Chris Bishopp

Questionnaire from The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus

Note: The responses below from the candidate have not been edited. 

Please provide demographic information about yourself to help voters (age, education, current occupation, where you live).

I am 65, I have a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science From The University of North Carolina and a Masters Degree in Public Administration From Georgia College, I am retired and live in Harrisburg

Why are you running for this role and why should voters pick you? Please share any experience in an elected role that would be relevant to voters.

I am running because Cabarrus County needs a representative who will focus on results instead of partisan fights. As a Navy veteran and longtime air traffic controller, I spent my career making decisions with real consequences, working with people from different backgrounds, and putting public safety first. That is the same approach I would bring to the General Assembly.

Cabarrus County's growth has created tremendous opportunity, but it has also put pressure on family budgets, schools, roads, housing, and local services. I will work with both parties and with our county and municipal leaders to lower costs, strengthen public schools and workforce programs, support safe neighborhoods, and make sure Raleigh is a dependable partner in managing growth. Voters should choose me because I will listen, do the homework, and put Cabarrus County ahead of party or special interests.

Tell us about 2-3 professional accomplishments you have achieved in your work experience (not limited to public service) that give voters a sense of your leadership style or skills.

As a young Lieutenant in the US Navy, I was the mission commander on an operation to find and track a Russian submarine in the Mediterranean Sea. Operating with our S-3 Viking aircraft, an H-3 helicopter and one Navy destroyer at my disposal, we accomplished the mission and tracked the submarine for several hours despite their best efforts to elude us. My crew and I received recognition as the crew of the quarter for that operation.

When I became a first-time supervisor of approximately 60 air traffic controllers, I became one of 5 supervisors in the group, I took the initiative to personally address the status of recurrent training which was severely behind and within months the area was fully up to speed. No longer out of compliance. In my second year as a supervisor I was rated by my direct manager as the top supervisor in the area even though I had the least experience.

What is one thing you would like to accomplish in the first six months if elected?

My first education priority would be to rewrite the Opportunity Scholarship program so that public dollars carry meaningful public accountability and assistance is targeted first to families who need it most. North Carolina has authorized $675 million for the program in the 2026-27 fiscal year. At the same time, Cabarrus County's two public school systems serve more than 35,000 students and face more than $1 billion in facility needs over the next decade.

I respect a parent's right to choose the school that works for their child. Taxpayers should also be able to see how public money is spent and whether participating schools are delivering results. I would support transparent academic and financial reporting, restore income-based priority, and direct any resulting savings to teacher pay, classroom support, and career and technical education. The goal is to preserve meaningful choice while keeping the public schools that educate most Cabarrus County children strong.

Cabarrus County’s economy depends on a strong and available workforce, yet employers continue to face challenges related to child care access, education pipelines, and labor shortages. How would you use your role in the General Assembly to support workforce participation and long-term economic competitiveness in our region?

Cabarrus County already has strong building blocks, including career and technical education in our public schools, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute, Student TRACK, and employers that are investing in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, health care, construction, and skilled trades. The state's job is to help those partners work together at a larger scale.

I would protect and expand customized training at Rowan-Cabarrus, increase apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, and strengthen dual-enrollment and credential programs tied to the jobs local employers need to fill. I would also treat child care as workforce infrastructure. That means reimbursement rates that reflect the cost of providing care, broader eligibility for working families, and a state tax credit for employers that help create or subsidize child care. These investments would help parents return to work, give employers a dependable talent pipeline, and allow Cabarrus residents to train for good jobs without leaving the community.

As Cabarrus County grows, continued investment in transportation, water and wastewater systems, and technology infrastructure is critical. What priorities would guide your approach to state infrastructure funding, and how should the state partner with local governments to support growth?

Cabarrus County added nearly 21,000 residents between 2020 and 2024, and the county projects growth of roughly another 10 percent over the next several years. State infrastructure decisions must keep pace with that reality. My priorities would be projects that relieve existing bottlenecks, protect essential capacity, support job growth, and improve safety.

That includes moving the N.C. 73 widening forward. The section from Poplar Tent Road to U.S. 29 still has more than $250 million in unfunded right-of-way and construction costs. It also means supporting future Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County capacity beyond the expansion now underway, maintaining strong connections to I-85, U.S. 29, and N.C. 49, and recognizing Concord-Padgett Regional Airport as an important economic asset.

The state should provide predictable, multi-year funding and let local governments help set priorities. It should also give fast-growing counties voter-accountable tools to finance growth-related infrastructure so current residents and existing businesses do not bear the entire cost of new development.

State policies often have direct impacts on local governments and school systems. How would you approach legislation that places new responsibilities on local entities, particularly when those responsibilities are not accompanied by recurring funding?

The state legislature cannot continue to impose unfunded mandates on local governments. At the same time the GOP has managed to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to cap property taxes. This is the main source of revenue for localities. Schools, fire departments, libraries, public safety and infrastructure cost money.

Without sufficient funding, services will have to be cut or other taxes, i.e. sales tax will have to increase to make up the deficit. It is packaged as saving homeowners money when the biggest beneficiaries are the large corporations who also benefit from a corporate income tax slated to go to zero percent. NC does not need a zero percent corporate income tax to be competitive. It is foolish and short sighted. The proposed income tax cap is another big gift to the billionaires. When economic times take a more serious downturn these decisions will come back to haunt us.

State regulations shape the business environment for employers large and small. How would you evaluate whether regulations are achieving their intended purpose without creating unnecessary costs or barriers for businesses?

A good regulation should address a clearly defined problem, produce a measurable public benefit, and use the least burdensome effective approach. I would ask whether the benefit justifies the compliance cost, whether a simpler alternative could achieve the same result, and whether the rule is clear and consistently enforced. Small businesses deserve particular attention because a fixed compliance cost can affect them far more than a large corporation.

I would also support regular review of major regulations, with outdated or duplicative rules revised or repealed. Businesses need predictable timelines and one clear process for permits and compliance. At the same time, efficient regulation cannot mean ignoring worker safety, public health, consumer protection, or clean air and water. The goal is a system that protects the public, gives businesses certainty, and removes requirements that no longer serve a useful purpose.

Over the next several years, what state-level policy decisions do you believe will most influence Cabarrus County’s ability to grow, attract investment, and maintain a high quality of life?

North Carolina is last in public education funding as a percentage of GDP. We must do better. Education and workforce development are the gateway to economic opportunity. We need sustained investment in public schools, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, apprenticeships, and child care so employers can find workers and residents can qualify for good jobs.