PENDER COUNTY — Bob Muller, the man replacing former State Representative Chris Millis in the North Carolina House of Representatives for Pender and Onslow County, met with Pender County leaders and residents Monday evening. The Pender County Board of Commissioners welcomed Muller to introduce himself and share his goals as representative.
Muller was sworn into office on Oct. 4 after Millis resigned, halfway into his third term. Muller said he hopes to keep the state heading in the right direction fiscally. According to the North Carolina General Assembly’s website, Muller served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956 and is retired from IBM.
Muller said his agenda while he is in Raleigh is, “To keep the economy and things going in North Carolina as they have been going. As you know two years ago we were $2 billion in debt to the federal government … and now in our latest budget we’ve put in a $2 billion rainy day fund, so that is about a $4 billion swing.”
Unemployment has also gotten better in the state and is currently at 4.1 percent, the lowest it has been in 17 years, Muller said.
Muller admitted that everything is not always perfect and he addressed some of the negative issues facing the state and his district.
“We all know the problem with GenX, we’re trying to get our arms around that. Representative Ted Davis from Wilmington chairs a committee called the Select Committee for River Equality … I told him, ‘Ted I would like to get on that committee.’ I received a letter last Friday from the Speaker of the House saying I am now a member of the Select Committee for River Equality,” Muller said.
Muller has also been focusing on the opioid epidemic and met with Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo last week, as well as Wilmington Police Chief Ralph Evangelous, to discuss the problem further.
Residents who would like to contact Muller can email him, or call 910-270-3840, Muller’s office is located in Raleigh, and he keeps a post office box in Hampstead.
Michael Praats can be reached at Michael.p@localvoicemedia.com
