House District 20 covers northern New Hanover County, parts of Wilmington near the Intracoastal, and Wrightsville Beach.
The candidates’ responses are presented without edits (except for formatting). Below are the responses from Democratic candidate Jon Berger.
What is your stance on abortion — and what, if any, changes would you make to existing state law which bans abortion after 12 weeks, with exceptions for fetal abnormalities, health of the mother, and rape/incest?
I firmly support a woman’s right — together with her family and her doctor 00 to make all decisions regarding her healthcare and, most importantly, regarding abortion. If elected, I will fight to repeal Senate Bill 20 and reinstate what we had for 50 years under Roe v. Wade (24 weeks). Simply put it is not the government’s place to make a woman’s health care decisions for her.
What steps will you take to help create more affordable housing in your role in the legislature?
We continue to face an affordable housing crisis that impacts all parts of North Carolina — urban, suburban, and rural. Addressing this crisis as a state legislator requires a comprehensive approach that balances immediate relief with long-term structural reforms.
There are several programs already in-place to support the development of affordable housing (e.g., North Carolina Housing Trust Fund, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit). I will seek to expand/enhance these programs to ensure these incentives result in developers building more affordable housing. We should have special focus on first-time home buyers, particularly in working class and marginalized communities, to help them transition from renting to homeownership.
We need to expand tax credits for renters based on their income and rental costs, ensuring that low- and middle-income families don’t spend an excessive portion of their income on housing. Finally, we must strengthen rent control and stabilization as well as tenant protections so that those at risk of becoming homeless are able to remain in their homes
How will you address homelessness in your role in state government?
As a state legislator, I absolutely want to work on policy solutions to address homelessness in our region, as well as ensure necessary funding is allocated to support these solutions. Our state’s homeless population, as indicated by the latest Point-in-Time (PIT) survey is estimated at 9,500; 200-300 are estimated to be in New Hanover County.
The North Carolina Interagency Council for Coordinating Homeless Programs is our state-level body that advises the Governor, state agencies, and partners on homelessness-related issues. It promotes interagency collaboration, evaluates policies, and develops strategies to reduce homelessness, particularly in areas like housing stabilization and services for vulnerable populations. Working with this council, I will first seek to identify the most critical and emerging areas of need. This will inform any policy and legislative revisions as well as identify immediate funding needs and longer-term funding requirements. This may include advocating for zoning reforms and increasing tax incentives and funding programs to expand affordable housing. By supporting initiatives like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), we can increase the availability of homes for low-income residents, a critical need for preventing homelessness. I will also ensure that funding for services such as rental assistance, eviction prevention, and emergency shelters is allocated. These programs help people at risk of homelessness maintain stable housing.
As indicated in the latest PIT, an estimated 8% to 10% of our state’s homeless population are Veterans. We must ensure that all of the necessary services provided by the VA are being provided to this population. This may require working with Veteran Service Organizations who serve at the front line for applying and obtaining these veterans’ their benefits.
It is estimated that 25-35% of our state’s homeless population suffer from severe mental illness and that 30-40% struggle with substance abuse issues. I will seek to expand access to mental health care and addiction treatment programs for this population as well as supportive housing programs, which provide housing combined with case management and services.
Finally, laws that criminalize homelessness, such as bans on camping in public spaces, often worsen the problem. I will work to amend such laws and instead promote alternatives like housing-focused interventions and supportive services.
What’s your stance on funding public education? Specifically, what changes, if any, would you support for per-pupil funding, the private school voucher program, and accepting federal funding?
Since 2014 funding of our state’s public schools has been inadequate and inequitable. As of 2023, NC ranks 39th in the nation for per-pupil spending, based on data from the National Education Association (NEA), Public Schools First NC and EducationNC.
The State Supreme Court has ordered the General Assembly to allocate hundreds of millions more per year on education funding, based on the Leandro Plan which I strongly support. This Plan must be fully obligated in order to increase teacher pay, per pupil spending, as well as provide for infrastructure and technological upgrades. Unfortunately, until the Republican Supermajority is broken, this Plan will remain unobligated
I strongly oppose the expansion of the voucher program to allow for the wealthiest families in our county to receive taxpayer assistance to send their children to schools to which in most cases they are already sending them. In addition, these private schools are unaccountable to state standards and curriculum and therefore should not be subsidized with taxpayer money. I welcome a debate about whether a voucher program will or will not help lower income families who don’t feel they have a place in public schools, but I will seek to reinvest the majority of these funds into public education in order to strengthen our public school system.
I also believe we should study implementation of a weighted formula to allocate resources to those schools serving students with the greatest needs (i.e., rural, underfunded urban, low-income families, English language learners, and students with disabilities).
What changes, if any, would you make to funding for transportation infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc) and public transportation (like WAVE)?
Both our state and county are experiencing rapid growth putting additional pressure on our road infrastructure. Expanding funding for road repairs and bridge improvements is crucial to preventing long-term deterioration. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has already identified several roadways in need of repair in our region, and I would recommend increased funding so that the timelines for these improvements are accelerated.
We should also seek to maximize federal infrastructure grants and other state funding opportunities. Programs like the Federal Government’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) offer grants for both traditional transportation and alternative mobility solutions. Targeting this funding could address our county’s most pressing infrastructure needs.
WAVE is crucial for many residents, particularly in our lower-income communities. Funding for expanded routes, more frequent service, and better connections to underserved areas would increase accessibility. Improved transit options will also reduce traffic congestion overall and support economic mobility by providing easier access to jobs and services for everyone in the greater Wilmington community.
Would you support an independent commission to draw legislative boundaries? Why or why not?
I fully support an independent commission to draw legislative boundaries, because for far too long the political party in the majority has worked to draw boundaries that favor that party. The main benefit of an independent commission would be the elimination of legislative gerrymandering which would help foster fairer and more competitive elections.
As we’ve seen in other states that have adopted this plan, an independent commission will create voting districts that reflect ACTUAL demographic and geographic communities, rather than ones designed to benefit incumbents. This will serve to increase public trust and voter confidence in our government and the fairness of elections. Independent commissions are far more transparent as well, holding public hearings and justifying their decisions with nonpartisan criteria and data, such as population equality, compactness, and respect for existing communities. This will ensure the whole redistricting process is much more accountable to the public.
Would you work to repeal the state law that says you are your public records' custodian? If not, why do you think you should be exempt from the public records laws that apply to so many other local and state officials?
If elected, I will push to repeal the public records custodian law passed earlier this year. Transparency is fundamental to a healthy democracy, and the 2023 budget provision undermines that principle. We must strengthen North Carolina’s public records laws, and advocate for policies that ensure citizens have access to the information they need to hold their government accountable. This will serve to restore public trust in our officials, improve government accountability, and ensure that North Carolina remains a leader in open government practices.
How would you support economic development in the Cape Fear region (and what kind of development would you like to see)?
We must strengthen and diversify our local economy by prioritizing investments in industries tied to our coastal location (e.g., commercial fishing, aquaculture, marine research), promoting general tourism and ecotourism, and expanding the film industry through state film tax credits and incentives to draw more and bigger productions to the area.
We must also consider investments in our infrastructure to support the rapid growth of our area. This would include expansion and modernization of the Port of Wilmington as well as increases in state and federal investments sorely needed to improve our roads, bridges and transportation systems. Given our location and its vulnerability to hurricanes and flooding, investments in resilient infrastructure are crucial. I would advocate for state funding and federal disaster grants to strengthen our coastal defenses, improve stormwater management, and rebuild infrastructure to withstand future climate-related events.
I would advocate for the creation of small business incubators and innovation hubs that provide local entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and capital they need to start a small business. The focus should be on growing sectors like technology, healthcare, and marine-based industries. In order to support existing small businesses, I would work to expand access to low-interest loans, microgrants, and venture capital, particularly for women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses, which will only continue to help diversify the region’s economy, foster innovation, and create long-term economic stability.
Would you like to see state taxes go up, down, or hold steady?
Our state’s tax code has regressive tendencies that unfairly require those with the least income to pay more in taxes. I believe in a progressive tax policy - those who are at the bottom should pay far less than our highest earning citizens. As a state legislator, I would support the following tax policy reforms to improve equity without sacrificing our state's economic health:
- Establish a progressive income tax structure. Many states have progressive income tax brackets, allowing the tax burden to adjust with residents' ability to pay. Even a modest progression in tax brackets could make a meaningful difference for our low income citizens.
- Reintroduce a state-level Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). It was eliminated in 2014 but needs to be reinstated to reduce tax obligations for low-income working families. The EITC has been widely studied and shown to reduce poverty, incentivize work, and alleviate the tax burden on lower-income families.
- Significantly reducing or fully eliminating sales taxes on essential items like groceries, healthcare products, and utilities can make a significant difference for low-income households. This shift could be achieved by narrowing the tax base and ensuring the essentials are exempt from sales taxes.
- Consider adding a higher sales tax rate on non-essential luxury goods, like high-value vehicles, jewelry, and certain leisure items. This will reduce the regressive nature of the sales tax while also diversifying the revenue base.
What other issues are you hoping to focus on?
- Climate Resilience/Mitigation:
In light of the recent cyclone that hit SE North Carolina and the devastation brought to Western North Carolina by Hurricane Helene, we need to increase long-term climate resiliency in New Hanover County and across North Carolina. This will take a comprehensive approach to address the region's vulnerability to rising sea levels, hurricanes, flooding, extreme heat, and other climate-related risks.
We must invest in both hard (sea walls and flood barriers) and natural (restoration of wetlands and barrier islands) infrastructure projects to protect coastal communities from sea-level rise and storm surges. As an example, during Hurricane Helene, an aquawall helped to prevent flooding of the largest hospital serving Tampa, Florida and kept it dry. Our floodplain maps, especially as seen with Hurricane Helene, must be updated to reflect current and projected climate risks, ensuring they include data on future sea-level rise and extreme weather patterns. In our area, no development should be permitted in our high-risk areas or in wetlands, and any current or future development must be climate-resilient construction.
Our stormwater management approach must be enhanced to include the use of permeable pavement, green roofs, rain gardens, and bioswales to reduce runoff and enhance water absorption as well as investment in floodwater retention basins and other storage infrastructure to manage excess water during storm events.
As recently reported in the New York Times (Oct 3, 2024), decisions made by the General Assembly over the last 15 years may have contributed to the catastrophic devastation that occurred in the western part of our state due to Hurricane Helene. Over this period, Republican lawmakers rejected any limits on construction on steep slopes, blocked a rule requiring homes to be elevated above the average height of expected flooding, and allowed for loosened regulations on building codes, making it harder for the state to qualify for federal climate-resilience grants. All of these decisions reflect the undue influence of North Carolina’s home building industry, which has consistently fought rules to make housing and buildings more climate-resistant, especially to hurricane force winds and flooding. As a legislator I will work to restore regulations that will save people’s lives and property.
2. PFAS/Polluter Pays:
I fully support "polluter pays" legislation and state-level regulations for PFAS, the Attorney General’s natural resource damages lawsuit against Chemours and DuPont, and the removal of the state criminal and civil statute of limitations for PFAS polluters.
For decades, DuPont and Chemours have dumped PFAS into the Cape Fear River, making it toxic, causing illnesses in our population and destroying wildlife. They have never been held fully accountable for this grossly negligent behavior. I support imposing significant fines to fund comprehensive human as well as other wildlife epidemiological studies to effectively address PFAS exposures and their health impacts as well as to remediate all affected areas and compensate affected communities. We must take immediate steps to ban all PFAS in order to establish a safer, more sustainable future for the Cape Fear region.