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As of July 13, 2024, Karen "Kate" Reichert’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Kate is a retired research scientist and administrator. She is also an operator of her own cattle farm in Harnett County.

Karen "Kate" Reichert's campaign for the Harnett County Board of Commissioners is her first run for public office.

Candidate website

Believes that failing to plan results in a lack of essential quality of life programs, including funding for libraries, community meeting spaces, and parks and recreation. Said, "Neglecting these areas undermines the well-being and development of our community as a whole."

Believes that failing to plan results in a lack of essential quality of life programs, including funding for libraries, community meeting spaces, and parks and recreation, saying, "Neglecting these areas undermines the well-being and development of our community as a whole."

The candidate's website says, "Preserve Natural Resources: Identify and protect critical natural resources, such as water bodies and green spaces, to maintain the county's environmental integrity."

Plans to "identify and protect critical natural resources, such as water bodies and green spaces, to maintain the county's environmental integrity."

Supports initiatives for outreach programs to strengthen community-farmer relationships and garner community support for preserving agricultural legacy.

Believes in "encouraging public participation in solution processes" for public services, including libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.

Believes in proactive investment in public services to strengthen communities and manage growth responsibly. Supports a County Commission that listens, plans, and leads to improve libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.

Believes in proactive investment in public services to strengthen communities and manage growth responsibly and supports a County Commission that listens, plans, and leads to improve libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.

Believes Harnett County residents should define priorities for public services to shape the county's future. Opposes prioritizing developers' interests over citizens' needs.

Believes Harnett County residents should define priorities for public services to shape the county's future, and opposes prioritizing developers' interests over citizens' needs.

Believes in ensuring public services are accessible to all citizens, including those without computer access or newspaper subscriptions. Supports thorough advertising to reach the entire community.

Believes in ensuring public services are accessible to all citizens, including those without computer access or newspaper subscriptions, and supports thorough advertising to reach the entire community.

- Believes that failing to plan results in a lack of essential quality of life programs, including funding for libraries, community meeting spaces, and parks and recreation, saying, "Neglecting these areas undermines the well-being and development of our community as a whole."
- Plans to "identify and protect critical natural resources, such as water bodies and green spaces, to maintain the county's environmental integrity."
- Supports initiatives for outreach programs to strengthen community-farmer relationships and garner community support for preserving agricultural legacy.
- Believes in "encouraging public participation in solution processes" for public services, including libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.
- Believes in proactive investment in public services to strengthen communities and manage growth responsibly and supports a County Commission that listens, plans, and leads to improve libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.
- Believes Harnett County residents should define priorities for public services to shape the county's future, and opposes prioritizing developers' interests over citizens' needs.
- Believes in ensuring public services are accessible to all citizens, including those without computer access or newspaper subscriptions, and supports thorough advertising to reach the entire community.

Public Services

Believes economic growth is essential to counterbalance revenue shortfalls from residential developments. Said, "we have become a 'Bedroom Community,' with the majority of our residents commuting to work and shop in adjacent counties."

Believes economic growth is essential to counterbalance revenue shortfalls from residential developments, saying, "We have become a 'Bedroom Community,' with the majority of our residents commuting to work and shop in adjacent counties."

Supports providing financial incentives, such as tax breaks, grants, and low-interest loans, to attract businesses to the county.

Believes Harnett County must diversify its tax base to support rapid growth.

Believes commercial and industrial businesses create jobs and higher wages. Supports attracting essential businesses like grocery stores, pharmacies, retail shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues to reduce the need for citizens to leave the county.

Believes commercial and industrial businesses create jobs and higher wages, and supports attracting essential businesses like grocery stores, pharmacies, retail shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues to reduce the need for citizens to leave the county.

Supports collaborating with educational institutions to create training programs, ensuring a skilled local workforce for well-paying jobs.

Supports public-private partnerships to share costs and risks in development projects, promoting economic growth.

Believes businesses are essential for generating tax revenue to fund schools, healthcare, and other local government functions.

Supports holding town hall and public forum meetings to involve citizens in economic planning.

Believes that with proper planning, development and agriculture can coexist in a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship.

Believes in "supporting a skilled local workforce" to strengthen the economy. Supports policies that address labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation.

Believes in "supporting a skilled local workforce" to strengthen the economy, and supports policies that address labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulations.

- Believes economic growth is essential to counterbalance revenue shortfalls from residential developments, saying, "We have become a 'Bedroom Community,' with the majority of our residents commuting to work and shop in adjacent counties."
- Supports providing financial incentives, such as tax breaks, grants, and low-interest loans, to attract businesses to the county.
- Believes Harnett County must diversify its tax base to support rapid growth.
- Believes commercial and industrial businesses create jobs and higher wages, and supports attracting essential businesses like grocery stores, pharmacies, retail shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues to reduce the need for citizens to leave the county.
- Supports collaborating with educational institutions to create training programs, ensuring a skilled local workforce for well-paying jobs.
- Supports public-private partnerships to share costs and risks in development projects, promoting economic growth.
- Believes businesses are essential for generating tax revenue to fund schools, healthcare, and other local government functions.
- Supports holding town hall and public forum meetings to involve citizens in economic planning.
- Believes that with proper planning, development and agriculture can coexist in a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship.
- Believes in "supporting a skilled local workforce" to strengthen the economy, and supports policies that address labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulations.

Economy

Believes "our public schools are failing our children" due to overcrowded and outdated facilities. Supports prioritizing strategic infrastructure development and long-term educational planning.

Believes "our public schools are failing our children" due to overcrowded and outdated facilities, and supports prioritizing strategic infrastructure development and long-term educational planning.

Believes teacher salary disparities hinder attracting and retaining quality educators. Supports addressing the pay gap to improve education quality.

Believes teacher salary disparities hinder attracting and retaining quality educators, and supports addressing the pay gap to improve education quality.

Supports increased funding for public education to hire qualified teachers, upgrade facilities, and implement educational programs.

Supports initiatives benefiting students outside the classroom and advocates for increased state funding and policies to improve local education.

Believes increased property values negatively impacted Harnett public schools by causing the NC Department of Public Instruction to withhold $5.8M in funding.

Believes in collaboration between the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education to improve the education system. Plans to address common concerns and work towards shared goals for enhancing educational quality.

Believes in collaboration between the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education to improve the education system.

Supports ongoing support for Career and Technical Education programs in middle and high schools.

Supports ongoing support for career and technical education programs in middle and high schools.

Believes children should be prepared for well-paying jobs with good benefits.

- Believes "our public schools are failing our children" due to overcrowded and outdated facilities, and supports prioritizing strategic infrastructure development and long-term educational planning.
- Believes teacher salary disparities hinder attracting and retaining quality educators, and supports addressing the pay gap to improve education quality.
- Supports increased funding for public education to hire qualified teachers, upgrade facilities, and implement educational programs.
- Supports initiatives benefiting students outside the classroom and advocates for increased state funding and policies to improve local education.
- Believes increased property values negatively impacted Harnett public schools by causing the NC Department of Public Instruction to withhold $5.8M in funding.
- Believes in collaboration between the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education to improve the education system.
- Supports ongoing support for career and technical education programs in middle and high schools.
- Believes children should be prepared for well-paying jobs with good benefits.

Education

Believes addressing staffing shortages in public safety roles is crucial and supports fair compensation for teachers, first responders, social services staff, and law enforcement personnel.

- Believes addressing staffing shortages in public safety roles is crucial and supports fair compensation for teachers, first responders, social services staff, and law enforcement personnel.

Public Safety

Believes that failing to plan and manage growth leads to a "dramatic loss of farmlands, forests, and open spaces." Supports developing a Comprehensive Land Use Plan to protect farms and open spaces.

Believes that failing to plan and manage growth leads to a "dramatic loss of farmlands, forests, and open spaces," and supports developing a Comprehensive Land Use Plan to protect farms and open spaces.

Believes uncontrolled growth in Harnett County leads to traffic congestion, school overcrowding, and strain on emergency services. Plans to address rapid urbanization and the projected population boom in District 4.

Believes uncontrolled growth in Harnett County leads to traffic congestion, school overcrowding, and strain on emergency services, and plans to address rapid urbanization and the projected population boom in District 4.

Believes in shifting focus from residential development to balanced commercial growth and agricultural preservation. Supports ensuring county growth aligns with the ability to provide essential services and protect the agriculture industry.

Believes in shifting focus from residential development to balanced commercial growth and agricultural preservation, and supports ensuring county growth aligns with the ability to provide essential services and protect the agriculture industry.

Believes in updating and utilizing the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Unified Development Ordinance to better manage growth and financial challenges.

Supports establishing county-level agreements with developers to fund public services and infrastructure expansion due to new developments.

Believes in advocating for compact development to minimize farmland loss and infrastructure expansion, making housing more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.

Supports integrating the county's Land Use Plan into the Land Use Ordinance to promote coherent and sustainable development.

Believes property taxes should reflect current market values. Supports lowering tax rates to keep the overall property tax burden low.

Believes property taxes should reflect current market values, and supports lowering tax rates to keep the overall property tax burden low.

Believes raising property taxes impacts owners but is necessary to match the county’s wealth status. Warns against repeatedly using the “rainy day fund” as it risks depleting the fund and weakening the county’s bond rating.

Believes raising property taxes impacts owners but is necessary to match the county’s wealth status, and warns against repeatedly using the “rainy day fund” as it risks depleting the fund and weakening the county’s bond rating.

Believes in managing growth by planning for new families and jobs moving to the county.

- Believes that failing to plan and manage growth leads to a "dramatic loss of farmlands, forests, and open spaces," and supports developing a Comprehensive Land Use Plan to protect farms and open spaces.
- Believes uncontrolled growth in Harnett County leads to traffic congestion, school overcrowding, and strain on emergency services, and plans to address rapid urbanization and the projected population boom in District 4.
- Believes in shifting focus from residential development to balanced commercial growth and agricultural preservation, and supports ensuring county growth aligns with the ability to provide essential services and protect the agriculture industry.
- Believes in updating and utilizing the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Unified Development Ordinance to better manage growth and financial challenges.
- Supports establishing county-level agreements with developers to fund public services and infrastructure expansion due to new developments.
- Believes in advocating for compact development to minimize farmland loss and infrastructure expansion, making housing more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.
- Supports integrating the county's Land Use Plan into the Land Use Ordinance to promote coherent and sustainable development.
- Believes property taxes should reflect current market values, and supports lowering tax rates to keep the overall property tax burden low.
- Believes raising property taxes impacts owners but is necessary to match the county’s wealth status, and warns against repeatedly using the “rainy day fund” as it risks depleting the fund and weakening the county’s bond rating.
- Believes in managing growth by planning for new families and jobs moving to the county.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports prioritizing infrastructure projects to reduce traffic, upgrade services, improve public safety, and address overcrowded schools.

Supports developing and enhancing alternative transportation options like walking paths, biking lanes, and public transit to reduce dependency on individual vehicles.

- Supports prioritizing infrastructure projects to reduce traffic, upgrade services, improve public safety, and address overcrowded schools.
- Supports developing and enhancing alternative transportation options like walking paths, biking lanes, and public transit to reduce dependency on individual vehicles.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Karen "Kate" Reichert

Believes in "prioritizing the voices and well-being of the community" in public services, including libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.

The candidate's website says, "Our County Board of Commissioners currently faces a challenge in fostering transparency and public engagement."

Believes in "seeking public input for county decisions" regarding Public Services, including Libraries, Parks, Recreation, and Community Building. Supports community engagement in decision-making processes.

The candidate's website says, "Low Performance Designation: Harnett County has been identified as a Low Performing School District by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI). In 2022 and 2023, our school system received a failing grade, with no school rated A and one school rated B. Most concerning was that of Harnett's 28 (2002) and 29 (2003) schools, three quarters of the schools were rated as either a D (67%) or an F (7%)."

The candidate's website says, "Insufficient Funding: The Harnett County Board of Commissioners allocated only $900.90 per pupil in 2022, significantly lower than the North Carolina average of $2,457.04. The data for 2023 is not yet available."

Supports ensuring that investments in expanding the Harnett County Jetport yield profitable returns for the county.

As of July 8, 2024, Karen (Kate) Reichert’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Karen (Kate) Harrington Reichert is a retired research scientist and administrator with decades of experience. She is also an operator of her own cattle farm in Harnett County.

Karen (Kate) Reichert

- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay property and sales tax rates, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners can create, change, or abolish offices, positions, departments that are not required by law. 
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms, with no term limits. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.