This month, WHQR joined Port City Daily, WECT, and UNCW’s The Seahawk to hold candidates forums for local, state, and congressional candidates representing the Cape Fear region.
On today’s show, our forum for candidates running for the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners. In District One, that’s Republican incumbent Randy Thompson and Democratic challenger Gary Woods. In District Two, an open seat, Republican Patti Hewett is running against Democrat Sara Singer. Both Republican candidates declined our forum invitation, which we initially sent out in late July, though both Republicans did fill out our candidate questionnaires, so you can find some of their policy positions there. Thompson said he was attending an emergency management conference; Hewitt did not provide a reason. Both Woods and Singer attended, so we hosted the forum with them.
Our emcee for the night was the venerable Jon Evans from WECT. Questions were asked by Emily Sawaked for Port City Daily and Aaleah McConnell for WHQR.
This forum was recorded live at the Leland Town Center on Wednesday, October 14. This online and podcast version has only been edited for audio quality.
And just a quick note: this year’s lighting round, where we have candidates answer yes-or-no questions with a show of hands, doesn’t always translate to radio or podcasts, so we’ve included both the full video along with a tally of how candidates responded.
Below: Responses from Woods and Singer to our lightning round questions.
Do you support the constitutional amendment to lower the maximum income-tax rate from 7% to 3.5%?
No:both
Do you support the constitutional amendment allowing the General
Assembly to enact laws to limit increases on local property-tax rates?
No: Both
Do you support the per-pupil allotment formula as dictated by the state legislature?
No: Both
Do you support the Brunswick County Schools bond?
Yes: Both
Do you support placing restrictions on future data center projects?
Yes: Both
Do you support canceling the Flock contract and commissioner-approved funding for it in Brunswick County?
Yes: Both
Do you support a toll for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement?
No: Both
