Who is Ray Fuentes, District 4 Republican Mecklenburg County commission candidate?
Political party: Republican
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 58
Campaign website: rayfuentes.org
Email: ray@rayfuentes.org
Occupation: Senior Operations Environmental Compliance
Education: UNCC, CPCC, Texas Tech University, Western Texas College, ISO 14001 Lead Auditor Certification, Six Sigma Certification, Radiation Safety Officer Certification
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought): No
Please list your highlights of civic involvement: 7 Years Planning and Zoning Board Member, 9 Years Mecklenburg County Air Quality Commission, 4 Years Crescent Resources Land Grant Selection Committee
What more can county government do to help CMS close achievement gaps and support students in impoverished families?
No child should be trapped in a failing school. Families with children in failing schools should have options for their child’s education such as opportunity scholarships. Every policy of Mecklenburg County should encourage and promote strong families. In the words of Frederick Douglass, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
How do you plan to collaborate with other local and state elected officials?
I will work to build relationships that will provide equally beneficial and open dialogue with leaders at the local and state levels. The county commissioners must provide accountable leadership and focus on policy instead of party and personality. In both public and private spaces, I will focus on the facts and the results of policy rather than the intention.
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?
I adamantly oppose spending another $40 million for a 2023 revaluation. Inflation is outpacing wages. The cost of every basic necessity is increasing by levels we haven’t seen in 50 years. Our families and businesses need time and stability to recover from COVID and inflation. Families are suffering, especially our elderly, our poor and our minority families. I see, hear and feel their anguish. Property taxes are hidden in everything we eat, drink, wear, buy, rent or own. No one is exempt.
Name a quality about yourself that makes you a good leader:
I am a great listener and I believe that my passion to provide the people of Mecklenburg County a better place to live, work and thrive is key to our well-being. Mecklenburg County has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. We need empathetic leaders that care about the people and their needs versus self-promotion. A good leader focuses on a vision that will inspire others, then with persistence and persuasion builds a consensus to manage the delivery of that vision.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of?
I was awarded the Pacesetter Award in 2017 for accomplishing a zero-waste goal at one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the county. We proved that it was possible to be innovative while reducing, reusing and repurposing materials that would otherwise be considered waste. The benefit was twofold; we were able to improve the environment by minimizing our impact and we were able to reduce the financial impact to the bottom line.
This story was originally published October 3, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
