Website: www.simonfornchouse.com

Facebook: Simon for House

Twenty-three years ago, Lowell and his wife, Amy chose to make Moore County the home for their young family. He had just accepted a job in Montgomery County but fell in love with the beauty of Seven Lakes and the schools in Moore County.

Lowell has started, built and operated several small companies in the course of a 30 year career in business. He’s hired hundreds of people, made payroll and made some profit along the way. Lowell was also an educator in Moore County Schools for more than a decade. He taught math and entrepreneurship at Union Pines High School. As an experienced businessman, he saw how important a quality public education is to developing a quality work force. As a teacher, he saw how our students are often denied that education, squeezed into under-funded classrooms and subjected to meaningless standards.

Lowell has served on one of First Health’s Boards for 15 years. As a result, he has a unique perspective on health care. Expanding Medicaid and providing affordable health insurance are two of his top priorities.

Lowell is running to bring a more balanced and data-driven approach to solving the problems we face. The current leadership in the Raleigh
legislature has proven to be self-serving and has failed to represent the people of Moore County. He believes we can do better. He believes that if we put the needs of working people above the needs of lobbyists and millionaires we can bring fairness and prosperity back to all North Carolinians.

Lowell covers many topics in this informal discussion that includes many of the following subjects:

• Constitutional Amendments; Budget process
• Government by the few for the many
• Separation of branches – checks and balances
• No discussion or debate

Amendments

• Tax Cap (7% up from 5.5%) Currently at 11%
• NCGA control of appointments, powers, duties and terms of
  all boards and commissions
• NCGA control of nominations for judge vacancies
• Photo ID: no details as to how to obtain, type required
• A bill which says it helps crime victims but actually makes
  things more difficult
• The right to hunt and fish
• (nothing about education, school safety, health care or jobs)

Education funding

• Teacher raises: still almost 10% less than in 2009-adjusted
  for inflation
• Per pupil spending
• Mental Health care in schools
• Expand early childhood programs
• End voucher programs
• Sales tax/ Property Tax in Moore County

Health care

• Premium escalation/benefit decreases
• Pre-existing conditions
• Medicaid expansion: 600,000 in the gap
• Federal funds at 90% of coverage, 40,000
  good paying jobs
• Opioid crisis; white crime, decriminalize marijuana

Small Business development

• Entrepreneurship
• Veterans businesses (benefit exemption from income tax)
• Business education
• Improve Broadband access in rural parts of the County

And

• People over Party
• Increase minimum wage
• Protect the right to vote
• End gerrymandering
• Reduce incarceration for non-violent crimes
• Ratify the ERA