Jack knows that we need to get past politics as usual, and that forward progress comes about when we have honest discussion of difficult issues. It’s not enough to take “yes or no” positions on issues; we need creative ideas that will bring about real change. 

Jack has begun releasing proposals for some of the thorniest issues facing Wake County and North Carolina. We are publishing them here to start a conversation. Feel free to email your thoughts to jacknichols2010@gmail.com. As your County Commisioner, Jack will listen and will work toward solutions that make sense. 

Click a link to go directly to a policy proposal:

Jack's Economic Empowerment Agenda

Jack's Plan to end structural conflict between School Board and the County Commission

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AGENDA: Helping Working Families Break the Cycle of Poverty

We have a moral obligation to make it possible for the working poor to support their families. While the minimum wage did increase again in July, 2008 and July, 2009, further steps should be taken to have government and business support economic growth and stability for families. As we face economic uncertainty, we must also ensure that small businesses remain competitive and able to provide good pay and benefits to all workers. 

To break the cycle of poverty, we must use a combination of programs so that all workers can earn a living wage. We need to work to:

• Expand funding for Smart Start and child day care assistance so that parents can go to work while their children receive quality child care
• Expand the tax credits small employers receive for offering health insurance to their employees
• Eliminate the Unemployment Insurance waiting period
• Expand the new Earned Income Tax Credit at the State level, sponsored by Senators Dan Clodfelter, Janet Cowell and others. This program returns tax money to low-income workers with children and at the federal level has brought millions of families out of poverty

All people who work full time should be able to support a family. While 2.5% of all hourly workers were paid at the minimum wage or less, over 900,000 North Carolinians have income low enough that they are receiving Food Stamps. State unemployment is five percent and climbing. Because Smart Start is not fully funded, only half of the children on the waiting list can receive child care assistance; those families cannot go to work without child care. Because one out of six North Carolinians do not have health insurance, they must rely on Medicaid rather than health insurance from their employer.

Increasingly, businesses are not able to pay the high cost of health insurance for their employees and, each year fewer employers have employer-sponsored health care insurance. The result is an extraordinary financial burden on low wage workers and causes an over-reliance on emergency care. We cannot wait on the Federal Government. By supporting small business health insurance coverage, we can increase preventative care, reduce insurance costs, and promote worker health. 

Nine years was too long a delay for a minimum wage increase. If the Federal Government does not continue to increase it, I will support future increases in the State minimum wage. It must be done with consideration to current economic conditions so as not to have unintended consequences.

The minimum wage is an important component of economic empowerment, but we must take a more comprehensive approach to helping workers break out of the cycle of poverty. This Agenda is a good place to start. 

PLAN TO END THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION

Jack Calls for the School Board and County Commission to be elected by the same Districts at the same time.

Citing the contentious relationship that often exists between the Wake County School Board and County Commission, County Commisioner Candidate Jack Nichols today proposed sweeping reform in how both Boards are comprised and elected.

Nichols would:

• Move all Wake County government elections to odd years – gives local issues the attention they need, and increases participation in all local elections.
• Make all local elections non-partisan – developing solutions to the challenges facing local government are not well-suited to partisan ideological divisions.

After the above principles are embraced, consideration should be given to:

• Adopting a municipal model for County Government – utilizing primarily District elections with some limited at-large representation to ensure all areas of Wake County are represented individually and as a whole.
• Having identical composition of both Boards – running in the same districts at the same time will favor honest debate over political gamesmanship.

“The friction that has existed between the County Commission and the School Board has often been more about politics than what is best for our children,” Nichols said. “This proposal will increase citizen participation, and provide an incentive to both Boards to communicate more and work together.”

Nichols pointed out that Wake County is now bigger than a Congressional District, and that recent proposals to elect all of the School Board at large would discourage regular citizens from getting involved, and put more power in the hands of special interests. “That would make running for the School Board cost prohibitive for many qualified individuals who would serve us well,” Nichols said. 

Nichols also noted that moving School Board elections to even years would put them at the bottom of an already long ballot when voters are paying more attention to national and state issues. Nichols said, “Local government is that closest to the people and has the most impact on our daily lives. When it comes to issues like our schools and how we plan for growth, it makes sense to have these elections in off years, where they can get the attention they need and deserve.”

Proposal:

• Make number of Board members identical on each Board, with members predominantly elected from districts and some at-large representation. 
• Make the Districts the same for each Board.
• Elect School Board and County Commissioners at the same time in off year elections with staggered terms.

Reasons:

• Increases participation and citizen involvement.
• Any reform must include both Boards.
• Provides incentive to both Boards to communicate and work together more.
• Puts education and local government at the top of the ticket where they get the attention they deserve and need as opposed to burying these issues at the bottom of the ticket when citizens are paying more attention to national and state issues.
• Reduces the impact of special interest money.