Steve Carter, a Republican hoping to be re-elected as an Alamance County Commissioner, was first elected to the county commissioners in 2018 and re-elected once more in 2020.
Before being elected to a seat on the Alamance Board of Commissioners, Carter spent 35 years working as a commercial banking manager. He also organized and led a local tea party group, Alamance Conservative, in 2010, which encompassed volunteers from Alamance and other local counties. Carter was also a part of Rotary International for 20 years, a group that maintains high ethical standards in both their work and personal life.
Now, Carter acts as the vice chair for the Board of Commissioners, overseeing county activities and working to ensure that citizens’ concerns are met, federal and state requirements are fulfilled and county operations run smoothly.
Carter has gained the endorsements of Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson, former U.S. Representative Mark Walker, candidate for North Carolina House of Representatives Steve Ross, current North Carolina representatives Amy Galey and Dennis Riddell and North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson — according to his website.
According to Carter, one of his largest concerns is school safety within Alamance County. The Board of Commissioners is responsible for managing the county budget each year, including how much funding to provide schools. They are also responsible for establishing and enacting ordinances administered by the county manager and staff.
This year, he and the board placed a school resource officer in every school in the county, raised the sheriff’s pay scale and devised a program to help with staff recruitment for Alamance’s detention center. He also raised the county’s teacher supplement pay to the 10th highest in the state in order to obtain and keep teachers for Alamance schools.
A main issue Carter is currently focusing on is fiscal responsibility and transparency in the budget process. Carter believes that elected officials should have knowledge of financial affairs and be able to manage public finances responsibly. However, Carter said the employment market is very competitive, making it difficult to both provide for citizens and lower taxes at the same time.
“This is going to be an issue, compensation for all departments, for the foreseeable future,” Carter wrote in an email to Elon News Network.
The Board of Commissioners do not have the power to regulate state or federal laws, but they can express their opinions if they cause a moral issue. Carter said he has concern regarding President Joe Biden’s policy to waive student loans, for example, as he feels this will hamper Alamance County. As a former banker, Carter said he feels that due to Biden’s policy, current tax payers will have to pay more to compensate for the money lender’s loans.
“We will have people who have not borrowed the money, being taxed to pay the debt for those who have,” Carter wrote. “That just doesn’t sound right.”
Carter has similar feelings regarding the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He said that since the constitution does not say anything about abortion, it should be a matter left to the decision of the states. According to him, the judiciaries are responsible for deciding the resolution of issues — not making new legislations from the bench.
“I believe that there have been a number of times that Judges and Justices have erred, the Roe v. Wade issue was one,” Carter wrote.
Carter said as a commissioner, his job is to represent the entire county.
“It doesn’t make any difference to me what political party you prefer, what religion, race or personal preference you have in life, if you need my help I will try to find a solution,” Carter wrote.