SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Democratic candidate Deb Butler is seeking reelection to the district 18 House seat.
READ MORE: What to expect when voting in NC during the 2024 election season
The legislator has served New Hanover County constituents since she was first appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper in 2017. Butler has won re-election in 2018, 2020 and 2022 — most recently against challenger John Hinnant. Butler does not have an opponent listed on the ballot; however, there is a spot to fill in a write-in candidate.
Her priorities in Raleigh include properly funding public schools, holding polluters accountable for water, air and land contamination, and strengthening business in North Carolina.
A few items to keep in mind ahead of casting a ballot this year: Absentee ballots are already being mailed and early voting opens mid-October at locations including:
- Carolina Beach Town Hall, 1121 N. Lake Boulevard
- CFCC Downtown Campus, Health Sciences Building, 415 N. Second St.
- Future NHC Board of Elections, 226 Government Dr.
- Northeast Regional Library, David Poynter Room, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd.
- NHC Senior Resource Center, Multipurpose Room, 2222 S. College Rd.
Voters will be able to cast ballots at any of the above places and even register to vote beforehand on Oct. 17-18, Oct. 21-25, Oct. 28-Nov. 1, 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 19-20 and Oct. 26-27, noon – 5 p.m., and Nov. 2, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Election Day is Nov. 5, with polls opening at 6:30 a.m. and closing at 7:30 p.m. All voters will have to go to their precinct to cast a ballot, as shown on their voter registry.
An ID must be presented to cast a ballot in the election. Acceptable forms of ID include NC drivers license or state ID, U.S. passport, college or student university ID, some state employee IDs and out-of-state drivers license or ID, as long as voter registration was done within 90 days of the election. IDs not in good standing can be expired by one year or less.
Port City Daily has compiled candidate questionnaires so voters can read up on contenders’ stances before heading to the polls this election season. All answers have been edited only for clarity; the candidates’ opinions and statements are not a reflection of Port City Daily.
The paywall is dropped on profiles to help voters make informed decisions ahead of the election.
Port City Daily: What would be your first three priorities if elected and are there any bills you would seek to immediately introduce in the 2025 session? Explain the latter if so.
Deb Butler: a) We are not funding our public schools as mandated by our Constitution and a court has already written a very long decision about where and how we have fallen short. Starving the public system is creating a caste system in NC education that is unconscionable. Remember that public education has always been the thing in our society that leveled the playing field. Sadly, Republicans have created a very unlevel playing field for NC’s children. Therefore, priority one must be adequate funding for public schools.
b) When a polluter fouls our air and water, they should be responsible for paying for the clean-up. Other electeds will talk all day about how they have done this or that to fund the clean-up, but I say it has to stop at the source. I have filed and will continue to file polluter pay bills holding the polluters responsible for the expense of getting the toxins out of our water, our soil and our air. Thus far, my efforts have been blocked by the Republican leadership in Raleigh.
c) As a member of the Finance, Commerce and Banking Committees of the NC House, I am always focused on how we can make NC better for business. I am encouraged by the prospect of the Harris economic plan, which would increase the allowable deduction for small businesses start up expenses to $50,000. I would like to investigate the possibility of NC legislation that could enhance this program in the state, thereby making NC more competitive for small business.
PCD: Housing and rental costs in the tri-county region, as well as statewide, have significantly increased in recent years. What policies would you advocate for addressing the state’s affordable housing crisis?
DB: I have supported workforce housing for many years and in fact, years ago when the NC Realtor Foundation struggled to find funding for a project on Carolina Beach Road some years ago, I believed in the project and its leadership, so I personally invested in them to help with the original acquisition. I understand the project is now moving along with additional support from an array of sources and I support these public/private partnerships that create additional housing units where they are needed most.
I think from a policy point of view, probably the best thing we can do is to streamline the permitting process in practical ways. If that means committing more personnel to accommodate these projects, we should do that and we should continue to work with the NC Housing Finance folks to hear what processes, incentives, and other best practices are working well in other jurisdictions and we should use our best efforts to learn from the successes of others.
PCD: Many North Carolina residents cite education among their top concerns for the 2024 election. The National Education Association ranks North Carolina 38th in the nation for teacher pay and the teacher attrition rate increased this year. Do you believe the state’s education funding model is adequate or would you advocate for changes — what, if so? What is your position on public vs. private school voucher spending?
DB: Our current funding model is woefully flawed. I do not support taxpayer-funded vouchers that allow wealthy people to send their children to private schools on the taxpayer dime. That is wrong. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being siphoned off public education every year to the point where our public system is in desperate need.
We struggle to maintain teachers and we have an immediate 8-billion-dollar need for new schools. Our teachers are being expected to do Herculean work without the resources they desperately need. The architects of this education voucher scheme will tell you that parents are clamoring for these vouchers and that there is a waiting list. The truth is there is only a waiting list in the Tier 3 and Tier 4 segments of the program — you guessed it, the wealthy folks.
Listen, if you want to send you children to private school, I think that is fine, but the taxpayers should not be paying for that choice. Instead, we should be more focused on creating a stellar system for all children.
PCD: Recent severe flooding from storms statewide, from Brunswick to Buncombe counties, have left devastation in its path, including demolished infrastructure. The National Weather Service anticipates major regional storms to increase in coming years. What policies would you advocate for to increase long-term resiliency?
DB: The devastation we see in western North Carolina has jarred us all to our core. And in the short weeks before that catastrophic event, Carolina Beach and the Brunswick beaches suffered a likewise terrible flooding event.
Climate change deniers have got to stop with their nonsense. These intense weather events are happening and to deny it is negligent. It is malpractice and it should be a disqualifier for anyone seeking elected office. I’ve seen it at work in Raleigh for far too long: rolling back regulations that protect wetlands, reducing buffer areas, allowing more and more impervious surfaces, less stringent building codes and even removing arhitects from the Building Council.
The fact is, we are going to have to reimagine how and where we build moving forward. Some areas that we all romanticize from our childhoods are probably no longer safe to build upon and while it breaks our hearts, it is a reality. We cannot allow those whose sole objective is to maximize profits to drive this discourse. The costs in dollars and more importantly in lives is far and away too great.
PCD: The North Carolina Department of Transportation is seeking public input to determine future funding sources as the motor fuels tax — which provides almost half of the agency’s state revenues — becomes a less reliable means of covering infrastructure projects. Do you advocate for any alternative funding sources or spending priorities for the NCDOT — what, if so?
DB: As cars have gotten more efficient and electric vehicles have become more prevalent, it is true that the gas tax revenues have declined. As an electric car owner, I realize that I must share in the expense of road maintenance because I likewise use the roads. I have been reading about the approach they are exploring in Oregon and I am anxious to see if the formula they propose is appropriate for NC. It is likely that some sort of “usage” formula is a more fair way to allocate this responsibility we all share.
As for spending priorities, I believe we should recommit to the scoring model as the appropriate way to distribute our resources. If the scoring model needs adjustments, then we should so adjust, but the process should remain fully data driven rather than projects getting funding because they are in a district where someone of influence makes it happen. That is unfair
PCD: The General Assembly has taken several measures to limit authority of municipalities — as seen in variance ordinances including tree regulation, impact fees, and some zoning policies — and the executive branch, for example in appointment powers (i.e. Coastal Resources Commission, Wildlife Commission, Building Code Council and Residential Code Council). What is your philosophy on the balance between the General Assembly’s powers and the executive branch, along with municipalities’ powers? Would you advocate for any reevaluations of authoritative powers on a specific issue?
DB: Checks and balances in government are essential. During my tenure at the legislature, I have watched as the GOP leadership has eroded this much-needed balance in favor of a centralized and all powerful legislature. The governor’s role has been diminished and the court’s authority ignored in certain contexts. It seems that the preservation of our institutions has taken a back seat to holding on to power and control.
I can’t overstate how dangerous that is and how short-sighted. It’s also hypocritical because for years these same people have talked about how local government and small government is to be preferred, and yet now that they don’t care for certain local decisions, they have stripped municipalities of certain authority. I favor a return to a fair and balanced delegation of responsibilities and authorities to be shared between all duly elected and appointed officials.
PCD: The NC Budget and Tax Center argues North Carolina has a regressive tax code by requiring low-income residents to pay a higher portion of their income in state taxes than the most high-income residents. What is your view on this assessment and would you advocate any changes to state tax policy?
DB: Regressive taxes disproportionately affect lower income people. That is why when we lower the NC income taxes (which are based on income), and fill the gap with fees for services — think DMV fees, register of deeds, licenses, other agency fees — it is lower income folks who wind up paying proportionately more for those services as compared to their income. We should have reasonable income taxes based on income with corporations paying a fair share and that way we could keep the fees required for certain services at a minimum.
PCD: North Carolina is recognized as the nation’s second best state for business by CNBC, but is ranked as the worst state for workers by Oxfam. Are there any policies you would advocate to balance and improve the state’s conditions for business and labor?
DB: I support the worker’s right to collectively bargain. It is patently unfair that in a “right to work” state — rather a misnomer in my opinion, that a person can be fired for practically any reason or no reason at all. It is clear to me that workers in NC deserve more protections in the workplace.
PCD: PFAS and 1,4-dioxane contamination in the tri-county region has been a major concern for residents in recent years. Local utilities have expressed issues over filtering substances that unfairly burdens ratepayers and dischargers. Would you advocate legislation to require dischargers to limit releases of the substances and pay for remediation? Explain.
DB: Please see my prior answer where I speak of polluter pay bills that I have filed on several occasions. We must work to strengthen our discharge permit process, but in the end, if you pollute public trust resources, it should be your responsibility to pay for the clean-up.
PCD: A North Carolina law, SB 20, shifted the legal timeframe for most abortions from 20 weeks to 12 weeks. Organizations including the North Carolina Medical Society, the NC Academy of Family Physicians, and the NC Obstetrical and Gynecological Society oppose the law, arguing it will increase maternal mortality risk and limit safe care. Do you share these concerns and advocate for changes to North Carolina’s abortion laws? Explain.
DB: I am terrified that we are risking the lives of women with our draconian approach. I believe the provisions of Roe should be codified nationally so that women and their physicians make the difficult decisions about maternal and fetal health. I support women’s decisions on this issue.
PCD: Duke law professors Ryke Longest and Amanda Martin have raised concerns that North Carolina has inadequate ethics and conflict-of-interest oversight for public officials. Do you agree with their assessment and would you take any actions or advocate any policies to address this issue? And do you believe the state’s campaign finance, lobbying, and financial disclosure laws should be amended in any way?
DB: I believe in Sunshine laws that would require elected officials to produce records upon proper request for same and I would support any rules or legislation that would require deeper disclosure concerning conflicts of interest. The public needs to be able to have confidence that their elected officials are working in the best interest of the people, not themselves.
PCD: A 2023 budget provision gave lawmakers authority to ignore public records requests and destroy public documents they deem not public records. A diverse coalition including the John Locke Foundation and the NC Press Association sent a public letter to the General Assembly requesting lawmakers rescind the provision because it “undermines the principles of transparency” the state’s public records law was designed to protect. Do you have a response to their concerns and would you advocate for changes to increase transparency in the state government? How?
DB: Yes, I absolutely would support Sunshine laws that provide transparency of public records.
PCD: A separate 2023 budget provision expanded the powers of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Operations, also known as “Gov Ops.” Critics have raised concerns over the committee’s powers, including the authority to carry out warrantless search and seizure of documents from any entity receiving public funds engaging in possible acts of malfeasance. Would you advocate any changes to the committee’s authority and oversight?
DB: This is a scary provision in my mind because it purports to take away any due process rights that individuals or organizations may or may not have. It comes back once again to the effort to centralize power and ignore the authority of the courts. If we know one thing from history, it is that absolute power corrupts absolutely. I’ve yet to hear a sound argument for why this provision is necessary. If there is a concern that an organization is not spending taxpayer dollars in the correct manner, we have law enforcement agencies, the SBI, the courts, and the revenue officers who are far better equipped to investigate such issues.
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