State Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, is running for re-election to the N.C. Senate, though his district lines have shifted some.
Rabon, a Southport veterinarian, previously represented Brunswick, Columbus and Pender counties in his first term in the Senate. Now, Senate District 8 encompasses Brunswick, Bladen and Pender counties, along with a sliver of downtown Wilmington.
Danny Hefner, a Democrat from Ocean Isle Beach, is challenging Rabon for the Senate District 8 seat.
“I’m a former active-duty U.S. Marine officer, an engineer, a therapeutic foster parent. I am also a truck driver. I have been both a company driver and an owner-operator. I have put in close to 1 million miles on Americas highways. I am on the board of directors for the N.O.T.T.T. Foundation,” Hefner said as he introduced himself to the audience at Wednesday’s Alliance of Brunswick County Property Owners Associations (ABCPOA) candidates’ forum.
Hefner said he has received endorsements from several workers’ groups.
“I would also like to bring back technical and vocational training to our high schools,” Hefner said.
Rabon, who was appointed to several committees during his first term, including co-chairing the transportation committee, said, “I’ve enjoyed serving you the past two years, and I’d like to continue to do so.”
“I think we need a more competitive tax structure in this state—decreasing or eliminating corporate taxes and personal income taxes—and reducing excessive regulations, 1,500 of which I was successful in eliminating. These regulations are crippling our daily lives in small business and our personal lives. We need more K-12 spending and more support for our community colleges,” Rabon said.
Rabon said he’d like to tap into more of North Carolina’s natural resources.
On the issue of homeowners’ insurance rates, which, for coastal homeowners’ policies, were recommended for a 30-percent hike, Rabon said he’d like to see those increases capped.
“I’d like that method put all the way across the state, not just the 20 coastal counties. Let’s look at the whole state,” Rabon said.
Hefner said he’d like to see is a survey on statistical data statewide.
On roads, Hefner said the state’s interstate system was built to 1950s and 1960s code, which cannot sustain the large trucks that use the roads.
“Let’s bring highways in North Carolina up to 21st century standards. We do need to quit raiding the highway trust fund. It was specifically stated that close to $300 million was taken from the highway trust fund and transferred to the general fund,” Hefner said.
Rabon, too, voiced concern about the highway trust fund.
“The first thing I would address is to stop the cannibalizing of the highway fund and the highway trust fund into the general fund,” Rabon said.
The $300 million transferred from the highway trust fund to the state’s general fund equals about 6 cents of the gas tax, Rabon said.
“When we tell people money will be used for transportation, it will be used for transportation and nothing else,” Rabon said.
Beach renourishment and inlet dredging are “a double-sided sword,” Rabon said.
“One thing we have discussed is inlet dredging should be part of the state’s transportation budget. We can take that sand and put it on the beaches. The beaches are the shining star of the state. They’re for everyone; not just for the beach communities,” Rabon said.
Hefner agreed beach renourishment and inlet dredging should be state issue, not a federal issue as it is today.
“The funding should come from a the statewide fund,” Hefner said, adding he supported terminal groins to ease beach erosion.
Reach Caroline Curran at (910) 772-6336 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @cgcurran.
