Best wishes to you and your family for a healthy, happy and safe Thanksgiving. This is a time to reflect on the positive aspects of life and give thanks to the people who are important to us. I hope you will find time to celebrate with your friends and family.
Be safe if you travel and enjoy the holiday!
Thanksgiving Proclamation - Calvin Coolidge
"The season again approaches when it has been the custom for generations to set apart a day of thanksgiving for the blessings which the giver of all good and perfect gifts has bestowed upon us during the year. It is most becoming that we should do this, for the goodness and mercy of God which have followed us through the year deserve our grateful recognition and acknowledgement."
- An excerpt from President Calvin Coolidge's 1928 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Once again, best wishes to you and your family for a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Rep. Jon Hardister
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Press Release: Rep. Jon Hardister Announces Effort to Memorialize Howard Coble
November 7, 2014
For Immediate Release
Greensboro, NC - Today Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) announced his intentions to lead an effort to memorialize Howard Coble. He is working with Guilford County Commissioner Alan Branson on the effort.
Ideas for memorials include the naming of a road, the naming of a bridge, and the installation of a statue in Southeast Guilford County. It is possible that one or all of these ideas could come to fruition.
Hardister said that he would like to raise private money to pay for a statue. Transportation memorials, such as the naming of a highway or bridge, would be funded by taxpayers at a relatively low cost through the N.C. Department of Transportation.
"It is my honor to work on this project," Hardister said. "There are not many people in our community more deserving of a memorial than Howard Coble. He dedicated many years of his life to public service and he is admired by people on both sides of the political aisle."
Hardister said that he will provide more details on the effort as they become available.
For Immediate Release
Greensboro, NC - Today Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) announced his intentions to lead an effort to memorialize Howard Coble. He is working with Guilford County Commissioner Alan Branson on the effort.
Ideas for memorials include the naming of a road, the naming of a bridge, and the installation of a statue in Southeast Guilford County. It is possible that one or all of these ideas could come to fruition.
Hardister said that he would like to raise private money to pay for a statue. Transportation memorials, such as the naming of a highway or bridge, would be funded by taxpayers at a relatively low cost through the N.C. Department of Transportation.
"It is my honor to work on this project," Hardister said. "There are not many people in our community more deserving of a memorial than Howard Coble. He dedicated many years of his life to public service and he is admired by people on both sides of the political aisle."
Hardister said that he will provide more details on the effort as they become available.
Rep. Jon Hardister and Howard Coble in 2014.
###
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Press Release: Rep. Jon Hardister Releases Statement on Passing of Howard Coble
November 4, 2015
For Immediate Release
Greensboro, NC - Today Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) released the following statement on the passing of former Congressman Howard Coble:
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to "Our Congressman" Howard Coble. He was a true public servant and a statesman, but most importantly, he was a good friend. I am proud to call him my mentor in politics. He will live forever in our memories and his legacy will stand the test of time.
When he was a senior at Greensboro College in 2006, Hardister had the opportunity to work as an intern for Howard Coble in his local congressional office. Hardister said that this experience taught him the importance of being accessible and responsive to the needs of constituents. He also said that this experience helped inspire him to run for public office.
For Immediate Release
Greensboro, NC - Today Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) released the following statement on the passing of former Congressman Howard Coble:
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to "Our Congressman" Howard Coble. He was a true public servant and a statesman, but most importantly, he was a good friend. I am proud to call him my mentor in politics. He will live forever in our memories and his legacy will stand the test of time.
When he was a senior at Greensboro College in 2006, Hardister had the opportunity to work as an intern for Howard Coble in his local congressional office. Hardister said that this experience taught him the importance of being accessible and responsive to the needs of constituents. He also said that this experience helped inspire him to run for public office.
Monday, November 2, 2015
2015 Legislative Review
The 2015 session of the North Carolina General Assembly came to a close on October 1st. We now stand adjourned until April 2016. Now that this year's session has come to an end, I wanted to take a moment to update you on some of the work that has been done.
Good News
Our state legislature has worked hard to be responsible with tax dollars and to increase government efficiency. As a result, we have the 16th lowest debt in the nation and we are one of only 15 states that have a AAA credit rating.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, we rank 10th in the nation for job creation and growth in per-capita income over the last year.
Forbes Magazine recently ranked North Carolina second on their list of "Best States for Business and Careers." We have also received favorable reviews from the Tax Foundation and the Wall Street Journal.
Our goal is to make North Carolina the best place to do business in the country. This will lead to job creation and more opportunity for citizens, which is what we need. As more jobs are created, we will generate the revenue necessary to fund the core services of government such as education, transportation and public safety.
State Budget Update
This year the state legislature passed a responsible budget that funds the core services of government efficiently. The House and Senate were at odds on several portions of the budget, which required a great deal of work to reconcile. We ultimately agreed on a $21.7 billion spending plan for the current fiscal year.
Good News
Our state legislature has worked hard to be responsible with tax dollars and to increase government efficiency. As a result, we have the 16th lowest debt in the nation and we are one of only 15 states that have a AAA credit rating.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, we rank 10th in the nation for job creation and growth in per-capita income over the last year.
Forbes Magazine recently ranked North Carolina second on their list of "Best States for Business and Careers." We have also received favorable reviews from the Tax Foundation and the Wall Street Journal.
Our goal is to make North Carolina the best place to do business in the country. This will lead to job creation and more opportunity for citizens, which is what we need. As more jobs are created, we will generate the revenue necessary to fund the core services of government such as education, transportation and public safety.
State Budget Update
This year the state legislature passed a responsible budget that funds the core services of government efficiently. The House and Senate were at odds on several portions of the budget, which required a great deal of work to reconcile. We ultimately agreed on a $21.7 billion spending plan for the current fiscal year.
- Here are some highlights:
- Reduces the personal income tax rate to 5.5 percent (maintains flat rate)
- Increases standard tax deductions
- Allows the corporate tax rate to drop to 4 percent
- Reinstates the Medical Tax Deduction
- Reforms various state regulations and promotes transparency
- Increases K-12 education funding by over $400 million
- Increases starting teacher pay by 6 percent
- Funds teacher pay steps, which allows for pay increases
- Preserves funding for all teacher assistant positions
- Preserves funding for Driver's Education
- Enhances pay for Highway Patrol Officers
- Protects Highway Trust Fund revenue
- Continues modernization of the DMV
- Provides a $750 bonus for all state employees
- Provides funds to modernize the judicial system
- Increases funds in the State Savings Account
In addition to the highlights listed above, we also implemented Medicaid reform. This is intended to make the system more efficient and cost-effective. So far the reforms appear to be working, which is evidenced by the fact that Medicaid came in under its projected budget this year.
Legislative Work
Three bills that I filed this year have become law:
HB 126 - Streamlines laws and provides regulatory relief for small businesses in the mortgage processing/underwriting industry.
HB 607 - Allows parents and guardians to place a security freeze on their child's credit, protecting children from identity theft.
HB 651 - Reduces regulations and financial costs on small business in the real estate appraising industry.
There are other bills that I worked on this year, but these are three that I filed as a primary sponsor. I am honored that these bills have become law.
In Our Community
The best part of my job is having the opportunity to speak with constituents and meet new people. Here are a few photos from when I have been out and about in the community:
Speaking at a ceremony to honor the service of Robert Douglas Junior, who recently turned 103 years old. He is an Eagle Scout, former FBI agent and a licensed attorney. I had the honor of presenting him with a N.C. House Resolution and a flag that was flown over the State Capital.
Meeting with the principle of Aycock Middle School. I visited campus to speak with the students about state government and why they should get involved. They asked good questions about politics and public policy.
It was my honor to sign a "Reviving Downtowns" Proclamation that was made by Governor Pat McCrory. This was done at a press conference in downtown Burlington. We have many historical assets in our State that should be preserved.
With Governor Pat McCrory in a local music shop. The store owner was kind enough to let us play music for a few minutes. McCrory played the drums and I played bass guitar.
Reelection 2016
A few months ago I announced that I will be running for reelection in 2016. I would be honored to have your support of my campaign. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so online at www.jonhardister.com/contribute.
Thank you for your support!
Stay Updated
I will be sure to keep you updated concerning any developments related to the legislature. We are out of session until April of next year, but there is still activity when the legislature is adjourned. As always, don't hesitate to contact me with questions or comments.
Quote to Remember
"The highest calling of leadership is to unlock the potential of others."
- Carly Fiorina
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