To help inform voters in the November 5, 2024 election, this candidate questionnaire may be republished at no cost by local publications in North Carolina. Please consider subscribe to The Charlotte Observer to make this coverage possible.
Name: Bet Helfrich
Date of birth: January 21, 1981
Campaign website or social media page: bethhelfrichnc.com
Occupation: writer and editor
Education: B.A., Davidson College
Have you stood for election before?
No
Please share your highlights of community involvement
My path to the General Assembly is different: I am not a career politician and I am not running to create the next line on my resume. I am stepping forward because of my deep commitment to our communities and to the power of our shared future. As a working mother of five, I spent nearly two decades in schools as a teacher, administrator, and PTO president. I have organized, raised money, served, and led while raising small children, supporting our family’s small business, and starting my own business.
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and most cities in the county have agreed to a bill seeking approval from the Legislature for a referendum on sales taxes to pay for mass transit and other transportation. If elected, would you support a bill that would allow the sales tax increase to appear on the ballot? Why or why not?
The mayors of Davidson, Cornelius and Huntersville recently issued a joint letter supporting the request for the Legislature to approve a referendum on transit sales taxes; the three city councils each passed resolutions asking for the same thing. I agree with their rationale and would support a bill that allows the sales tax increase to appear before voters.
In North Carolina, abortion is prohibited after twelve weeks. State politicians, including gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, have said they want to restrict abortion even further. Do you support the state’s current abortion restrictions, and what is your approach to the legislative issue related to reproductive health?
No, I don’t. I support legislation that affirms our right to make informed decisions about our health, privately and without government intervention. We know that abortion bans are harmful and even deadly to women. Bans with exceptions create impossible scenarios as patients and healthcare providers weigh medical and legal risks. I will work to restore access to abortion and protect contraception and IVF so that women – not lawmakers – are in charge of their reproductive lives.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing your constituents, and what would you do to address it if elected?
I’ve spent the better part of a year listening to the people of District 98 and asking them what matters most to them: I’ve heard about traffic, health care, costs, schools, and reproductive rights. But underscoring all of these critical issues is a bigger problem: Our state legislature does not reflect our state. Decisions in Raleigh should be driven by the needs and problems of everyday North Carolina residents – not by political agendas, power plays or extremism. A supermajority answers only to itself.
While violent crime rates are declining nationally, they are growing in major North Carolina cities like Charlotte and Raleigh. How would you address the problem of rising violent crime rates and what do you see as the role of the legislature when it comes to public safety?
The safety of our communities, homes and schools is of the utmost importance. Our first responders absolutely deserve adequate funding and resources. I will also advocate for gun safety legislation such as universal background checks and red flag laws. In the long term, we must go upstream and invest in infrastructure and programs that we know build safer communities: child care, schools, workforce development, mental health and recovery resources, and housing.
Although inflation has decreased, rising prices continue to worry North Carolinians. How will you ensure that your constituents can afford basic needs such as healthcare, food and housing?
We must take a collaborative, cross-sector approach to affordable housing, working with our cities and provinces. State-level investments in child care provide working parents with options for safe, affordable care. Innovative policies can help small businesses access capital, cope with rising rental costs and provide living wages. We can expand telehealth options and reduce prescription drug costs. And as we reevaluate the tax laws, we must put people and small businesses before corporations.
Are there any policies of your party that you disagree with?
If elected, my job will be to serve the people of District 98: all of them! I am proud to be the Democrat in this race; I broadly agree with the values ​​and ideals of the party. That said, I will always consider the people and needs of District 98 and my own integrity when crafting or supporting any specific policy or legislation.
