Laura Budd, Democratic candidate for NC House District 103, answers our questions
READ MORE
NC House District 103
Democratic Rep. Laura Budd faces Republican Joshua Niday in the NC House District 103 election in the Pineville and Ballantyne areas.
Expand All
To help inform voters in the Nov. 5, 2024, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The Charlotte Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Laura Budd
Birth date (month, day and year): 4/29/1977
Campaign website or social media page: www.electlaurabudd.com; Facebook & IG :laurabuddnchouse
Occupation: Attorney/Legislator
Education:
Ohio University, B.A. in History & Political Science, cum laude, 1999; Wake Forest Law, J.D.; 2002.
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought or held):
In 2022, I ran and was elected to represent NC House District 103.
Please list your highlights of civic involvement:
I am a member of the Mecklenburg County Bar, the Matthews Chamber of Commerce & Women in Business, and am on the Women in the Profession Cmte. for the NCBA. Prior to becoming elected in 2022, I served as President of the Matthews Athletic Recreation Assoc., VP of Piedmont Gymnastics Assoc., and Chair of the Foundation for Girls, was a Boy Scout leader, Chair of the Peace & Justice Immigration Clinic, and on the Board of Directors of the Matthews Free Medical Clinic.
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and most of the county’s towns are on board with draft legislation to get permission from the legislature for a sales tax referendum to pay for public transit and other transportation. If elected, would you support a bill that allows the sales tax increase to appear on the ballot? Why or why not?
I support a sales tax referendum but not the current proposed legislation. The proposed plan does not include a line from airport to Uptown, or lines to East Charlotte or Matthews. It also does not take into account the current and anticipated future mass transportation needs of the greater Charlotte-Mecklenburg metropolitan area. The projected growth in Charlotte and the adjacent counties requires a mass transit plan that includes Mecklenburg as well as the surrounding adjacent counties.
In North Carolina, abortion is banned after 12 weeks. State politicians, including gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, have said they want to restrict abortion even further. Do you support the state’s current abortion restrictions, and what is your approach to legislating issues related to reproductive health?
North Carolina should codify Roe v. Wade, affirming a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions without the interference of the government. The decision whether to bear a child is between the woman, her doctor, and if she is religious, her God. To limit a woman’s autonomy and control of her body is to treat her as less than a full citizen entitled to all the protections of the Constitution.
What would you say is the biggest issue facing your constituents, and what would you do to address it if elected?
One of the largest issues facing my constituents and North Carolinians across the state is the chronic underfunding of our state’s necessary services, including, but not limited to our public schools, the DMV, and the Dept. of Environmental Quality. Underfunding state services especially our public schools will ultimately harm our children and families as well as negatively impact the ability of NC to compete for and remain a top state for business opportunities and investment.
While violent crime rates are decreasing nationwide they are growing in large North Carolina cities like Charlotte and Raleigh. How would you tackle the issue of rising violent crime rates and what do you believe is the legislature’s role when it comes to public safety?
I support a two-pronged approach. Increased funding for law enforcement is critical to enable officers to perform. Paralleled with this needs to be focused programs to strengthen housing and food security, strong afterschool / summer programs for K-8, and vocational training opportunities in high school to reduce the school to prison pipeline numbers. The prison system reforms need to make mental health, addiction treatment, and re-entry training into society the priorities over punishment.
While inflation has slowed, rising prices continue to concern North Carolina residents. How will you ensure your constituents are able to afford basic necessities like health care, food and housing?
Inflation has slowed, but prices for goods and services are still high thereby adversely impacting residents. One step to help ensure affordability of necessities is legislation that incentivizes companies to stabilize prices and pass those savings to consumers in times of “supply shock,” along with additional funding for the AG’s office to identify and prosecute companies for price gouging. Tax credits to help families pay for quality childcare and safe housing will also provide direct relief.
Is there any policy by your party that you disagree with?
There and will always continue to be areas I disagree with the Democratic Party on. However, it is less about “a party” and more about collaborating with others to think critically about how to best meet and serve the needs of all North Carolinians.
This story was originally published October 16, 2024 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Laura Budd, Democratic candidate for NC House District 103, answers our questions."
