Candidate Questionnaire: Susan Fisher, State House District 114

Susan Fisher is seeking our endorsement as she runs for reelection in state house district 114, which includes most of Asheville's western precincts and parts of Buncombe County outside the city limits. Below are her responses to our candidate questionnaire, with our questions in bold.

1. What are the three biggest challenges facing our state, and, briefly, how do you think we should address them?

Improving Education

We need to reduce the dropout rate and I am glad to be leading a part of the Speaker’s Initiative to address this issue. Money has been appropriated and we have convened some of the most knowledgeable people in education, higher education, business and industry to review what programs are working and what needs to be changed to keep students in school. My co-chair on the House Education committee and I conducted public hearings around the state to find out from students, parents, educators and others what they believe needs to happen in order to stem the dropout rate. That work will continue during the next biennium.

Expanding Access to Health Care

We need to improve the Mental Health System, increase Health Insurance Coverage for children, improve Minority Health outcomes and continue to study ways to provide Health Insurance to all of North Carolina’s residents. There are currently 4.1 million people in North Carolina without health insurance and we need to continue to put pressure on the pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies and medical community to assist us in addressing this issue. I am committed to this effort and co-sponsored legislation with Rep. Verla Insko to continue to examine ways to address this important issue.

Protecting the Environment

We have a good beginning to addressing the drought in North Carolina, but the effort needs to continue in terms of education our citizens and our industry leaders about ways to conserve and by providing incentives for using less of these valuable resources. We need to continue to provide opportunities to preserve open land and farmland for future generations, by continuing to provide funds to assist those who wish to keep their land in conservation for particular uses such as farming.

2. What has been your proudest accomplishment during your time in office?

One of my proudest accomplishments has been moving the Comprehensive Health Education bill further than anyone had been able to since the Abstinence Only legislation was passed in the 1990’s. This is a bill that I continue to work to move forward to passage since I believe that we must give our students the information they need to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections including HIV. The age group with the highest incidence of new HIV cases is between 14 and 21. We now know that teens are engaging in sexual activity in numbers just as high with abstinence only education and I believe our schools must be allowed to provide them with medically accurate and age appropriate education.

3. Do you have any differences with the House Democratic caucus and leadership? In what areas or issues would you seek to move your fellow Democrats in a different direction?

Yes. I have some differences. Although, in general, I believe that leadership under Speaker Joe Hackney has been a breath of fresh air compared to the previous speaker, there are areas where I believe that Democrats are not behaving like Democrats. For example, during the last biennium’s work on the bullying legislation, Rep. Rick Glazier and I worked very hard with the conference committee on this bill to bring agreement and ultimate passage of this important and timely legislation, but there were democrats who felt more allegiance to their conservative religious affiliation than to protection and safety of children. Another example is the recent boat towing legislation. This is one instance where I, and a few others of the “democratic wing” of the democrats in the House voted to sustain the governor’s veto. We were thinking more in terms of public safety concerns. However, the vote resulted in the veto being overturned. I will continue to voice my strong opinions and those of my progressive constituents on issues like these and my hope is that we grow into a legislative body that embraces more of a progressive philosophy.

4. What is your top priority for your next term?

Among my top priorities will of course be education, working with the Speaker to reduce the dropout. I hope to reintroduce the comprehensive health education bill (sex ed) in the House and to continue to grow in influence in the areas of education, health, women’s and children’s issues and the environment.

5. Do you consider yourself a progressive? Why?

Yes! One of the better definitions I have found of what it means to be progressive says that

“A progressive is: open minded, inclusive, compassionate, proactive and engaged in positive change, innovative, sustainable, optimistic, idealistic, for equality and justice, informed and conscious, evolving, and a leader challenging the status quo.”

Historically, progressives advocated for worker’s rights and social justice. We continue to do the same things today, but in a different backdrop within a multiplicity of generations and causes. What I am trying to do is continue the work of what has been referred to as the “democratic wing” of the Democratic Party by adhering and setting an example for others to be led to subscribe to the definition above.