Candidate Biography (submitted by campaign):

Kitty Barnes has served the citizens of Catawba County as County Commissioner since 1998. She is the past president of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and is chairwoman of her local board. Her local involvement with challenging issues has led to her serving on statewide committees regarding public health, mental health reform, and the current State Fiscal Modernization Study Commission and the Higher Education Bond Oversight Committee.

Kitty’s local work includes chairing the regional air quality task force for attainment standards for ozone and particulate matter and serving as chairman of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments. Having been a member of the Catawba County Board of Education for 12 years, her involvement with the Hickory Metro Higher Education Center is an extension of her interest in providing life-long educational opportunities in her region. As president of the Board, she is proud to note the 400 adult students who have earned their bachelors or masters degree at the center since its founding in 2002.

Kitty was honored by the Greater Federation of Women’s Clubs of north Carolina as a Woman Achievement in April, 2007 and as Commissioner of the Year by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, August 2007. She has also been recognized by the NC School Boards Association with their highest honor in 1998 and the vocation service Award given by the Catawba Valley in 200.

She and her husband, Dan, have been married for 38 years and have two adult children. She is a member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Hickory.

I will be strong representative for District 42 (Catawba and parts of Iredell County) and for Western North Carolina in state government. We need a leader with vision and determination to shape the future of North Carolina, and my record proves I have the ability to be that person.

The loss of well-paying manufacturing jobs and the global economy have negatively impacted our communities and neighborhoods for over seven years. It is past time to retool our workforce for a 21st Century economy competitive with all countries.

We need to focus our state resources on our legal citizens for worker training and k-12 education to prepare our children for the challenges of our new world; otherwise we will only increase the tax burden on all taxpayers now and in the future. Infrastructure for roads water, and sewer must become a much higher priority, yet the legislature must be more fiscally responsible. All state funded programs should be reviewed for efficacy and efficiency at a minimum of every five years.

My focus for District 42 will include the development of skilled well-paying jobs, workforce training and education to compete in the global economy, and highway construction and maintenance. My leadership will include building coalitions amongst other legislators and lobbying state agencies to increase resources for the region. I will be in Raleigh solely to represent my constituents and our region.

I ask for your vote in the Republican Primary May 6th, I will represent your conservative values