Name as it appears on the ballot: Janene (Dublin) Ackles
Party affiliation: Democrat
Previous elected offices held: None
Age as of Election Day: 54
Immediate family members: Husband
Occupation (employer, where you work, what you do): Business consultant and grant writer with the non-profit Grantastic
Website and campaign social media: electackles.com, Facebook, Instagram
1. North Carolina law bans abortion in most cases after the 12th week of pregnancy. What change (if any) do you want to make to this, and why? And if no change, why no change?
I believe the government should not legislate reproductive health decisions. It is a matter of individual choice, and women should have the right to make decisions regarding their own bodies. This issue is not about determining what is right or wrong but rather about respecting personal autonomy and free will. Therefore, I would advocate for less government intervention in matters of reproductive health.
2. With high levels of toxic chemicals in Cumberland County’s drinking water, describe the assistance you plan to send to water utilities, and to people who use drinking water wells, to cover the costs of mitigating PFAS contamination.
To address PFAS contamination in Cumberland County’s drinking water, I plan to take a multi-faceted approach:
1. Support for water utilities: I would advocate for state funding and grants to help local water utilities upgrade filtration systems and infrastructure to effectively remove toxic chemicals like PFAS. This would reduce the financial burden on local municipalities and ensure safer water for the community.
2. Assistance for well users: For individuals relying on private drinking water wells, I would push for programs that provide free or subsidized water testing, and financial aid for installing home filtration systems where contamination is detected. This ensures access to safe drinking water, regardless of income.
3. Corporate accountability: I would work towards holding companies responsible for PFAS pollution accountable. This includes enforcing strict regulations, pushing for financial penalties and requiring companies to cover the cost of clean-up efforts. By ensuring corporate responsibility, we protect both public health and the environment.
3. North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarships are injecting hundreds of millions of tax dollars into the private school economy. Economists say that when the government puts money into an economy, prices rise. What price controls or other regulations do you intend to enact to prevent private schools from raising tuition prices at the expense of the North Carolina taxpayers?
First and foremost, I would fight relentlessly to repeal the Opportunity Scholarship bill once the supermajority is broken. It’s unacceptable for hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to be funneled into private schools without adequate safeguards. Private schools should not be allowed to raise tuition unchecked, especially at the expense of hard-working North Carolina families.
In the meantime, I would advocate for strict tuition controls and transparency measures. Private schools benefiting from public funds must be held accountable. There should be limits on how much they can increase tuition, and they must prove that the funds are being used to improve education, not just pad their profits.
This is about fairness, protecting taxpayers, and ensuring that every child in North Carolina, regardless of where they attend school, has access to a quality education without financial exploitation. Our tax dollars should support students, not inflate private school profits!
4. Based on increased spending to support education and infrastructure, and tax cuts enacted by the legislature, the General Assembly’s Fiscal Research Division projects that the state budget will start having shortfalls in the 2026-27 fiscal year, and these will exceed $2 billion by the 2028-29 fiscal year. The North Carolina Constitution requires the budget to be balanced. What should be done to prevent the shortfall?
To prevent the projected budget shortfall, we need a balanced and strategic approach that addresses both revenue and spending.
Reevaluate tax cuts: I would advocate for a review of the recent tax cuts. While tax relief can benefit many, we must ensure that it doesn’t come at the cost of critical services like education and infrastructure. We should consider adjusting tax policies to make sure we have a sustainable revenue stream, particularly from corporations and high-income earners who can contribute more without harming the broader economy.
Prioritize spending: We must ensure that state funds are directed toward the most essential services — education, health care, infrastructure and public safety. It’s crucial to review all spending and eliminate waste or inefficiencies. Programs that are outdated or no longer serve their intended purpose should be scaled back or discontinued.