Protecting Taxpayers – We must view every decision through the prism of how it will affect the tax rate. The property tax touches everyone in Mecklenburg County one way or another. The citizens of Mecklenburg County have the highest combined property and sales tax burden in the State of North Carolina. That is not a ranking of which we can be proud. Our first priority should be to keep the government from taking more than it needs from the people. Fiscal responsibility – One way to make sure that the tax burden stays as low as possible is by demanding that county government spend its $1 billion budget wisely. This includes holding CMS accountable for the half billion dollars it gets every year from the County’s taxpayers. We must demand accountability and results from programs funded by your tax dollars. Improving quality of life – Every action taken by government should Mecklenburg County a better place to work and live. The following areas have a tremendous impact on our quality of life: Safe Neighborhoods - We must ensure that our courts and law enforcement have the resources they need the stop the revolving door that is our criminal justice system. Parks and Open Areas - The accelerating growth in Mecklenburg County creates unique challenges with respect to acquiring and maintaining adequate parks, greenways and open spaces. We need to have foresight to expend the resources necessary to ensure that future citizens of Mecklenburg County have adequate park facilities and the opportunity to enjoy open space that is free of pavement. Business and Environmental Regulation - Done right, business and environmental regulation can have an important role in protecting our citizens. Done poorly, it can have a stifling effect on economic growth. We need to continue to seek the right balance between the two. Education: We need to work with the School Board to ensure that more dollars are used in the classroom and less dollars are used in administration.