Welcome & Ballot Basics

Amanda Benbow Lunn 0:09

Hello, my friends. Welcome back to the NC Deep Dive. I am your host, Amanda Benbow Lunn, and this episode features another of our candidate conversations for the 2026 general election. It looks like we're gonna have 18 contested races with 46 candidates in southern Wake County, specifically Holly Springs and Fuquay Varina. There are other races that have only one candidate, but since there's only one candidate, we are not delving into it in the deep dive. Of course, the races on your ballot will vary based on your address and the specific districts your residence falls within. You can always find your jurisdictions and eventually your sample ballot by searching NC Voter Search made available by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Once you get to the page, you'll fill out your information. It will populate with all those who share your name or the information you provided. You'll just want to make sure you scroll until you find you, click on it, and you can verify that it is indeed you, your name and address are correct. You can then scroll down to the appropriate section you're looking for, whether that's your jurisdiction, your sample ballot, information about your mail-in ballot if you are voting that way. If you're voting on election day, you can see exactly where your polling place is and your voting history. There are so many races this go around. So your ballot will likely have both a front and a back, so make sure you flip it over when you're voting. If your time is short, you can search this episode's chapter titles for the particular questions that most interest you, or you can read the transcripts at www.ncdeepdive.com if you'd rather skim through them or just look for particular questions. For this episode, we are delving into the North Carolina House of Representatives race for District 37. There are two candidates running for this seat, and you will have the opportunity to vote for one of them on your ballot. The two candidates are Winn Decker with the Democratic Party and Erin Pare of the Republican Party. Without further ado, my friends, let's dive in.

Winn Decker: Intro, Why, & Experience

Amanda Benbow Lunn 2:20

On this episode, I am honored to be speaking with Winn Decker, who is running for the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 37. Thanks for joining us today, Winn. You want to take a few moments and introduce yourself, and then you can tell us why you're running for this office and what experiences have prepared you to serve in this role.

Winn Decker 2:40

Thank you, Amanda, for hosting us and for doing this and all the conversations so that people can have access to the candidates and learn more about them. So I really appreciate it. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. I know hopefully I've met a few of you that are listening, but if I'm new to you, my name is Winn Decker, running for North Carolina House of Representatives, District 37 in Southern Wake County. House District 37 covers Fuquay Varina and parts of Holly Springs and Garner and is a fast-growing district down in Southern Wake, suburbs outside of the Raleigh area. Excited to be running in this seat of a rapidly changing area. I grew up the son of two public school teachers enrolled northwest Tennessee. And it was during that time that I really learned the value of family and community and watching my parents show up for each and every one of their kids in their classroom. After I did my undergraduate degree at Rhodes College in Memphis, I was really trying to figure out what was next and realized I had a passion for large-scale policy conversations. And so ended up coming to NC State to do my PhD in public administration over a decade ago, focused on good governance and how to make sure that government actually worked for people because so often folks feel like it doesn't. And I really looked at how we can make sure that government could work and should work better for the people why it doesn't work better. And I spent the last 10 years of my life in public administration and nonprofit work, really helping educators and other local elected and state-elected officials, governors, other folks to really make sure all students had access to quality education opportunities everywhere from prenatal through post-secondary. And so through that work, I had the great opportunity to be in a lot of conversations around policy and to really think about some of these issues in a deep way. And as I sat in a lot of these bipartisan rooms, I realized that there were perspectives at the table missing. Folks like myself, who is still paying off student loan debt, folks like my sister, who's a third-grade English teacher, who just texted me this past weekend about how much her groceries have gone up. You know, my friend Allison, who is a first-time mother and is now paying more for child care than she does for her mortgage. And I just felt like these perspectives were missing. And so after the 2024 election, I had lots of conversations with folks because myself included felt like Democrats had not put anything out that they were running for. So often we were running against something. And so as I started to have more conversation with folks in my background in policy and education, I realized there was an opportunity for me to step up. And so excited for what we're doing, what we've built in this district, I think there's a real opportunity to flip the seat, but we're really focused on kitchen table issues, issues that folks are talking about each and every day, things like affordability, fully funding their public schools, and making sure they can continue to live in their communities. So excited to talk about some of these pieces in more detail, but excited for the campaign we built and the work that we're doing to flip the seat.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 5:28

Excellent. What do you believe

Biggest Challenges For District 37

Amanda Benbow Lunn 5:30

is the most important issue or challenge facing the people you would represent?

Winn Decker 5:34

Absolutely. So by far the most important thing that we hear from folks is affordability and the cost of living. You know, we've had the opportunity to knock on over 20,000 doors in this campaign over the past year. And so many of the doors that I speak with folks on are talking about the cost of living, how their grocery prices are up, their utility bills continue to climb, they're spending more in gas and sitting in longer commutes. And they feel like that if they work hard, if they try to save that they're doing everything right, they still feel like they're falling behind. And so the work is really about making sure folks can afford to live and thrive in their spaces. And so, you know, I think about the conversations I had the other day with a father named Lance who was having to decide between going to work so he could pay for groceries or staying home with his sick daughter. And these are the types of stories that keep me uh moving forward because folks are trying to do what they can, but they're falling further behind. And we as elected officials have to do the work to make sure that everyone has a opportunity to actually succeed in the work that they do. So affordability, but then the other piece, just quickly, Amanda, that folks are talking about is our public schools as well. Folks continue to see our community grow, but our schools are not keeping up. And as funding continues to be stretched, folks are feeling that they're feeling it in their classrooms, they're feeling it in their infrastructure, and they're feeling it in, you know, their teacher salaries and other pieces. So happy to dive into that more. But folks are talking about public education and they're talking about affordability.

Priorities & Hopes for Accomplishment

Amanda Benbow Lunn 7:01

If elected, what would you prioritize? And what specifically would you hope to accomplish during your term?

Winn Decker 7:06

It's such a great question because I love being vision focused. And so, you know, one of the biggest priorities is public education. And I know I started into this some in my last answer, but I firmly believe that public education is the cornerstone of democracy and that it is necessary to make sure every student has quality access to educational opportunities. In North Carolina, for far too long, have we underfunded our education systems and have we left people behind? You know, we have had some record high temperatures here in September and are having HVAC system issues across Wake County, schools that are seeing 85 degree classrooms and gyms. And these are not spaces or situations that folks can thrive in their educational environment. It is the state's job to really make sure that our teachers are well paid, that our counties are funded so they can fund education and to make sure that all students have the tools and supplies they need to actually succeed. So when we get elected, we're gonna fully fund public education. We're gonna make sure that teachers are actually valued and paid, and we're gonna make sure that the support staff, the people that are the backbones of so many of our community schools, we're gonna make sure they're respected and protected as well.

Infrastructure & Keeping Up with Growth

Amanda Benbow Lunn 8:13

What should the state do to ensure that schools, roads, utilities, and other infrastructure keep pace with growth?

Winn Decker 8:19

It's such a great question because I hear it from folks all over this district. We know that House District 37's grown. We've got thousands of people moving in every year, but folks look around and they know that the roads have not kept up with the growth. They know that the flash flooding we see is because we're not keeping up with stormwater management. They know that the access to quality drinking water from their well water is at risk because of data centers and further growth in the area. And these are real pains that people are feeling every day. And when I talk to folks, so many of them say they're not necessarily against growth, but they're frustrated that the infrastructure growth does not keep up with the growth, that the development happens and then the road comes. Or that, you know, new houses come online, new subdivision comes online, but we're three years late and putting up a red light to make it bit more accessible there. And so folks really want to see the infrastructure built before the development and growth happens. Folks love their communities. There are folks that have been here their entire life. There are also folks that have moved here in the last two to five years. We can create a community where all those folks can continue to live and thrive, but that's gonna take intentional planning. That's gonna take intentional investment by the state, and that's gonna take work to collaborate with our partners. In Southern Wake, we have so much that goes extraterritorial jurisdiction into a municipality, right? We've got to make sure that Fuquay, Holly Springs, Garner, Wake County, all of us coordinate together so that we can have one system approach to really make sure that we're ahead of so much of the growth that's to come.

Data Centers: Thoughts & State Role

Amanda Benbow Lunn 9:49

What role do you believe the state should play in balancing the potential economic and technological opportunities of data centers with their potential costs and community impacts? And where should the control from the state authority end and the local municipalities begin?

Winn Decker 10:05

Such a great question around data centers and, you know, a couple of pieces here, Amanda. We all love our technology and the ability to use things like FaceTime and podcasts and things like that. No one ever wants to stifle innovation and growth, but for far too long have people's resources and our land been taken advantage of by corporations. And so we have to make sure that in development of any new spaces like data centers or other large growth of technology, that we actually spend time making sure that we have guidelines in place. As the state, we should be very clear in what we require of our companies that are coming into the space, that they are bringing clean energy, that they are doing ecological studies, that they're making sure that they build in a way that develops and grows with the space rather than taking advantage of the space. We've got great workers that are doing amazing work on data center work at the Department of Environmental Quality, one of our state agencies here in North Carolina. I very much believe that we should continue to allow them to do work, to put out those guidelines, and then give local municipalities the agency to make decisions that are best for them. That we know if there's this set of guidelines at the state level that is the first requirement before anyone comes in. You know, once they meet all of those eligibility, then the counties, then the local municipalities can then make decisions that are best for their communities. But at the end of the day, a piece that I have heard that I'm gonna use a lot, Amanda. You know, we love some acronyms in uh politics and everything. And so one I heard recently was Beyonce. Easy to remember. Everyone knows Beyonce, but we need to apply it to data centers. Bring your own clean energy. I think it's a great acronym. I think it's something that we should hold people into account to. Um, the consumers, me and you, should not be on the hook for the cost of the electricity that data centers bring if and when they develop. And so we've got to make sure that they not only bring their clean energy, but it doesn't happen on the back of uh consumers like me and you.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 12:07

Do you have any ideas for particular guidelines that you're thinking of?

Winn Decker 12:12

You know, I think there's several pieces. I'm one of those folks that I wouldn't say I am the expert in everything, but I'll surround myself with the experts. And so I've had some great conversations with folks that believe there should be some things like set aways from communities because of the sound issues, things like studies beforehand of what the water usage would be. So I think there are some various different ones. You know, I would look to some other states and see what they've really done to put some of those guidelines in place. But obviously, number one is bring your own clean energy. I think that's a must-do starting point that if you're bringing one online, you're bringing your own clean energy with it.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 12:47

Excellent.

Public Education: Balancing Needs, Funding, & School Options

Amanda Benbow Lunn 12:48

What should the General Assembly do about teacher pay, school funding, and the broader needs of Wake County public schools? And how should that be balanced with charter and private school options in regards to funding?

Winn Decker 13:00

Great. Well, you know, I mentioned earlier that I firmly believe public education is the cornerstone of democracy. And that doesn't happen without quality teachers in our classrooms. We know the number one factor for a student success is the teacher in the classroom. And you're gonna hear a lot about well, we've been throwing money at education for a long time and it hasn't necessarily fixed everything. And there's some validity to that argument, but at the same time, if we don't pay our teachers, we're not keeping our teachers and we're losing our best and brightest teachers to other communities, to other states, because we're not paying them. It took us three years to pass a budget. And during that time, teachers didn't get a single pay raise. Once we finally passed a budget, we had a new teacher pay scale. While we did see some teacher raises for particularly folks that are just starting out, my understanding is we went from 49th in the nation in teacher pay to 41st in teacher pay, 4-1, 41st. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not celebrating being 41st out of 51 when we're making decisions about teacher pay. There's a lot more we've got to do there. The second piece of this, and I've had lots of conversations with business owners, and they are shocked when I let them know that the new teacher pay scale really caps out at year 15, that there are essentially no raises for years 15 through 25. And every business owner that I talk to talks about how ridiculous to think it is that you've got someone with that many years of expertise and you're not going to reward them for their time and talent and try to incentivize them to stay in your system. So we've got a lot of work to do. How do we do that? Number one, the state's got to fund its mandates. It is the state's job to fund teacher pay. It is the county's job to fund the capital outlays. And so so many counties are falling behind on their capital outlays because they're having to add teacher supplements on top to make sure that teachers are paid enough to stay in their jobs.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 14:42

Could you define the capital outlays?

Winn Decker 14:45

Yeah, absolutely. So capital outlays are things like your schools, right? You know, the actual buildings that education happens in. The way that our state constitution is designed and the way it's set up with our county governments is really that the state should be providing the funds to administrate and run schools. So, you know, really thinking about your teacher pay, some of those the per pupil expenditures, the amount of money per each individual that a school gets, some of those pieces. And it's the county's job to invest in the capital outlays, the land, the buildings. And the rightfully so, the belief behind this is that the county has ownership in those buildings, right? They're building wealth in those. They need to buy land, they need to think about how all that fits within their systems. But the issue we've been having is that because the state hasn't funded our schools in the way that they should, rather than spending money on our capital outlays, our county governments have had to pay teacher pay to make sure that they can stay in their jobs. So the state has to better fund their outlays. But the second piece around this is also thinking about where are those other places that we can further eliminate some of those costs to teachers and other workers within the schools. And so that's thinking about, you know, the average teacher is spending over $700 in school supplies. And so, how can we better make sure that our schools are well stocked? How can we make sure that teachers aren't having to come out of their own pockets for that? And so that's what we need to do around teacher pay. And I know when we do that, we'll see success for our students because we'll continue to retain and recruit the best teachers.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 16:13

And when it comes to funding, where do you propose to get those extra funds? Or are you looking at cutting funding in the education? I know there are some proponents of cutting more of like the central office staff. Where are you on those?

Winn Decker 16:28

Yeah, so it's a great question. Um, you know, our our governor said recently, Governor Stein, that while we sometimes operate like we're a poor state, we're not a poor state. And I refuse to believe that there's not more money available to do this. You know, we were able to find money for 707 pork projects, projects that were individual projects for a very specific location within North Carolina to fund those. We were able to put money behind things like NC Innovation, which was millions of dollars of investment into nonprofit groups that didn't actually make the promises that they suggested when they were given money. In terms of how we find more funding for schools, I don't believe that the money's not there. I believe that we haven't prioritized it correctly and that oftentimes we've spent money on things that haven't had their best return. We know dollar for dollar for economic investment, the best investment is in our children. It's in early childhood education and it's in K-12 education. Because when they're well educated, when they can think critically, they're more likely to have quality-paying jobs, they're more likely to pay more taxes, to be healthier, to be a contributing member of society. So we know that there are economic benefits of investing in education. A couple of places where we need to fix funding and fix it quickly. The North Carolina Education Lottery was supposed to be at one time it was 50 cents on every dollar to go to education. Then we made it a suggested of 35 cents. This past year was 16.16, 16 cents on a dollar. We need to figure out where that money's going, how it's being used, and how we can better use it to invest in our schools and in education. The second piece is that we have got to continue to think about what it means with our corporate tax rate. Our nonpartisan budgeting office for North Carolina has said we are on the verge of a fiscal cliff based off of the work that's happening in terms of lowering taxes for our corporations. And we need to take a pause to those automatic cuts and really think about how it's going to affect us. Listen, there are businesses that are saying they are concerned. They are concerned that if we do not better fund education, that we will not have the services in North Carolina to continue to recruit businesses and the workers that they need for those businesses. There are concerns that we are destroying our school systems in a way that will hurt us economically. And if we want to continue to be the number one state for business, we've got to have a robust education system from preschool all the way through higher education, community college, and technical training.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 19:01

What are your thoughts on opportunity scholarships and maybe finding the balance? Because I know there are some kids who are not having their needs met in our public schools. And I know there are families who are trying the best that they can for those children. Where is the balance on how the state should be helping and providing alternative choices?

Winn Decker 19:23

Amanda, it's a great question. There's been a lot of talks about these opportunity vouchers, the opportunity scholarship. So the idea that if a student goes to a private school, that there is money that goes with them. You know, I've talked a lot about my belief in public education during this conversation and education in general. And I continue to believe that every student should have access to a quality educational opportunity. And I want students and parents to be able to make the choice that is best for their students, but that has to mean for all students. It cannot be at the detriment of our public school students that other students get choice. There's a couple of pieces here. You know, we took the income caps off of these opportunity vouchers and saw a tremendous rush in their use. We also saw the tuition at these private schools go up at the same time. We need to absolutely think about what the income cap looks like, make sure that we have something in place so that this is actually being utilized by families that need the support. Um, the second piece around this is transparency for your public dollars. These are your tax dollars that are being used on these voucher scholarships. So you deserve to understand if the school is meeting uh state requirements. Right now, private schools are not required to publish their test scores, they're not required to publish their budgets. Just like public schools have to be accountable for how they use the money and how they educate children. Private schools need to be uh held accountable to that as well. You know, at the end of the day, like I said, I want every student to have a quality educational opportunity. For some students, that might mean private school. For some students, that might mean homeschool. For others, that's an individual education plan. But for nearly 90% of students in North Carolina, that is a public education. And we've got to make sure that we fully fund

Housing Affordability in Rapidly Growing Communities

Winn Decker 21:15

that.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 21:15

How should the state balance interests of residents who want additional and or affordable housing and development with those concerned about the pace and character of growth?

Winn Decker 21:24

Yeah. Uh so balancing demand versus growth is always a challenge. And I think it's especially true in a district like House District 37, where we're seeing growth, you know. 20 years ago, Fuquay Varina was a town of a little more than 5,000 people and it's now 50,000. Things are growing and changing and evolving. And we want to make sure that our communities grow in a way where they can continue. Folks that have lived here their whole life can continue to live here. Folks that grew up here but moved away can move here uh and move back. We want folks to be able to do. Everything from raise a family here to be able to retire peacefully here. And what's happening right now is I hear from too many folks who, again, like we talked about earlier, they feel like the development is happening to us and not with us. And so we've got to do number one, a better job engaging the community. I am so proud of what I saw the Holly Springs Town Council do with Piney Grove Wilbon Corridor to start having some listening sessions, to start inviting feedback from the community. Yes, there were some frustrations and they were vocalized at those events, but that is the nitty-gritty work of policy and getting things right and making sure implementation happens well. So a couple of things we need to do. Number one, we need to preserve our green spaces. That's part of why folks move out to the suburbs. It's part of why I moved here. So I could have a backyard for my dogs and a greenway that I could walk on. So let's make sure that we protect our green spaces where there's development happening. Number two, let's be intentional with where development happens and make sure that developers are bearing the cost of things like additional road infrastructure and other pieces. And number three, it's really about making sure that we're not pricing people out of their homes. You know, I talked to a 74-year-old woman the other day who bought her house more than 40 years ago and seen her property taxes jump tremendously from the time that she bought it. And she's scared that she's not going to continue to be able to afford to live here. You know, those are the fights that we've got to go figure out. Those are folks that deserve to be able to live in our thriving community and not be priced out while at the same time welcoming and inviting folks that are making us uh such a robust area to be in.

Security & Oversight Versus Privacy & Due Process Rights

Amanda Benbow Lunn 23:34

North Carolina agencies and law enforcement increasingly have access to personal information through technology and government databases, including automated license plate readers like flock cameras, healthcare and benefits records, and voter registration information. Where do you believe the line should exist between legitimate government oversight, fraud prevention, and public safety, and an individual's rights to privacy and due process?

Winn Decker 23:59

Ah, Amanda, you ask such great questions, and I'm glad to be able to have this conversation. You're absolutely right. So there are so many conversations happening about our data, our privacy, how information is being used, surveillance and overwatch. You know, I think we all value feeling safe in our communities and knowing that police have the tools to do their jobs appropriately, that we know that we're going to be able to lay our heads down at night and live in peaceful communities, and that there is some trade-offs with privacy that come with that. That being said, we have seen the vast growth in AI and other uses of our data well beyond the means of anything that we've consented to. We see the pop-up of flock cameras. We see things like surveillance pricing, where we know that companies are raising prices for one specific person and not another because of their desire to purchase something. We see the use of surveillance and flock cameras to pull people over for no apparent reason. So there are some major privacy concerns that we have to talk about. Amanda, we love in North Carolina, we love a Bill of Rights. You know, we had a parent's bill of rights, we had a student's bill of rights. It's about time that we have a data bill of rights, that we know that our data is protected, that we know that my data, my healthcare data is not used to make decisions against me, that surveillance pricing is not used to raise prices on me at the grocery store, to know that flock cameras are not tracking me across jurisdictions, or that someone is breaking into that information because it's not secure. And these are all things that we ought to have more control over as consumers. Everything from you know big tech data all the way down to the small pieces. And so things like the ability to unsubscribe just as easy as you subscribe. I believe there's a way to do some of these things around data that could start with a set of guidelines and values around how we protect people's data, use it for good, but also make sure that people have rights and control over how it's being used.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 25:57

Okay. Are there any specific state policies that you would support?

Winn Decker 26:01

Well, you know, again, I very much believe in local control. And what we did when we passed this pest budget, among other things, you know, we filled this budget with pieces of policy. And so our state government actually just went ahead and codified permission for all our local municipalities to use flock cameras, right? You know, these are decisions being made at the state level for local communities without the input of local communities. And so to me, I think the best protections come from the local level. It's setting those guidelines at the state level, but not doing fast overreach at the state level when counties and local municipalities can make better decisions for their communities.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 26:38

Delving into that a little bit more, do you think a warrant or other judicial authorization should be required for some of that information?

Winn Decker 26:45

Unlike a lot of the folks down at the Capitol, I am not a lawyer. And so I don't want to get into too many of those specifics. I would have to lean on some folks about what requires a warrant, what doesn't. But I would just in America, we have become more lax and lax with the regulations and requirements to actually get warrants and stuff. And so often I think American people feel like just because I'm fighting for my privacy doesn't mean I have anything to hide, but the privacy is still a right. And I think that we've let a lot of people feel like that, that just because they want to be able to live their life in peace without government overwatch doesn't mean that's a bad thing. And so, you know, really making sure that folks understand their rights and that we help them understand how they can opt out of certain pieces and protect themselves.

Approach to the Responsibilities and Decision-Making Authority of this Office

Amanda Benbow Lunn 27:30

How would you approach the responsibilities and decision-making authority of this particular office?

Winn Decker 27:36

It would be an honor of a lifetime to serve in this role and to represent Southern Wake County and House District 37. I very much believe that the job of an elected official is just what's there in the title to represent. It's not there to go grandstand, it's not there to, you know, paint your grandiose vision for what you want to see. It's to be out in the community listening to people and informing your decisions and what you do based off of that. And that's exactly what we've built this campaign off of. We spent time in the community talking to so many different folks. And that's what I'm gonna go fight for. I'm gonna go fight for those conversations. The family that I talk to that is scared that their three-year-old is gonna go to a school that's overcrowded, the parent that I talk to that sits in a commute 50 minutes one way and their parents get home on the school bus without them being there. No, those are the folks that we are asking that I can represent them. And I hold the weight of that and the importance of each and every piece of that. At the same time, I know that a large portion of people probably don't have a clue who their state level elected official is, right? And are not engaged in it because so much of life is just coming at them that they're just trying to survive. And so I also believe it is our job not to just go govern, but then to go tell people A, what we've done to make things better for them and B, how they can be involved in it. And so my pledge to folks is that I'll still always be in the community, even after this election, that we'll be having town halls, that we'll be speaking to folks each and every time. And my decisions will be influenced by that. And that I'll ultimately stand for the people of House District 37, regardless of party, whatever the best decision is for the people of Southern Wake County. And so that is the values and vision I bring to this work. With that being said, I'm excited for some of this work because I am a policy nerd. And I'm excited to get in some of these rooms and really be able to have some of these nuanced conversations and fight for things that can make life a little better for folks. And so often, you know, we look for the big headlines, but it's the policy is in the weeds, right? It is switching one thing here or saying something there and it can make a huge difference in how a policy is implemented and how folks feel the effects of it. And so I'll bring my values to each and every conversation and every meeting, and I'll work my butt off to make sure that House District 37 is represented in every decision.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 29:49

Okay.

Balancing Taxes, Obligations, Investments, & Fiscal Responsibility

Amanda Benbow Lunn 29:50

North Carolina has to balance keeping taxes and the cost of government reasonable with paying its obligations and investing in infrastructure, roads, public safety, schools, and other services residents rely on. How do you balance that and what does fiscal responsibility mean to you?

Winn Decker 30:06

This is such a great question about fiscal responsibility. And this is one of those places that I get really nerdy. I've done a lot of work, particularly during my PhD and research around state fiscal health. So really making sure that states can meet their fiscal outlays, that they can balance a budget, that they bring in enough revenue to pay for everything that they're hoping to pay for. You know, unlike the federal government, the state government can't run a deficit. That means that we've got to balance our budget every single year. So if there's money not coming in, that means there's going to be cuts to things. You know, a couple of the things that are really struggles right now that we're seeing across North Carolina and where the state has to step up. So much of the federal HR one, the big beautiful bill, the federal government added federal work requirements around SNAP and Medicaid. All the cost of actually doing that was passed down to our counties. We came to step up on unfunded mandates. It's estimated in Wake County that 40% of people's property taxes, 4-0, 40% of people's property taxes, is used to pay for state unfunded mandates. And so the number one way that we can start to reduce some of this is the state to meet their obligations and to actually pay for some of this. Now, how do we do that? It's really thinking about some of the pieces where we can close some of the loopholes in taxes. You know, one of the places we saw one was the Blue Ridge loophole. There were hundreds of millions of dollars lost at local and county level because of some exemptions in certain properties. There are ways that we can do this better so that counties are not out hundreds of millions of dollars. But at the end of the day, we've got to think about what it really looks like for our ability to collect revenue while at the same time doing the things that make North Carolina such a thriving place.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 31:54

When you believe taxes should be cut or services added, how do you determine if the state can afford the reduction or the expense?

Winn Decker 32:00

So, number one, I think we rely a lot on these nonpartisan budget folks at the state government, you know, who are trained in this, who do a lot of the research about if you cut this, then you'll have this much money. If you do this, that much money will come in. So, number one, we have to rely on their expertise and their expertise that we are headed towards a fiscal cliff if we do not do something about it. You know, that being said, there are lots of things that we can do. You know, so often we are doing big giveaways to giant corporations, you know, property tax abatements, you know, economic incentives. I believe that North Carolina is a great place for a business to be. And part of that is because of the people that are here. I do not believe that we need to give hundreds of millions of dollars away to businesses to incentivize them to come here. We've seen that not work. We've seen that with Venfast, we've seen that with other places. One of the ways that we could further make sure that we don't have a deficit is to close up some of these gaps where we give away handouts to corporations without really thinking about its effects on the workers.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 33:00

And do you have ideas of different ways to generate revenue and or specific services you would see cut?

Winn Decker 33:07

I think there are lots of opportunities out there, depending on what it is that we want to fund. I think you're seeing a great opportunity in Guilford County this year where they've got a 0.25% sales tax referendum on their ballot, and that's going to be used to cover teacher pay supplements. We've got Wake County that's got a bond for Wake Tech Community College. I think there are lots of different ways that we can further find revenues. I think it's figuring out what those revenues are being used for and being intentional in the way that we recruit that revenue based off of what we're actually doing with it.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 33:38

And

Thoughts on Property & Income Tax Amendments

Amanda Benbow Lunn 33:39

with the constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot, in particular, there's one on there limiting property taxes as well as state income tax. What are your thoughts on that and how it may affect municipalities, county level governments, state level governments, and the people in District 37?

Winn Decker 33:59

Yeah. Um, again, we all value a quality government that works, that our county governments are fully funded to be able to do the things that they want to be able to do. The issue is so many of our county governments are funded off of property tax. And so the issue is that the state has continued to cut its investments in counties. So counties have had to further pour into property taxes. Look, two pieces on this on the property tax amendment. First and foremost, let's just be clear this is not anything that the state government could not already do. Republicans have a majority in the state house and state senate. If they wanted to put restrictions on property taxes, they have every ability to do that now. This amendment does nothing to actually change that. In terms of the actual amendment, I think there's more to be seen about what that cap actually looks like, how they apply it, you know, what the constitutional amendment does. It's just that it gives the authority to the state legislature to make a cap. I know it has the potential to really hamstring county governments, but I think there's more to be seen about what the actual cap is put on it before we truly understand its impact. The second one on the income tax cap, you know, right now the income tax is lower than what the cap would be that we're voting on. My major concern around this amendment is that it really keeps us from ever doing a progressive income tax where we have higher tax brackets for high income individuals. That right now we're a flat tax, which means everyone pays the exact same regardless of the amount you make. But at the federal level, we have a progressive tax structure where the more you make, the more your share of taxes that you pay. And really capping this at 3.5% will keep us from doing something like that in North Carolina. So I think there's more to be seen about these, but in particular, would be interested in knowing more about what that restriction looks like on the property tax from the local government. But let's be clear, just to say, you know, I talk to people every day. Property taxes are too high. People are feeling the squeeze, right? You know, this is a conversation between equity versus cash in hand. Just because your house gets reevaluated at a higher price does not mean that you have more money to pay on your property taxes. And so we need to deliver relief for folks. There's a lot of great ways that we can do that. You know, abatements for seniors, folks over the age of 65, first-time homebuyers, folks living in their primary residence. There are lots of opportunities to actually fix this. And that's what I studied in school is how we can actually make property taxes work for everyone and balance economic growth with making sure we have a low burden on taxes. But we know when property tax burden becomes way too high, it stunts economic growth. And we've got to keep it low so that folks can continue to thrive and have that economic prosperity.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 36:47

And your thoughts on the corporate taxes going down to zero by 2030?

Winn Decker 36:52

Yeah, again, this is one of those where the nonpartisan budget group has said, we're headed towards this fiscal cliff. I think there's definitely concerns that we need to look more deeply at. You know, these are automatic triggers. We've already had to come back and adjust those automatic triggers once before. I think that we have to adjust based on where the economy's at and where the state's at, and not make these automatic triggers. Again, we're hearing from corporations their concern that we're cutting that rate to such a low level that we're not going to be able to provide the services that they think their workers want or need. And that's scaring them from economic development in North Carolina. So we need to look at it more closely, make sure that automatic caps are really addressed, and then we make sure it's the right thing for North Carolina.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 37:34

And for those who may not fully understand it, could you define fiscal cliff?

Winn Decker 37:38

So a fiscal cliff is essentially when we are saying we're going to spend more money than we're going to take in. And so, by law in the US, a state cannot carry a deficit. So we have to raise as much money if we're going to spend. And so, North Carolina, what the nonpartisan budget folks are saying is hey, if you keep on the track that you are on now, you are going to be out of money. You are going to be spending more money than you have coming in by 2031. And so we have got to make adjustments if we want to continue to be stable. Folks are already frustrated with their tax burdens right now. We've got to make some decisions and really think about what we want North Carolina to look like going into the 2030s and how we're going to fix our revenue structure with

Deciding What Takes Precedence

Winn Decker 38:23

that.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 38:23

And when priorities compete or resources are limited, how would you decide what takes precedence?

Winn Decker 38:28

I mean, I think it comes back to the people of the community and of the district and what's important to them and what's going to achieve the highest support of need, right? These are the trade-offs that have to be made each and every day and the sticky part of doing this work, right? It's, you know, making a decision of between additional funding for teachers or buying an additional ambulance. But it's something that we have to take seriously because it's the same type of decision that Americans are making every day about buying their grocers or buying prescriptions. So they expect us to make decisions that are in their best interest. And so to me, it's staying connected to the community, engaged, making sure that we know what makes the biggest difference for the most folks and ultimately then standing behind that decision once it's made and being transparent around it because people are going to have questions. Why was something prioritized over the other? Being willing to share that with folks and help them understand why those decisions are made is so important for the work.

Accountability: What & How

Amanda Benbow Lunn 39:22

What should voters hold you accountable for if you are elected and how?

Winn Decker 39:26

Oh, it's a great question because I absolutely want voters to hold me accountable. Number one, hold me accountable for being present. You know, that is very much what I believe in and what a representative is supposed to be. Let me know about events that are happening. Are you having something at your church? Is there a street fair? Are you having an open house at your new small business? Let me know about it. I want to be out there. But also, same with town halls with constituent engagement. Keep me engaged and reach out. That is the job of a representative. So hold me accountable for that. Number two, hold me accountable for going up there and fighting for each and every one of you, that I make sure that I elevate the issues that are the most important and that I stand by things regardless of party or you know, talking points that I make the decisions that are best for the community. And number three, hold me accountable to being a representative for each and every person in 37, not a particular group of people, but each and every person. And if I do that, and if you hold me to that, we'll get good work done. And I'm excited for what we can get done, but it's only gonna happen because of each and every one of you. You know, the last piece around this is I want to be honest that we don't know what the legislature is gonna look like. You know, it may be Republican, it may be Democratic, but it means that we're gonna have to work together. So hold me accountable to sitting down with the other side, to working across the aisle and to fighting for what makes North Carolina better, regardless of party.

Last Thoughts & Where to Learn More

Amanda Benbow Lunn 40:42

As we wrap up, is there anything we haven't discussed that you would like voters to know, or anything from our conversation that you'd like to expand upon or clarify?

Winn Decker 40:51

You know, Amanda, first off, just really appreciative to have the opportunity to share more about myself, my background, as well as my vision for what we're building in North Carolina. This race, we are running it on things that folks are talking about at their kitchen tables. Better schools, better roads, lower cost. That's what I'm hearing on the doors uh in conversation with folks. They're not asking, are you Republican or Democrat? They're asking how are you going to lower my cost? How are you gonna make sure that the future for my child is better? And that's the work that I'm here to do. But we can't do this alone. So I'm asking if you're listening, if you like anything I said, if you have more questions, if you want to get involved, reach out, go to winn4nc.com. That's winn, the number four nc.com, and learn more about us. Learn more about how to get involved. Come knock doors with us, make phone calls, write postcards. We're out each and every day talking to people in this community, and that's how we're gonna win this race with each and every one of you. So thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to have these conversations, and I look forward to many more as we go throughout the election and for time pass. So thank you.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 41:53

Well, thank you so much, Winn, for taking the time and trusting me to do this work for you. I appreciate you stepping out of your busy schedule to inform and choosing to inform voters on more about you and your platform and the hopes that you have for District 37. Thank you.

Winn Decker 42:09

Thank you.

Closing Reflections & Voting Info

Amanda Benbow Lunn 42:10

Democracy is built on participation. Politics can sometimes feel distant or abstract, but the decisions made by our elected officials at the county, state, and federal levels have a profound effect on the communities we call home and the way we live our lives. From the roads we drive on and the schools our children attend to public safety, parks and recreation, housing, health care, taxes, the economy, and the many other services and amenities that make up our communities. Government plays a role in shaping both our everyday experience and our future. That makes taking the time to understand the choices on your ballot and the people asking for your vote an important part of being an engaged member of your community. Early voting for the 2026 midterm election begins October 15th and runs through October 31st. In Southern Wake County, there will be early voting locations at the Hunt Center in Holly Springs, the Hilltop Needmore Town Park Clubhouse in Fuquay Varina, Beech Bluff County Park, and Southern Wake Tech Campus close by. Election Day is November 3rd. A general reminder that you will need a valid photo ID to vote. The regular voter registration deadline is October 9th, although you may still register when you vote during the early voting period. Please note that you cannot register to vote on Election Day itself, and that that day you will absolutely have to vote at your designated precinct location to have access to your full ballot. And because there are so many races and ballot measures this year, your ballot will likely be double-sided. It can be helpful to start on the back so that you don't accidentally overlook anything. You'll vote for the races that apply to your jurisdiction along with statewide amendments and for Southern Wake County voters, local Wake County bond referenda. Voting is one of the ways we take part in the communities we share. You don't have to agree with your neighbors or even with the candidates you've heard here to recognize that our communities are shaped by the people who show up, ask questions, learn about the choices before them, and cast their ballots. So please take the time to get informed, make your voice heard, and encourage the people around you to do the same. Your vote matters. Your voice matters. And you absolutely matter, my friend. And with that, this episode of the NC Deep Dive has come to an end. Please feel free to check out this episode's show notes at ncdeepdive.com for further information and relevant links for this candidate along with general election information. As always, if you have any topics or thoughts you'd like to share, you can find us on social media or email us at ncdeepdive at gmail.com. If you found value in this episode, I'd love for you to subscribe, rate, and share it so that others may more easily be informed. Please make sure to stay tuned for all the relevant candidate, amendment, and referenda episodes for the 2026 midterm election by visiting ncdeepdive.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you currently listen to your podcast. Until next time, my friends, Namaste. The Love and Light in Me sees and honors the love and light in you.