Who is Laura Meier, District 5 Democratic Mecklenburg County commission candidate?
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 53
Campaign website: www.MeierForMeck.com
Email: laura@meierformeck.com
Occupation: County Commissioner
Education: BS Political Science, Appalachian State University, MA in Teaching, Winthrop University
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought): yes 2020, won County Commissioner D5
Please list your highlights of civic involvement:
Co-President, Charlotte Women’s Movement (formerly Charlotte Women’s March) 2019-2020; Co-Chair of the Racial Equity group for Charlotte Women’s Movement, 2017-2018; Volunteer Coordinator for Mecklenburg County: Josh Stein for Attorney General campaign 2016; ERA activist: lobbied the NCGA for its passage in North Carolina; attended the Women’s March in DC in 2017 and helped organize women’s marches in Charlotte; Board member of Cops and Barbers; Board member of Lillian’s List; Board member Smart Start for Mecklenburg County; have attended numerous BLM protests and attended immigration rallies in Charlotte; volunteer food delivery, Loaves and Fishes.
What more can county government do to help CMS close achievement gaps and support students in impoverished families?
The county has our own role to play to help narrow that gap. Are we providing adequate funding for our schools and salaries for our teachers? Are we funding mental health care for our children and teachers? Are we offering more affordable housing options? Is healthy food reaching our food deserts? Is primary care accessible for our most-needy residents? When children go to school feeling safe and healthy, they perform better in the classroom.
How do you plan to collaborate with other local and state elected officials?
Since being elected, I have collaborated with elected officials at every level, from Charlotte to Raleigh. In my second term, I will continue to advocate for open lines of communication between all groups and elected officials - most importantly the CMS School Board. I believe that each body of government has a role to play and one is not superior to another. Building and maintaining relationships among elected officials is beneficial for all 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?
We are continuing to see the effects of COVID on our community. We are experiencing inflation and some forecasters say a recession is imminent. It has been a rough few years. Before we put more of a burden on our residents, we should first look at utilizing some of our fund balance, which is money the people of Mecklenburg County expect us to use for the services we should be providing, such as more investments in affordable housing, education, mental health and green space.
Name a quality about yourself that makes you a good leader:
Everyday, I get dozens of emails or phone calls from the constituents of District 5. I am committed to responding to them as quickly as possible. I strive to keep the people of District 5 informed as to what is happening in the district and how it affects them and their families by sending newsletters and through the use of social media.Therefore, I believe that being responsive and transparent are qualities that make me a good leader.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of?
Advocating for public education is an accomplishment for which I am proud. In my first term, I spoke in favor of increased funding in both the budget seasons and stood my ground in the face of strong opposition. I believe CMS cannot do more with less and so I fought for more money for our schools. With remedial services needed now more than ever, this was not the time to hold back money from our schools. My colleagues did vote for increasing CMS’ budget, and I felt that it was a small victory.
This story was originally published October 3, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
