NC lawmaker: Democrats offered concrete ways to help families. What’s the holdup? | Opinion

As a working mother, I understand how difficult it can be to juggle work, family and time for myself. All of us struggle to make ends meet and ensure that we have enough time to provide for the health and well-being of our families, let alone ourselves.

I felt that firsthand working as a registered nurse, and I see it more since I have had the opportunity to serve in the North Carolina General Assembly and meet people across the state who deal with it daily as well.

In my experience and the experience of those who instruct the way I approach work as a legislator, too many working parents are having trouble being present as a parent and providing the income needed to sustain their family. A Jan. 11 article by the News & Observer (“NC is among the worst states for working parents, study finds. Here’s why”) highlighted how tough that can be in North Carolina.

Despite all the things that make our state great, we have to acknowledge where we fall short so that we can improve. North Carolina ranks near the bottom of states for working parents. In fact, we are the fifth worst.

Last year, I was a primary sponsor of the Working Families Act. Unfortunately, the bill was referred directly to the House Rules Committee where it languished along with many other Democratic bills. It did not receive a hearing. We were not allowed to present it to a committee.

The Working Families Act contains several policies my colleagues and I believe would move our state forward for working families.

First, it would help put more money in the pockets of working parents by providing for a state child tax credit. Instead of blanket tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest folks, we should be targeting tax cuts in ways that benefit people who need it the most. Child tax credits are popular because they do just that, and I support it wholeheartedly.

This bill would also raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The minimum wage of $7.25 in North Carolina is simply not getting the job done for working folks, especially those with children. For more than a decade the state’s minimum wage has been stagnant, but I know your bills haven’t been. More money in your pockets helps offset the cost of childcare and other essentials.

Through the Working Families Act we also proposed passing the Paid Family Leave Insurance Act to help working families spend time with loved ones in need. Nobody should face the impossible choice of providing care to sick family members or losing their job.

The bill also introduces a Homeownership Fund to provide assistance to first-time homebuyers who work for the state. Too many North Carolinians are unable to secure the American dream of owning their own home and building generational wealth. This is one way to work toward that.

These are concrete examples of how we are working to provide a better life for working families, but the Working Families Act legislation does much more than this. These aren’t far-fetched ideas, they’re common sense solutions for kitchen table issues that every N.C. family talks about. I know, because my family has these conversations. I’m sure yours does too.

I believe in a North Carolina that is willing to do what it takes to improve the lives of its citizens. We need a General Assembly with leaders who will at least allow for ideas like these to be debated and heard in committee.

This story was originally published January 22, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "NC lawmaker: Democrats offered concrete ways to help families. What’s the holdup? | Opinion."