NC Rep. Ray Pickett visits Ashe to answer questions from constituents

WEST JEFFERSON — On Thursday evening, July 18, the Ashe County Republican Party hosted a community chat with Ray Pickett at Sweet and Savory Bakery and Deli in West Jefferson. Pickett is the current NC House Representative for District 93, which includes Ashe County and is running for reelection this November.

Rep. Pickett fielded questions and engaged in numerous discussions with members of Ashe County for two hours as all were refreshed with beverages and bakery delectables from Sweet and Savory.

A broad spectrum of topics was discussed including clean and accurate voter rolls, ensuring only citizens vote in NC, upcoming changes in state income tax laws in NC, efforts to get new industries into NC to increase jobs and tax income for the state, bills about cryptocurrencies in NC, DHS rules concerning the Baby Box, and issues and regulations affecting NC volunteer firefighters.

A lengthy discussion ensued on several aspects of energy cost, conservation, and production for NC citizens and businesses. These included the heavy draw on electric infrastructure by the increase in EVs and AI computing. One particular point was ways of recouping the lost gas tax revenue from the drop in gasoline purchases, and thus the gas tax revenue, due to the increase in Electric Vehicles. How does this revenue loss affect the maintenance and repairs necessitated by the increased impact on roads and bridges caused by the markedly increased weight of EVs over internal combustion vehicles? Also ratiocinated were several local issues including the issues in maintaining a properly functioning dump, the challenges and barriers in the recycling of plastics and aluminum, and why the recycling of glass products is not more pervasive in our county and state. Several other local issues were reviewed.

Pickett articulated a quick and informed understanding of the topics and engaged in real-world explanations and exchange of ideas. While recognizing the press and urgency of many of the issues brought up, he also discussed ideas and congressional efforts that are practical in the short to mid-term and identified solutions that are more realistically ones that will take a longer approach to accomplish.

The participants expressed appreciation for Pickett’s rational and balanced interactions and responses as the citizens led the questions and topics rather than his commandeering of the time with a campaign speech and canned responses as those running for reelection are often wont to do. Rather, the participants departed with a sense that Pickett was both conversant and invested in the issues facing the citizens of Ashe County and the state.

The Ashe County Republican Party extended thanks to Rep. Pickett for accepting their invitation to this meeting with the Ashe community and to Sweet and Savory Bakery and Deli for providing the venue.