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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT
During the 2016 election season, WHQR will bring you profiles of the candidates running in New Hanover County for: New Hanover County Board of CommissionersNew Hanover County Board of Education The primary elections will be held on Tuesday, March 15th. As a reminder, voters will need to bring photo identification to the polls. You can read more about voting in North Carolina here, and you can check your voter status and voter precinct here.This fall, look for WHQR's coverage of the general election. We will bring you the 2016 Candidate Forums.

Candidate Profile 2016: Beth Dawson (R) for New Hanover County Commission

Beth Dawson
Chair Beth Dawson

During the upcoming primary election, voters will select three candidates for New Hanover County Board of Commissioners on the Republican ticket.  Beth Dawson, the current Chair, is vying for one of those spots, and she’s up against six challengers.  Dawson believes in emphasizing regional economic development to bring jobs to New Hanover County.  

Beth Dawson says the Board of Commissioners needs to continue partnering with Wilmington to encourage and support businesses looking to not only come to the area, but stay and grow here as well:

“We have offered economic development grants over the past several years for investment in our community that will result in over 218 million dollars in private sector capital investment in our community, and when those jobs come online and those goals are met by those businesses that are coming here or expanding here, we are looking at over 1500 jobs just in the last couple of years.”

Dawson says companies like AAIPharma, Castle Branch, PPD, and Live Oak Bank are able to create new jobs because of the support of New Hanover County. 

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160224DAWSON--2WAY.mp3
Listen to the interview here.

Q&A 

Isabelle Shepherd: So how would you work with the school board to increase the quality of education in New Hanover County?

Beth Dawson: We do fund over 600 additional positions in the New Hanover County school system and help to supplement our teachers’ salaries by 8%.  We have a very good working relationship with our Board of Education.  We continue to work with our school board on issues that are important to increase per student funding.  You know, my priority has always been, if you have a good education system, you’re going to be able to attract and recruit business and offer career pathways and job opportunities for our students.  One of the most important things to me is making sure those funds go into the classroom.  I have said over and over, we need to make sure we move technology into the classroom and we move the classrooms out of the hallways and give the teachers the tools they need to teach for success in the classroom.

IS: How do you balance fiscal responsibility with improvements to infrastructure, schools, etc.?  

BD: As I said in my State of the County address, the fiscal health of New Hanover County is strong.  We have a Triple A bond rating.  We’re able to get good interest rates on our bond debt, and we do have a debt policy that we are very cautious about what we are able to borrow.  We make sure that our revenues are there to take care of our bills and to take care of the services that the citizens want and need.  So yes, New Hanover County is strong. 

IS: In recent months, there’s been a fair amount of tension between Board members.  If elected, how would you balance party allegiance with cooperation with the larger Board for the overall benefit of the county?

BD: I believe the citizens of New Hanover County have seen by now, in my three, over three years of service, I have a very transparent and clear voting record, voting for issues that are important to the citizens of New Hanover County.  I have always committed to looking at all sides of every issue, doing my homework, and meeting with stakeholders in the community to ensure that I make the best decision on behalf of the over two hundred and eighteen thousand citizens that I represent.  The issues that come before the Board of Commissioners—things like infrastructure needs, water and sewer, education, public safety, economic development—those are not partisan issues.  There are five commissioners that are elected by the people to get things done, and it’s a shame that in national politics, you hear so much tension.  There’s no place for that in local politics.  Of course I have maintained my conservative values, but when it comes to serving on the local level, making decisions in the best interest of this community is what I have been committed to do and what I will continue to do. 

IS: Thanks you so much for coming in today.

BD: Thank you for having me.