoral, unethical practice that takes more power from the citizens.<br /><br />Huge government debt vs. fiscal responsibility. Citizens’ rights vs. big government. More capitalism, competition and free-markets vs. more socialism, entitlement and government control. Protection of faith-based values vs. an all-out assault on faith in the public square. These are issues worth fighting for. This is why we sacrifice to serve.<br /><br />It is time for a change. If not now, when?Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11558419.post-36985627628145157032010-02-05T11:02:00.000-05:002010-02-26T23:04:19.176-05:00Jones to File for NC House SeatFebruary 5, 2010<br /><br />JONES TO FILE FOR ELECTION TO THE NC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES<br /><br />Rockingham County – Former Rockingham County Commissioner Bert Jones announced today that he will file for election to the NC House of Representatives next week when the filing period opens. Jones served as a commissioner from 2004 to 2008, before opting not to seek another term. <br /><br />In 2004, Jones ran a successful campaign on a platform to protect citizens' rights and to control government spending. He says that he wants to take that approach to state government. “The government is literally spending us into bankruptcy, and more people are realizing this is not sustainable,” Jones said. "We must preserve our children's future by spending within our means." Jones noted that together the national and state debt is now about $250,000 per family and continuing to grow at a rapid pace. “We are fast moving toward a social and economic trainwreck, and no one is even slowing down the train, much less changing course.” <br /><br />Jones said his experience as a commissioner would be invaluable as a state representative. “Where do we even start?” Jones began. “No one understands better than the commissioners how the state saddles economically depressed counties like ours with its unfunded mandates. It leads to higher taxes and less funding for critical services, and cripples our potential for job growth. And, look at what they did to the mental health system, and now government wants to control healthcare!? And, while we struggle to update our 100-year-old courthouse and jail, some of these politicians in Raleigh are raising taxes to fund their campaign promises and to build things like teapot museums. That's just not right." <br /><br />"I hope people are ready to say 'enough is enough',” said Jones, who is running as an independent unaffiliated candidate. “For me, it begins with what I believe to be biblical and moral truth, and that shapes my philosophy about government and politics. We’ve seen too many examples of arrogance and corruption in Raleigh, and government at the state and national levels is out of control. I believe most people are ready for a change from politics as usual." The election will be November 2.Bert Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863803952410982360noreply@blogger.com