Incumbent District 3 Commissioner George Dunlap is facing a primary challenge from Phil Carey. There is no Republican running.
Phil Carey (D)
What is your occupation? Property Management Owner
What is the top issue and how do you plan to address it? The overarching issue facing the County is managing the budget. Challenges regarding equity, affordability, public health, our parks, transportation, and debt, among other items, creates a huge challenge. Managing the budget and maximizing every dollar spent is the top priority. There is nothing simple about the budgetary process and the needs are great within one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. Issues like affordability, crime, and other areas, are always at the forefront of our financial decisions. They have a long reaching impact that should always weigh heavily on the minds and hearts of the County Commissioners. Balancing this with making every effort to keep the tax rate low, while also keeping it in line with growth needs, will always be the most difficult issue the Commissioners face. The major financial decisions made over the next decade will impact the County and its citizens for generations.
Are you in favor of raising property taxes? I’m never ‘in favor’ of having my property taxes raised. With that said, the needs in our high growth County are great and the State of North Carolina isn’t helping by not fully funding their responsibilities to the County. Trying to balance our fiscal needs, given the state funding deficit, while also managing our rate, is a tough balancing act. We must start by setting our priorities. In large part, these priorities are formed by communication with the citizens, via a survey, individual communication, or in group forums. This information helps drive the prioritization for needs and provides the confidence to know that the taxpayer money is being utilized in the areas most critical to the long term success of the County. Diligence must always be used when looking at every dime that is spent and I look forward to using my background in financing, accounting and business to increase the level of confidence that that is the case.
What should Mecklenburg County do about the stalled Brooklyn Village project? It is incredibly frustrating to see the consistent ongoing delays over the past decade with this project. I believe that the mixed use and mixed income vision for this location is exactly what is needed. However, the only option that Mecklenburg County has, at this point, is to trust the advice of the County attorney. That is the advice I would follow. The County attorney best understands the nuances of the contractual agreement for this development. We’ll see if there is progress this Summer. If no progress, I’m sure there are legal clauses in the contract that will dictate the County attorney’s next suggested moves. It seems pretty clear that this issue is coming to a head and this Summer we could possibly see movement one way or another. The vision is great and I look forward to the development coming to fruition through the current agreement or through a new agreement. However, as a County Commissioner, it is imperative to listen to the legal leadership of the County attorney. That is what we’re seeing right now.
What separates you from your opponent(s)? Outside of my finance and accounting background, my interest in serving the people who actually live in District 3 is a big difference. My vision is to get the constituents of District 3 reengaged in the process by consistently meeting them in their communities. I have lived in this district for 8 years and have never seen the current Commissioner at a meeting organized by district residents regarding an issue important to them. I intend to change that trend. The citizens desperately want to be seen and heard. It’s why things like the recent I77 meeting become unproductive and hostile. Elected officials have lost their way and have forgotten about the communities that they are supposed to serve. In the case of my district, this holds true and I will make sure I am involved in the communities of District 3 on a regular basis.
George Dunlap (D)
What is your occupation? Elected official
What is the top issue and how do you plan to address it? It is difficult to say what the top issue is because nine people, collectively, make that decision. If it were my decision alone, I would say that affordable housing is the most important issue. Mecklenburg County is an attractive place to live, work and recreate, and people are moving to our region from all over the country at a rate of more than 150 people per day. Currently, our community has a deficit of more than 20,000 affordable housing units and the situation will potentially get worse. If we are to accommodate the growth that our community is experiencing, our community must have housing that accommodates people with varied levels of income.
Are you in favor of raising property taxes? I believe that it is time to start tightening our belt even more and take a hard look at our budget. Raising property taxes could put a tremendous strain on some of our citizens and should only be considered as a last possible option to meet the needs of our community. Raising property taxes is an issue that I don’t take lightly, however, When the community votes and agrees that we should, we raise property taxes; as we did when we voted to build new schools and renovate others. That decision came with a 2 cents tax increase that has not fully taken affect.
What should Mecklenburg County do about the stalled Brooklyn Village project? Because the Brooklyn Village project could potentially lead to litigation, I am not at liberty to speak about it. Doing so could potentially put the tax payers on the hook for a payout.
What separates you from your opponent(s)? I have served 18 years as a Mecklenburg County Commissioner and before that, 13 years as a member of the CMS Board of Education. My BOCC colleagues elected me to chair the Board 6 of those 18 years. In addition, I have received the support of county commissioners across the United States to serve as President-Elect of the National Association of County Officials (NACo). From these experiences, I understand how government works, how to set the agenda, and how to engage fellow board members, staff and other relevant stakeholders to move it forward. In addition, my former experiences as a US Marine and CMPD police officer as well as my educational experiences e.g., a Master’s Degree from UNC-Charlotte in Public Administration, a BS degree in Criminal Justice from the same institution, two associate degrees from CPCC, have prepared me to lead. These experiences have enabled me to significantly enhance my leadership skills, such as active listening, public speaking, analytical and critical thinking, problem solving, strategic planning, etc. If re-elected, I am ready on day one to build on the board’s many accomplishments and address the important work ahead.
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