CharMeckVotes.org

County Commission District 4 – Candidate – Virginia Spykerman (R)

Website: www.virginiaspykerman.com

E-mail: mspykerm@yahoo.com

Phone Number: 704 375 2025

Facebook Page or URL: www.facebook.com/vspykerman

Twitter name or URL: Not applicable

Current Occupation: Stay at home mom

Education–Highest Degree: BA from UNC-CH

Most important organizations you belong to (up to three): The Spykerman Family, Uptown Church, Salem Academy Board of Visitors

List up to three (3) of your most important political/civic accomplishments in the last five (5) years. (150 word limit): Surviving three pregnancies in three years!
Registering to run for public office

What qualities or experience do you bring that will make you an effective county commissioner? (150 word limit): Before becoming a stay at home mom, I spent twelve years in the financial services industry. This experience will allow me to bring common sense to the budgeting process. This includes making reasonable revenue projections, matching revenues and expenses, and planning beyond the next year so that we can have new programs and services when needed.

Do you think county government is living up to its responsibility to adequately fund education? Please explain your position (200 word limit): No, while the county is spending 44% of its budget on schools, what it is not doing is providing CMS with a budget that the schools can count on. In March of this year, County Manager Harry Jones told the Board of Education that a drop in tax dollars had forced the county to ask for money back from this year’s budget. Three months later, against the recommendation of the county manager, the current County Commissioners voted to create an extra .5 million in new revenue by revising upward the estimate of sales tax collections for the upcoming year. Voting to raise revenue projections in the budget does not mean the county will actually collect those revenues, and in fact it only sets the county up for the same failure next year. I sincerely believe that with better financial planning the county can and will provide adequate funding that CMS can count on.

How can residents get involved in your campaign? Please include campaign manager or volunteer coordinator’s contact information.: You can get involved by putting a sign in your yard, handing out flyers at the polls, or making phone calls on my behalf. To do any of these things, please contact me directly at 704 375 2025.