Allen Buansi, candidate for NC House of Representatives District 56
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Candidates for NC House District 56
Democrats Allen Buansi and Jonah Garson are running for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District 56 in Orange County. They are the only two candidates running to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Verla Insko, who is stepping down in May.
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Name: Allen Buansi
Political Party: Democratic
Age on election night: 36
Website: www.allenbuansi.com
Occupation: Lawyer
Education: J.D., University of North Carolina | B.A. in History, Dartmouth College
Have you run for elected office before? Yes, I was elected to the Chapel Hill Town Council in 2017 and served through end of my term in 2021.
Civic involvement: Chapel Hill Town Council | Gov. Cooper’s appointee on the Local Government Employee Retirement System Board of Trustees | State Board of Common Cause NC | Policy and Field Director on Josh Stein’s 2016 campaign for Attorney General | Executive Board of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP
School test scores dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. What should North Carolina do to improve student performance?
Mental health support is vital to student success. We need to provide more social workers, nurses and counselors in schools. We also need to meet the demand of 666,625 students for after-school programming. Still, we need to increase teacher pay substantially and provide more teaching assistants.
What do you want to happen in North Carolina if Roe v. Wade is overturned?
North Carolina should codify Roe v. Wade. The Whole Women’s Health Act would eliminate arbitrary restrictions on the right to choose, like the required 72-hour waiting period. Such restrictions threaten the health of women, do not change minds and put an undue burden on access to reproductive care.
What should North Carolina do to reduce violent crime?
We should support community-based policing approaches. This mobilizes and involves community leaders in concert with law enforcement, and it invests in youth violence prevention and restorative justice practices. We need to support after-school programming, job growth and safe, affordable housing.
Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?
Yes. Medical marijuana has been shown to be a safer treatment than some current legal treatments. It reduces chronic pain and vomiting induced by chemotherapy, among other health conditions. The majority of the country has legalized medical marijuana, and there is bipartisan support for it here.
What should the state’s minimum wage be? What policies would you support to help struggling North Carolinians?
I support a minimum wage of at least $15 per hour in a phased-in approach. Two states have already implemented a $15 per hour minimum wage, and nine others are on that path. I would also support the restoration of the earned income tax credit to help working families and other measures.
Should North Carolina expand Medicaid, and how?
Yes, North Carolina should expand Medicaid to insure over 500,000 North Carolinians and prevent the closure of more rural hospitals. Once we take this step forward for our state, we must ensure we don’t take any steps backwards, such as imposing work requirements and other eligibility barriers.
Is there an area where you disagree with your party? Why?
In the 2000s, the Democrat-led General Assembly had a chance to pass independent redistricting to ensure fair maps for state legislative elections. Now, we need to support independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions. It can help restore faith and confidence in our democratic elections.
What are your top three issues?
Health care, education and climate change
This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 11:29 AM.