North Carolina Dems launch 2018 legislative agenda
By Yasmine Regester / May 17, 2018
N.C. State Senator Gladys A. Robinson and State Rep. Amos Quick discuss the Democratic legislative agenda during a press conference on the campus of North CArolina A&T State University.
“This is what we, as the collective of Democrat folks are setting up as upcoming priorities,” said Robinson.
Sen. Robinson and Rep. Quick discussed the overall platform as well as Democrats’ promise to create a better educated North Carolina with stronger, safer schools with more support staff, an increase in teacher pay and an expansion of early education opportunities for younger students.
“Democrats from the house and senate have formulated an agenda that includes paying our teachers at the national average, providing schools with necessary resources, modernizing our schools, and also eliminating any pre-K waiting lists, because we believe that early childhood education is vital to future students’ success,” said Quick.
In addition to discussing the legislative agenda topics, Robinson and Quick talked about the Democratic Party’s fall election platform called, “Our Carolina Promise” which addresses job creation, access to affordable healthcare, achieves fairness in the political process by protecting the right to vote, opposing all forms of voter suppression, passing nonpartisan redistricting to end gerrymandering and keeping the judiciary fair and independent.
The platform pledges to bring back the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, which provided tax rebates to families with children. It also promises to rebuild the state’s infrastructure and increase access to high quality broadband internet for rural parts of the state.
The platform also promotes tougher gun laws including background checks, expansion of Medicaid, and more resources to fight the opioid crisis.
“We don’t want to just be against the Republicans. We want to give North Carolina voters something to support. We don’t want to just be a party of opposition. We want to be a party of progress,” said Quick.
The Greensboro press conference served as one of six events N.C. Democrats held across the state to launch the unified agenda and priorities. Democrats have been in the minority in the NC General Assembly since 2011, but after the May 8 primary elections, party members say they are encouraged they may gain more seats in the State Senate and House this year.
“The agenda is a commitment to what’s possible with more Democrats in office and a pledge to our Democratic values,” said N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper in a video supporting the agenda.
