Issues

Wiley Nickel for NC

Strengthening NC Public Education

Public education has always been our country’s greatest equalizer, educating and lifting all. North Carolina, once a leader in public school education, has failed our students, parents, and educators in recent years.  North Carolinians deserve better. In the State Senate, Wiley will fight every day to fully fund public education, raise teacher salaries to above the national average, and reduce class sizes and the amount of classroom time spent on standardized testing.

Building an Economy that Works for Everyone

A strong middle class is the sign of a strong economy. In the years since the Great Recession, the middle class is still suffering. Wiley Nickel is focused on growing the middle class by creating jobs, building the local economy, and reducing income inequality between the rich and the poor. In the State Senate, Wiley will work to make the economy fair and inclusive by cutting taxes for working and middle-class families.  He will accomplish this by making wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share of taxes, raising the minimum wage to a $15 living wage, and making sure women receive equal pay for equal work.

Expanding access to Affordable Healthcare

Wiley Nickel supports Universal Healthcare and Medicaid expansion for North Carolina. In the State Senate, he will work to expand access to affordable healthcare for all North Carolinians.  Currently, 32 States and D.C. have expanded Medicaid to make health care more affordable for millions of Americans.  Republicans in the NC General Assembly have repeatedly blocked Medicaid Expansion, leaving up to 500,000 North Carolinians without affordable health care.  Our tax dollars sent to Washington are already paying for expanded Medicaid coverage in other states.  We must expand Medicaid for the working poor and seniors in North Carolina, as well. This would bring up to 5,000 good high paying jobs in Wake County.  In addition, with 500,000 more NC citizens being insured,  there would be reductions of up to 7% in health care premiums for everyone else in North Carolina.

Protecting the Environment

Wiley Nickel is a champion for North Carolina’s environment. As someone who worked for Vice President Al Gore for years, Wiley will hold corporate polluters responsible for endangering our water, air, and protected ecosystems. Wiley will work to combat climate change by making clean, renewable energy more accessible and affordable for North Carolina families and businesses.

Criminal Justice Reform

The United States Constitution bans “punishing a person for his poverty.” However, current prison bail systems nationwide do exactly that. Those who cannot pay bail, which includes many low-income and minority groups, often face consequences such as job loss or serving unnecessary jail time for minor crimes. This issue affects all of us, not only those who are being charged excessive bails for minor crimes. About $14 billion taxpayer dollars are wasted each year to keep the mostly nonviolent population awaiting trial in prison. Wiley Nickel supports bail bond reform, sentencing reform, and a moratorium on for-profit private prisons. He will fight to create NC laws that reform and reshape our state’s criminal justice system.

Protecting Women’s Rights

Women’s rights are human rights. Wiley Nickel is pro-choice and is unwavering in his commitment to protecting funding for Planned Parenthood. In the State Senate, Wiley will fight the right-wing extremists who want to put politicians between women and their doctors.

Equal Rights and Justice for North Carolina

North Carolina was once a progressive leader in the South.  Discriminatory laws like HB2 have cost our state thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue.  Wiley Nickel supports marriage equality and a full repeal of HB142.  Wiley cares about issues that matter to the LGBTQ community and fully supports efforts to combat hate violence.  Wiley will be a leader in efforts to make North Carolina a state that is inclusive of everyone.

Commonsense Gun Safety

Almost half of all Americans know someone affected by gun violence. Wiley Nickel will fight the powerful gun lobby and the NC GOP for common sense gun safety policies that will keep guns out of the hands of felons, domestic abusers, and would be terrorists. In the State Senate, Wiley will fight to close gun show loopholes and pass universal background checks.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform

We need comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for the eleven million undocumented immigrants in the United States.  Wiley Nickel is a strong supporter of DACA.  On the State level, Wiley will support driving privileges for undocumented residents in North Carolina and in-state college tuition for DACA recipients living in North Carolina.

Improving our Democracy

Gerrymandering is wrecking our Democracy! The 2016 election proves that special interests have too much control over politicians and our government: the voices of everyday North Carolinians are getting drowned out. In the State Senate, Wiley will fight to get big money out of politics, push for independent non-partisan redistricting reform, and improve access to the ballot.