Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

Education: UNC-Chapel Hill, AB History, LLB Law

Occupation: Attorney at Law

Military: Captain, United States Air Force

North Carolina House of Representatives, 6 terms

Committees (2009-2010):

• Chair, Appropriations
• Environmental & Natural Resources
• House Select Committee on High Speed Internet Access in Rural & Urban Areas
• Judiciary III
• Vice-Chair, Juvenile Justice
• Science and Technology
• Chair, University Board of Governors Nominating
• Ways and Means/Broadband Connectivity

Previous Elected or Appointed Experience:

• University of North Carolina Board of Governors
• Western Carolina University Board of Trustees
• NC Bar Association Board of Governors
• Chair, Senior Lawyers' Division
• Citizen Lawyer Award
• NC State Bar, Chair of the NC Conference of District Bar Presidents
• President, 30th District Bar
• Assistant Majority Counsel, US Senate Watergate Committee
• Attorney for Town of Sylva for 28 years
• National Conference of State Legislators
• Chair, Standing Committee on Law and Public Safety
• Western North Carolina Economic Development Commission (Advantage West)

Family:

• Wife, Constance M. (Connie) - VP Southwestern Community College
• Sons, Phillip, Scott and Tate
• Daughter, Ann
• Five Grandchildren

The first Haires arrived in Philadelphia, PA in 1720, and a few years later migrated down the Great Wagon Road to the piedmont mountains of North Carolina. Since that time, all of my ancestors have been born and lived in North Carolina. One of my ancestors served in the American Army during the Revolution; one was killed in Fredericksburg, Virginia while serving with the 7th NC Troop, CSA, and I served for three years as an officer in the United States Air Force.

On October 22, 2009 at the White House, I attended the signing by President Barack Obama of the Veterans Health Care Reform and Transparency Act. This Act gives better access to quality care.

With this heritage and history, it has been an honor to have served as one of your elected officials for six terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Also, I have been a state delegate to the National Conference of State Legislators, and among other activities served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Law and Criminal Justice.

During my tenure in Raleigh, I have served on several committees and study commissions including High Speed Broadband, Judiciary, Natural and Economic Resources, Ways and Means, Justice and Public Safety, and for the past two terms, as Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, which develops the budget. I might add that I am the only Chair of that committee west of Greensboro.

As Appropriations Chair, I have helped manage one of the largest downsizings of state government in North Carolina history. The international recession that reached North Carolina forced state leaders to cut over 3 billions dollars in spending over the past two fiscal years. Per capita spending in North Carolina is now the lowest it has been in 14 years. We budget writers continue to promote jobs, protect our natural resources, and maintain our quality public, community college, and university educational systems.