To help inform voters about the November 5, 2024 election, this candidate questionnaire may be republished at no cost by local publications in North Carolina. To help enable this reporting, please consider subscribing to The News & Observer.
Name: Matthew Laszacs
District/seat: Huiswijk 41
Province or provinces represented: Wake up
Political party: Libertarian
Age as of November 5, 2024: 45
Campaign website: matt4nc.us
Current occupation: Business person
Professional experience: 20 years
Education: Bachelor of Science, Business Administration (cum laude)
Include any notable government or community involvement. Two-time candidate for state government.
What would be your top priority if elected?
We need to increase the supply of health care services so that rural families and families in medically underserved areas can access primary and preventive care, as well as routine medications. Our current regulatory system prevents the growth of new and innovative healthcare services and protects incumbents from competition. I propose to grant full practice authority to nurses and pharmacists and aim to dismantle the monopolistic Certificate of Need regime in Raleigh.
What percentage increase should state employees, school staff and teachers receive in the next state budget?
We must remove politics and central planning from the process of setting teacher salaries. Central planners do not have the necessary information to determine the value of each individual teacher and therefore struggle to create accurate and competitive salaries, and politicians and the associated political process hinder the timely implementation of salary adjustments. Teachers need greater choice of employers and the ability to negotiate directly with competing employers for better pay.
What legislation would you support to improve the Triangle’s transportation, housing or infrastructure? Please be specific.
We must repeal exclusionary zoning laws and land use ordinances so that developers can build the types and quantities of housing our citizens need. These regulations unnecessarily restrict housing supply and density, both of which are necessary for efficient and affordable transportation and infrastructure. The North Carolina General Assembly should write clear rules that limit zoning growth and speed up the permitting process. If a developer meets the requirements, he will receive a permit.
Do you think the Legislature should fund approximately $500 million for private school vouchers through the Opportunity Scholarship program? Why or why not?
I would introduce legislation to expand educational savings accounts to all North Carolina families, regardless of income. I want to fully empower parents to select the best education options for their individual children. This goes beyond just choosing and paying for a school, but also to covering additional educational items such as tutoring, study materials, field education, counseling, or a mix of educational resources that would best support the needs of each individual student.
Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on this issue?
The Libertarian Party is a big tent with plenty of room for individuals with different views and opinions. I am a classical liberal with a strong belief in iteratively advancing libertarian ideas as the public will accept them. My aim is to change minds and gradually push the population towards freedom in the long term. I try not to jump straight to the destination, but rather focus on the small steps of the journey to get us there together.
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