The candidates’ responses are presented without edits (except for formatting).
Below are the responses from Democratic Candidate Tom Simmons.
Many residents worry that infrastructure in the Cape Fear Region can’t keep up with the rapid pace of development. What strategies do you suggest to improve infrastructure and manage development?
First, increase fees for new development in Brunswick County to reduce the impact of additional county expenses to accommodate growth. Second, seek the repeal of the state law that eliminated ETJs, restoring the ability of municipal governments to control development of land adjacent to their borders. I would also propose new housing density requirements, increasing forestry requirements to preserve or create natural habitat, and reforms to ensure accountability and increase public input in local planning decisions.
Rampant development is creating concerns around stormwater flooding in existing areas of Brunswick County. How will you address the problem of flooding in the unincorporated areas where you manage development?
We need to do a better job of preserving wetlands. Developers simply cannot continue building houses in areas prone to flooding. Draining our wetlands reduces acreage that has historically absorbed excess water and exposes all residents to a higher risk of flooding. In strengthening our control of wetland preservation, we must also work with municipal governments to make sure our policies are coordinated and successful. Additionally. we must insist that those homes built in likely flood areas (or on steep slopes) are held to the highest building standards. A recent New York Times story indicated lagging building standards in NC were partly responsible for some of the damage done by our recent tragic storms.
New Hanover County leadership have suggested it’s the role of neighboring counties to accommodate the rocketing population growth in the region. What role should Brunswick County play in accommodating expected regional population growth?
We don’t need a second Myrtle Beach in Brunswick County. But growth in our county and the Cape Fear region is unavoidable, and we should embrace it. The current commissioners — with the blessing of real estate and developer lobbyists — have failed to control abusive development, including clearcutting, fires and the destruction of wetlands and natural habitat. Furthermore, Brunswick County residents are rightfully upset because they have literally paid the price for developer abuses. As a county commissioner, I will support controlled development that balances the will of residents and preserves the natural beauty that has attracted record levels of growth with the needs of the county.
Housing Affordability is top of mind for many voters this election – housing is driving up the cost of living for many North Carolinians. What steps will you take to address the housing crisis and provide more affordable housing?
The average cost for a new home in Brunswick County is well over $400,000 — far too much for today’s young families. I believe we must work with developers to set aside affordable housing in our county. And I believe we must work with the state to increase the minimum wage, which has fallen way behind increases in the cost of living almost 16 years after the last increase was enacted. I will also support Josh Stein’s proposals for no-cost community college for students pursuing careers in growing, high-demand industries, helping make sure young people make their homes in our county and creating a market for affordable housing.
What’s your stance on taxes? When is it appropriate to raise them, and if you’d like to lower them, where do you expect to find cuts?
Approving a budget each year is a county commissioner’s most important responsibility. As we review the list of our needs each year, we should do everything we can to encourage organic revenue growth in the county to keep public coffers full enough to meet legitimate government needs. For example, we don’t want to approve budgets that prevent first responders from protecting the public. But as we all know, the funding requirements for public safety will continue to rise as we grow, and we’re going to have to plan ahead to make sure we have adequate funds to meet that growth.
Traffic is a serious problem in Brunswick County, particularly over the bridge into New Hanover County. What future do you see for public transit in Brunswick County, and will it be tied in with Wave Transit to create a regional network?
I fully support the construction of a new bridge to replace the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, but I will not support a toll to help pay for its construction. Whether Brunswick County can support a public transit system at this time is debatable. But given our county’s projected growth, the day could well arrive when we must consider working with agencies like Wave Transit to expand service into Leland or other highly populated areas of the county. I would support a study to determine when that day will come and how mass transit would work so we can begin to factor the costs of operating mass transit into our budget.