SALISBURY— To coincide with the first day of in-person voting for the 2024 primary election, State Senator Carl Ford of the 33rd District, State Representative Julia Howard of the 77th District, State Rep. Harry Warren of the 76th District and State Rep. Kevin Crutchfield of the 83rd District spoke at the Rowan Chamber of Commerce’s Power in Partnership breakfast on Feb. 15 at Trinity Oaks. 

Crutchfield had to leave early and was not available to answer questions from chamber members.

The state legislature is currently in the interim between the long session that ended back in July and the short session that begins in April. However, Warren said he and his colleagues are still active in serving North Carolina, with 33 joint committees having been drawn up during the interim period.

“This is an exciting time to represent Rowan County and to have the responsibility of most of it because this is such a great time that we’ve finally been discovered,” Warren said. “There’s a lot of change going on and a lot of needs that need to be addressed, everything from infrastructure to education to health care and we’re working on those.” 

Spencer Mayor Jonathan Williams and East Spencer Mayor Barbara Mallett requested updates on “priority projects” in the northern part of Rowan County, where things stand with funding, and how to bring these types of undertakings to the forefront of policy. 

“I look at East Spencer as being right at the cusp of dynamic growth up there, but to facilitate that growth, we’ve got to have that McCanless Road interchange. All of us have been working on trying to get the funding for that to the extent we can influence that funding,” Warren said. 

“Don’t underestimate your local MPO and what they can do,” Ford said. “They can really help move things up the line and up the list as much, or more, as we can.”

Howard said the legislature cut personal income taxes as well as put money into schools and infrastructure last year so that the state’s long term viability can improve even more.

“If we do not have water and sewer lines that can carry the product to a new industry, that industry is not going to come,” Howard said. 

February is Black History Month and the panel was asked directly how the state is observing “the accomplishments of Black Americans” and how they can rectify the injustices caused by discrimination. Ford brought up a memorial for African-Americans that was established near the governor’s mansion and legislative building and that Rowan County has been a leader in evolving with the times. 

“I think there’s always room for improvement, but I think we, especially in this county and in this area, have made great strides towards mending fences, getting along, and doing things differently and doing things better,” Ford said.

When the subject of increasing the number of educated workers within the state was mentioned, Warren was quick to say teachers, and specifically community colleges, are essential to reaching that goal. 

“I’m a big supporter of community colleges. I think the 58 community colleges we have in this state are the jewel in our crown and I think they’re under funded, I think they’re under recognized, and under appreciated in lieu of the concentration that’s put on K-12 funding,” Warren said. “We’re concentrating very much on compensation packages which include benefits and everything else for teachers. It’s critical that we focus on education.”

In order to get these programs and proposals to the finish line, Howards reassured the chamber that the state legislature relies on each other to make it happen.

“We absolutely work together. If Carl has a project that he needs to have funding on the Senate side, then Harry and I and Mr. Crutchfield, we all come together to make that work,” Howard said.