James N. Bailey

Questionnaire from The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus

Note: The following responses are verbatim from the candidate and have not been edited.

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

I am 53 years old. I hold a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice from East Carolina University. I am currently the Assistant Director of Campus Health, Safety, and Security at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC). I have held that position since June 2024. Prior to working at RCCC, I retired in May 2023 as the Chief Deputy of the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office. I reside on Emanuel Road in Rockwell, N.C. (Cabarrus County).

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 for this office to preserve the qualities and lifestyle that we currently have in Cabarrus County. I want to restore confidence in the Board. I have extensive knowledge of the County budget process having managed the budget of the Sheriff's Office. I was educated in the Cabarrus County School System and I have raised my family here. As I now have grandchildren, I want to leave them with the best County possible.

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.

Appointed Chief Deputy managing all operations of the Sheriff's Office, including the budget; 2022 Robert Eury Award Winner (Given to a 20 yr or more veteran in law enforcement who exemplifies leadership skill and public service); Graduate of the UNCC Public/Non-Profit Leadership Academy

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

Confidence. I want the citizens in Cabarrus County to have confidence in their elected representatives again. I hear from so many people that the County Commissioners and other elected officials vote politics over people. I want people to hear my comments and look at my voting record after six months and say, "James may not have voted the way I wanted him to but I know he did what he thought was best for everyone, not just doing what the party wanted".

Cabarrus County includes both fast-growing communities and areas facing economic challenges. How would you guide county policy and investment decisions to support balanced growth and opportunity across the entire county?

I think most people would agree that residential growth has spiked over the last decade. Overcoming economic challenges, while facing high inflation, is based on providing opportunities for economic investment in our County. Inflation is outside of the County's control but what we can do is increase economic development through incentive grants and deregulation. Economic growth provides higher wages which offsets inflation. Better jobs mean higher wages and a better quality of life.

County government plays a central role in funding public school facilities and long-term capital needs. How would you approach decisions related to school capital investment to ensure facilities keep pace with growth, support student success, and remain fiscally responsible for taxpayers?

There is a crisis in this County in the financing of capital projects due to the tremendous growth we have incurred over the last 15-20 years. My goal is to provide a safe, comfortable, and technologically sound classroom for our children. One problem that needs to be corrected is that the County Commission and the municipalities need to have very direct conversations about the permitting of houses in specific areas. Currently, the County Commissioners have no discernible input on residential growth in the municipalities. This has to stop. Since the County is responsible for school funding, they need to have a seat at the table. Another idea is utilizing the same design for multiple schools to cut down on tax dollars being spent on design. Finally, the longer maintenance and construction costs are pushed out, the more expensive they become. As a taxpayer, I would like to see these projects pushed forward as quickly as feasible. The school system also needs to work through cutting their expenses as much as possible to ensure every tax dollar goes to the classroom, not administrative overhead.

A strong workforce depends on more than jobs alone. It is shaped by access to education, child care, and community resources. How would you use the county’s role to support workforce participation and quality of life for Cabarrus County residents?

Workforces require varying levels of support. If taxes are used to provide assistance to a working parent in providing childcare, those taxes are being used responsibly as opposed to taking that parent out of the workforce altogether. Our local community college provides a tremendous amount of workforce development, some of it tailored to the needs of a specific industry. The Cabarrus Health Alliance utilizes various funding streams to provide a variety of healthcare services to our citizens. All of these are supported in various ways by county tax dollars. While some may deem these services unnecessary or frivolous, they are, in reality, better uses of tax dollars than the alternative. The alternative being less worker participation, diminished health outcomes, and a poorly trained workforce. These alternatives inevitably lead to higher dependency on government assistance which leads to higher taxes.

Economic growth is essential to maintaining a strong tax base, supporting public services, and creating opportunity for residents. How would you approach county-level policies and investments to ensure Cabarrus County remains competitive in attracting and retaining businesses while managing growth responsibly?

I am a proponent of Economic Development for businesses that bring high-quality, great paying jobs to Cabarrus County. The concept of Economic Development is directly proportional to managing growth. Land can either be used for building high density subdivisions or for commercial growth. Promoting economic growth equates to less housing growth. Property owners of large tracts of land in Cabarrus County are faced with an impossible situation....opposition to economic development and opposition to large housing development. Economic growth, over time, leads to a lessened tax burden on individual property owners.

While counties do not regulate businesses in the same way as the state or municipalities, county policies can still influence the cost and ease of doing business. How would you consider the impact of county decisions on the business community?

Commission decisions can have a huge influence on business development. So much focus is put on economic development, but that is not the sole factor businesses use to relocate and/or thrive here. Great schools, great parks, great roads, great healthcare, and great community support for our aging population are key factors I believe businesses look for to develop and grow. All of these require a dedication to funding them adequately. Cabarrus County should strive to provide jobs for it's citizens right here in Cabarrus County. Great paying jobs which keep our citizens working and living here in Cabarrus County.