Ballot Pedia, Karl Gillespie

Karl is a fifth-generation Maconian from Western North Carolina. He is married to his wife, Janet Taylor Gillespie, and together they have one son. Karl and his family are members of the First United Methodist Church. 

Karl serves as the vice president for Global Communications, and he is the founder of National Communications, Inc.

Karl Gillespie currently serves as State Representative for North Carolina's State House District 120. He was first elected in 2020 and is serving his second term.
He serves as House Majority Whip, and holds chair positions on several committees, including the Appropriations-Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources Committee, and the Environment Committee.

Candidate website

Supports reducing personal income tax from 4.6% to 4.5% in CY 2024.

Supports reducing personal income tax from 4.6% to 4.5% in 2024.

Believes sustainable employment grows with economic development and supports creating pathways for skilled trades through high school and community college partnerships.

Believes in significant capital improvements, allocating $5 billion for projects and debt retirement, including $930 million for State agency and UNC building repairs.

Believes in significant capital improvements, allocating $5 billion for projects and debt retirement, including $930 million for State agency and university building repairs.

As a State Representative, balanced the budget and increased the “Rainy Day Fund” to $4.50 billion, the largest in North Carolina’s history.

Believes in spending every dollar wisely to improve government efficiency and effectiveness while maintaining low taxes and providing essential services.

Supports promoting local agricultural production and agritourism to boost the economy and create jobs. Believes agriculture is vital, noting it accounts for 17% of jobs and is a $100+ billion industry in North Carolina.

Believes in "financial accountability and transparency" by ensuring every dollar is spent wisely and improving government efficiency and effectiveness.

Believes in "Financial Accountability and Transparency" for the economy, including labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation. Supports policies that enhance economic transparency and accountability.

Believes in "Financial Accountability and Transparency" for the economy, including labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation. 

- Supports reducing personal income tax from 4.6% to 4.5% in 2024.
- Believes sustainable employment grows with economic development and supports creating pathways for skilled trades through high school and community college partnerships.
- Believes in significant capital improvements, allocating $5 billion for projects and debt retirement, including $930 million for State agency and university building repairs.
- As a State Representative, balanced the budget and increased the “Rainy Day Fund” to $4.50 billion, the largest in North Carolina’s history.
- Believes in spending every dollar wisely to improve government efficiency and effectiveness while maintaining low taxes and providing essential services.
- Supports promoting local agricultural production and agritourism to boost the economy and create jobs. Believes agriculture is vital, noting it accounts for 17% of jobs and is a $100+ billion industry in North Carolina.
- Believes in "Financial Accountability and Transparency" for the economy, including labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation. 

Economy

Believes in preserving natural resources and quality of life by balancing outdoor recreation, tourism, and maintaining Western North Carolina's rural character.

Believes in preserving Western North Carolina's natural beauty while supporting outdoor recreation and tourism. Plans to develop a forest plan that balances resource use with conservation for future generations.

Plans to develop a forest plan that balances resource use with conservation for future generations.

Supports investing in local government water and sewer infrastructure projects and regional economic development to boost the economy.

- Believes in preserving natural resources and quality of life by balancing outdoor recreation, tourism, and maintaining Western North Carolina's rural character.
- Plans to develop a forest plan that balances resource use with conservation for future generations.
- Supports investing in local government water and sewer infrastructure projects and regional economic development to boost the economy.

Energy & the Environment

Believes rural counties face significant healthcare challenges and supports collaboration with providers and insurers to ensure affordable, comprehensive care, including behavioral health and crisis services.

Believes rural counties face significant healthcare challenges and supports collaboration with providers and insurers to ensure affordable, quality care. Emphasizes the importance of recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals and enhancing behavioral health and crisis services.

Emphasizes the importance of recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals and enhancing behavioral health and crisis services.

- Believes rural counties face significant healthcare challenges and supports collaboration with providers and insurers to ensure affordable, comprehensive care, including behavioral health and crisis services.
- Emphasizes the importance of recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals and enhancing behavioral health and crisis services.

Healthcare

Facebook

Supports a "citizen-only voting" constitutional amendment.

Believes in strengthening "election integrity."

- Supports a "citizen-only voting" constitutional amendment.
- Believes in strengthening "election integrity."

Voting & Elections

Said, "We...passed numerous bills to combat antisemitism, remove squatters, support farmers, extend child care funding and protect children from sexual exploitation."

- Said, "We...passed numerous bills to combat antisemitism, remove squatters, support farmers, extend child care funding and protect children from sexual exploitation."

Public Safety

Believes funding formulas should support rural schools and ensure students can compete globally. As an advocate, supported $62 million for a new high school in Franklin and emphasizes financial support and resources for teachers.

Supports maintaining high educational standards, smaller class sizes, and creating pathways for high school graduates to attend universities and community colleges.

Supports maintaining high educational standards, small class sizes, and creating pathways for high school graduates to attend universities and community colleges.

Believes the lack of affordable broadband in rural counties hinders remote learning for up to 40% of households. Said, "This is extremely challenging where in some communities, up to 40 percent of the households do not have access to broadband."

Believes the lack of affordable broadband in rural counties hinders remote learning for up to "40 percent of households."

Believes the lack of affordable broadband is a major challenge for rural education, especially with remote learning. Said, "up to 40 percent of the households do not have access to broadband" in some communities.

Said, "Programs such as the USDA 'ReConnect' program and the North Carolina 'GREAT' grants must be expanded. These programs along with regional and local grants to companies would facilitate driving affordable high-speed connectivity further into our communities."

- Believes funding formulas should support rural schools and ensure students can compete globally. As an advocate, supported $62 million for a new high school in Franklin and emphasizes financial support and resources for teachers.
- Supports maintaining high educational standards, smaller class sizes, and creating pathways for high school graduates to attend universities and community colleges.
- Believes the lack of affordable broadband in rural counties hinders remote learning for up to "40 percent of households."
- Said, "Programs such as the USDA 'ReConnect' program and the North Carolina 'GREAT' grants must be expanded. These programs along with regional and local grants to companies would facilitate driving affordable high-speed connectivity further into our communities."

Education

Foreign Policy and Immigration

LinkedIn

Karl Gillespie

Karl Gillespie is a fifth-generation Maconian from Western North Carolina. He is married to his wife, Janet Taylor Gillespie,, and together they have one son , Logan. Karl and his family are members of the First United Methodist Church. 

Karl serves as the vice president for Global Communications, and he is the founder of National Communications, Inc.. 

Karl Gillespie currently serves as State Representative for North Carolina's State House District 120.. He was first elected in 2020 and is serving his second term.
He serves as House Majority Whip, and  holds chair positions on several committees, including the Appropriations-Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources Committee, and the Environment Committee,

The candidate's website says, "Compensation Increases: More than $2.4 billion in salary and benefit increases for State employees, retirees, and State-supported local employees"

- Believes sustainable employment grows with economic development and supports creating pathways for skilled trades through high school and community college partnerships.
- Supports investing in local government water and sewer infrastructure projects and regional economic development to boost the economy.
- Believes in significant capital improvements, allocating $5 billion for projects and debt retirement, including $930 million for State agency and UNC building repairs.
- As a State Representative, balanced the budget and increased the “Rainy Day Fund” to $4.50 billion, the largest in North Carolina’s history.
- Believes in spending every dollar wisely to improve government efficiency and effectiveness while maintaining low taxes and providing essential services.
- Supports promoting local agricultural production and agritourism to boost the economy and create jobs. Believes agriculture is vital, noting it accounts for 17% of jobs and is a $100+ billion industry in North Carolina.

- Believes in preserving natural resources and quality of life by balancing outdoor recreation, tourism, and maintaining Western North Carolina's rural character.
- Believes in preserving Western North Carolina's natural beauty while supporting outdoor recreation and tourism. Plans to develop a forest plan that balances resource use with conservation for future generations.

Supports allocating $420 million to improve rural healthcare access and $800 million for behavioral health programs.

- Believes rural counties face significant healthcare challenges and supports collaboration with providers and insurers to ensure affordable, comprehensive care, including behavioral health and crisis services.

As of June 14, 2024, Karl Gillespie’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports funding for public safety projects, including a 911 call center and EMS station.

Supports raising starting annual teacher pay to $39,000 in FY 2023-24 and $41,000 in FY 2024-25.

- Believes funding formulas should support rural schools and ensure students can compete globally. As an advocate, supported $62 million for a new high school in Franklin and emphasizes financial support and resources for teachers.
- Supports maintaining high educational standards, smaller class sizes, and creating pathways for high school graduates to attend universities and community colleges.
- Believes the lack of affordable broadband in rural counties hinders remote learning for up to 40% of households. Said, "This is extremely challenging where in some communities, up to 40 percent of the households do not have access to broadband."

- Supports reducing personal income tax from 4.6% to 4.5% in CY 2024.
- Believes sustainable employment grows with economic development and supports creating pathways for skilled trades through high school and community college partnerships.
- Supports investing in local government water and sewer infrastructure projects and regional economic development to boost the economy.
- Believes in significant capital improvements, allocating $5 billion for projects and debt retirement, including $930 million for State agency and UNC building repairs.
- As a State Representative, balanced the budget and increased the “Rainy Day Fund” to $4.50 billion, the largest in North Carolina’s history.
- Believes in spending every dollar wisely to improve government efficiency and effectiveness while maintaining low taxes and providing essential services.
- Supports promoting local agricultural production and agritourism to boost the economy and create jobs. Believes agriculture is vital, noting it accounts for 17% of jobs and is a $100+ billion industry in North Carolina.

Karl Gillespie is a fifth-generation Maconian from Western North Carolina. He is married to Janet Taylor Gillespie, a fellow Macon County native, and they have one son named Logan. Karl and his family are members of the First United Methodist Church. He lives on his family farm where they raise registered black Angus cattle.

Karl Gillespie is the founder of National Communications, Inc. (NCI), a regional company specializing in the installation and maintenance of low voltage communications systems, which he started in 1999. He has served as a Macon County Commissioner and was a past member of the Southwestern Community College Board of Trustees. Additionally, he has held a position on the Macon County Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

Karl Gillespie is in his second term as a Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, where he serves as House Majority Whip. He holds chair positions on several committees, including the Appropriations-Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources Committee, and the Environment Committee, as well as vice-chair roles in other committees such as Agriculture, Appropriations, Federal Relations and American-Indian Affairs, and Wildlife Resources. Gillespie has also served as a Macon County Commissioner and has filed for reelection to the North Carolina House 120th district.

- Your State Representative participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 129 members of the North Carolina House of Representatives. The North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Representative drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Representative can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Representative is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- State Representatives are elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina House of Representatives.