Anson County native Holly Jones is running for lieutenant governor and says she hopes to help places like Anson if she gets the job.
Jones was raised in Anson through the seventh grade before her family moved to Asheboro. She stayed there until she graduated high school and went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She also earned a master’s of divinity from Duke University.
Jones moved to Asheville, where she was an Asheville City Council member before becoming a Buncombe County commissioner.
Now, she’s set her sights on the position of lieutenant governor. She faces fellow Democrats Ronald L. Newton, Robert Earl Wilson and Linda Coleman in the March 15 primary.
“I believe North Carolina is in a serious crisis,” Jones said. “Our schools are under siege and our teachers are underpaid. Our environment is not being protected. This is not the state I grew up in and I want to help get North Carolina back on the right track.”
Jones said the state has “a lot of challenges.” Some issues she is concerned about include coal ash, fracking, water and air pollution and climate change.
“I think we need to strengthen our regulatory body,” she said. “We’ve really taken power from the folks that can address the polluters. That’s not right. We’ve got to have a way we’re responding to violations. Another area I’d like to see is I think local communities need to have more control over their environment. If communities are opposed to fracking, I think that should be respected.”
Jones is also focused on increasing teacher compensation and boosting economic development throughout the state.
“In terms of education, I would like to see per-pupil spending increased to a decent amount, which would help our teachers not be in charity mode,” she said. “It is so embarrassing that our teachers are almost last in the nation in pay, and this is becoming a real crisis in schools attracting teachers when they can get more pay and respect across the border. It’s probably impacting Anson County since it’s so close to the (South Carolina) border. We also need to address this whole issue of how we grade schools and figure out how to support schools in a way that doesn’t demoralize them. We need accountability, but we don’t need to demoralize in the process.”
Jones said the current school grading system is unfair.
“The grading system measures wealth, it doesn’t measure quality,” she said. “We need to change that.”
Schools would benefit more if there was a broader conversation on what to do, she said.
“Part of the whole issue is that we need to have a community conversation that involves parents, educators and administrators in the public and find a way to go forward,” she said. “I think part of the problem is that solutions have been suggested by legislators without knowing the context, and that’s not a mistake I want to make, either. We need to bring all of the voices to bear.”
Jones said she is the right person for the job, as she’s had a lot of success during her time in leadership in Buncombe County.
“I think I’m very pragmatic about solving citizen problems,” she said. “I’ve done a lot in my local community to address domestic violence, help schools in depressed communities and have also been successful in attracting new industries. This has all happened because of bringing a new perspective and not getting sidetracked by political ideologies, but trying to focus on the real issues people are struggling with.”
Jones pointed to a sharp decline in domestic violence homicide cases in Buncombe County as an example of her success.
“The thing I would highlight is that in 2013, our community had one of the highest domestic violence rates in the state,” she said. “I championed an approach to address this deadly trend we were on and found the best practices that were making a difference in other communities. We brought law enforcement together, families together, social services together, and looked at what was possible.
“We utilized new tools and the consequence was going from having one of the highest rates to having none the next year. The following year we only had one, which was one too many, but shows we’re making progress. I brought solutions and people together. Consequently, we’re now looked to from other parts of the country as a model for how communities can respond to domestic violence.”
She said she wants to use that same pragmatic approach to help fix the issues she is concerned about.
“I think that the state needs to really help with some of the key infrastructure issues,” Jones said. ” I don’t pretend to know the specifics of what Anson County needs, but in general I know there are the issues of broadband, roads for access, the types of things that would attract employers and bring good jobs. Those are the types of things the state needs to support places like Anson County with.”
Some issues are tied closely together, she said.
“I think that as we improve things like schools, it would help with attracting jobs and industries as well,” Jones said. “Ultimately, what communities like Anson need is economic opportunity through jobs.”
Although its been years since she lived in Anson, Jones said she still visits.
“I love coming to Anson County,” she said. “Going by the old stomping grounds is fun.”
Jones does not currently have any plans to visit Anson County, as she said she is focusing on getting through next week’s primary election.
“I think that we need new energy and new leadership, leadership with a track record of solving problems, and that’s what I’m happy to bring to the table,” Jones said. “I grew up in public education, both in Anson County and others, and went to UNC Chapel Hill, so I understand the value of public education and public educators. It gives me perspective and insight and ability to solve problems to help our critical state. That’s why I’m in this race.”
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.