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Julie von Haefen, candidate for NC House District 36

Name: Julie von Haefen

Political party: Democrat

Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 51

Campaign website: www.juliefornc.com

Occupation: State legislator, retired attorney

Education: B.S. in Journalism, Ohio University; J.D., Case Western Reserve University

Have you run for elected office before? Yes, I am currently running for my third term in the NC House.

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I served as a PTA leader for over a decade in Wake County Public Schools, including as the Wake County PTA Council president. I also served on the state board for the North Carolina PTA. For the past year, I have served as a substitute teacher for Wake County Public Schools when the General Assembly is not in session. I obtained my certification as a Guardian ad Litem in Wake County and I am a longtime Meals on Wheels volunteer. I am a retired attorney who practiced law for nearly ten years.

What are the three issues that you see as most important to your district and what will you do to address them?

The most important issues in my district are increasing education funding so that every child in NC has access to a sound basic education, expanding Medicaid and providing access to affordable healthcare to thousands of North Carolinians, and protecting every North Carolinian’s right to reproductive freedom. I am proud to have introduced or sponsored legislation on all of these topics, from fully funding the Leandro decision to expanding Medicaid to codifying the rights of Roe v. Wade.

At a time when costs are rising, state government has a surplus. How should it be used?

I am disappointed that the General Assembly has not used our $6 billion surplus. Our surplus could be used to finally fully fund the Leandro decision and invest in our public schools. Investment in education will net returns for our economy by bringing industry to our state and creating the workforce of the future. The Leandro funding would make transformational changes to our public school system. Strong schools are good for our economy and good for our communities.

Will you vote for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina?

Yes.

What has the legislature gotten right, and what has it gotten wrong, about public education in North Carolina?

The legislature does not adequately fund our public education system. Ratios of students to nurses and teaching assistants are well above the national average, and schools cite significant capital investment needs that affect their ability to serve their students. Our state has failed to invest in supportive policies and programs that would allow teachers to thrive as career educators. I am glad we have seen some small increases in teacher pay in the last budget, but they are not nearly enough.

Should North Carolina change its abortion laws? How?

There should be fewer restrictions on abortion after 20 weeks.

Please add anything else voters should know about your position on the legality or availability of abortion in North Carolina.

I am proud to be a pro-choice candidate, endorsed by Pro-Choice North Carolina and Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic. I was the lead sponsor of HB 1119, which would have codified the protections in Roe, and I sponsored a bill in 2021 to remove many of the unnecessary restrictions to abortion access and affordability. I have also introduced budget amendments to remove state funding for crisis pregnancy centers, which are misusing taxpayer dollars without any oversight or accountability.

Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?

Yes.

What, if anything, should the legislature to do shape curriculum dealing with topics of race, sexuality and gender?

I do not support legislative attempts to control classroom curriculum or to ban books. Politicians should not take advantage of flash-point politics to interfere in an educator’s classroom. We should trust teachers to foster safe and inclusive learning environments for our children, and we should allow the appropriate curriculum committees to decide the content our students are taught in classrooms.

Do you accept the results of the 2020 presidential election?

Yes.