Who is George Dunlap, District 3 Democratic Mecklenburg County Commission candidate?
GEORGE DUNLAP
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 66
Campaign website: vote4dunlap.com
Email: gdunlap1234@att.net
Occupation: County Commissioner
Education: MPA - Master of Public Administration
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought): CMS Board of Education and Mecklenburg county Sherriff.
Please list your highlights of civic involvement: I consider all of my civic involvement to be worthy of being highlighted, however, I can’t list them all. From serving on the National Board of Directors of NACO, becoming State President of NSLEOA, serving on the State Board of Directors of NCACC, to the many local boards and commissions such as ASC, Center City Partners, University City Partners, Chairman of CEDC, Chairman of the Board at SPBC to name a few.
What more can county government do to help CMS close achievement gaps and support students in impoverished families?
We can provide additional support. The County has been extremely generous in that CMS receives over 700 million dollars each year from county tax dollars, although a state run educational system. To the extent that we can, we must hold accountable, those who have been entrust with taxpayer dollars to educate our children, to include those who attend charter schools, private schools as well as those who are home schooled. All of whose parents are taxpayers in Mecklenburg County.
How do you plan to collaborate with other local and state elected officials?
I believe that the County Commission has a good tract record when it comes to intergovernmental relations. The board’s intergovernmental relations committee meets monthly with local officials from all levels of local government. The goal now is to get more State officials involved.
How do you plan to approach the county’s upcoming revaluation and how will the results inform your stance on the 2024 fiscal year’s tax rate?
As someone who has gone through this process several time, it is not smart to try to predict my stance on the 2024 fiscal year’s tax rate. There are too many factors to consider when deciding what the rate should be, such as the growth of the county, community needs, as well as the needs of CMS, the public library, the Sheriff’s office; all funded by the county. I will say that over the years Mecklenburg County has not raised taxes between revaluations, once the tax rate has been adopted.
Name a quality about yourself that makes you a good leader:
I except the will of the board even when I might disagree, and I work just as hard to ensure a successful outcome of what ever the decision was.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of?
Becoming the first district representative to ever be elected chair of the Board of County Commission and to do so with a unanimous vote.
This story was originally published October 3, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
