Where I Stand

On the Issues

Every issue below follows the same format: what the current Board of Commissioners has done, and what Felicia's approach would be instead. Sources are linked under each issue.

Issue 01Data Centers
Felicia's Stances
  • Committed to protecting Davidson County's farmland, rural land, and natural resources as growth decisions are made.
  • Puts public health first — air quality, noise, and water safety are central to every growth conversation.
  • Wants clear answers on what a data center would mean for local electricity costs and the water supply for Davidson County citizens before any project moves forward.
  • Not opposed to data centers as a whole, but will oppose any project that brings noise levels citizens can't live with, drives up electricity costs, or lowers air quality.
  • Sees enforceable noise limits and watershed buffer standards in the county's zoning rules as a tool she can bring out if a project doesn't meet the standard citizens deserve.
  • Supports using the county's special use permit process to attach real conditions — water use limits, noise limits, setbacks from homes — before a project is approved, not after.
The Approach

Current Commissioner Shortfalls

  • On August 24, the Board deadlocked 3-3 on a proposed six-month moratorium on new data center applications.
  • The moratorium would have paused approvals while the county studied impacts on water supply, the power grid, the environment, and public health.
  • Commissioners themselves acknowledged no data center project is actively targeting Davidson County yet — meaning the county still has no plan in place for when one arrives.
  • Because the vote failed, there is currently no study underway and no framework to evaluate a future proposal.

Felicia's Approach as Commissioner

  • Study the impact on water, electricity, and neighboring property values before a project shows up — not after a company already has a proposal on the table.
  • Put clear, public standards in place for water use, energy demand, and noise to reduce and limit the impact on Davidson County citizens.
  • Require a public hearing before any data center agreement is negotiated, not just before it's approved.
FAQs & Public Concerns

Does opposing a rushed decision mean you're against data centers, or against growth?

No. This is about having the facts before a project arrives, not turning any development away automatically. Clear standards actually make Davidson County a more attractive, predictable place for responsible companies to invest.

What would a data center mean for my water bill or electricity rates?

That's exactly the kind of question a proper study answers before a company shows up — not after. Right now, the honest answer is nobody knows, because that work hasn't been done yet. Felicia will oppose any project that comes forward without enough data to show its real impact on Davidson County citizens.

Isn't it too early to worry about this if no company has proposed a site yet?

Early is exactly when standards need to be in place. Setting the rules before a company is at the table gives citizens the most say and the county the clearest process to follow.

What happens if the Board still hasn't acted by the time a real proposal comes in?

Davidson County ends up negotiating from a weaker position, writing the rules under pressure instead of ahead of time. Getting standards in place now avoids that entirely.

Bottom Line

The question isn't whether you support data centers — it's whether the county has the facts to decide responsibly. If a data center checks every box — clean air quality, no harm to residential property values, no increase in energy costs, minimal to no environmental impact, no effect on public health, no effect on the drinking water supply, and positive public opinion — Felicia is more than happy to consider it. If it doesn't check those boxes, the answer is no. Right now, those questions aren't answered: no study, no standards, no plan. Davidson County needs the full picture before the next proposal lands on the county's desk, not decisions pushed through without it.

Issue 02The Southmont Sports Complex
Felicia's Stances
  • Not against the idea of a Southmont sports complex with citizen approval and adequate data surrounding the project so it can be planned properly.
  • Believes all projects that move tens of millions of dollars deserve citizen input and approval before any decisions are made.
  • Believes in budgeting responsibly and planning based on the data — weighing independent expert opinions alongside the county's own numbers, not relying on estimates alone.
  • Believes that with traffic, cost, and revenue details laid out honestly from the start, Davidson County could afford a project like this without ever needing to raise taxes to cover it.
The Approach

Current Commissioner Shortfalls

  • Commissioners authorized up to $65 million for the Southmont sports complex in 2025, then approved roughly $61 million in construction contracts and bids in March 2026 to actually build it.
  • Commissioners redirected $50 million originally budgeted for a Salisbury sewer expansion project to help pay for it, along with capital reserves and repurposed pandemic relief (ARPA) funds.
  • Because the county structured the deal with no new debt or zoning change, it was not legally required to hold a public hearing or bond referendum — the normal check taxpayers get on projects this size.
  • The vote wasn't unanimous: commissioners McClure, Mizell, and Kester voted against it, citing the need for more public input.
  • Revenue projections ($3M a year plus $1.7M in sponsorships) are the county's own estimates, not signed contracts.

Felicia's Approach as Commissioner

  • Require citizen input and approval before any project moves tens of millions of dollars between departments — sewer money into recreation, for example — whether or not it's technically required.
  • Lay out full cost, funding source, and revenue projections in writing, weighing independent expert opinions alongside the county's own numbers, before a vote is taken.
  • Budget and plan responsibly enough from the start that projects like this don't force a tax increase to cover shortfalls later.
FAQs & Public Concerns

Does opposing how this was funded mean she's against the sports complex itself?

No. She supports investing in recreation for Davidson County families. The issue is how the money moved and who got to weigh in before it did, not whether the county should have a place like this at all.

Would her approach have stopped the project?

Not necessarily. It would have required the county to lay out the full costs, funding sources, and revenue projections in public first, so citizens could see it, weigh in on whether they approve of it, and commissioners could plan around real numbers instead of estimates.

Why does it matter that field reductions and sponsorship talks are still happening months after the bid vote?

It shows the project wasn't mapped out as completely as it should have been before commissioners committed tens of millions of dollars to it. Better planning up front means the county isn't discovering budget shortfalls after ground has already been broken.

Does better planning really mean taxes wouldn't have to go up?

Yes. When a county lays out full costs, traffic impact, and revenue realistically from the start, it can budget for a project like this without needing an extra tax increase to cover surprises found later.

Bottom Line

The question isn't whether the sports complex is a good idea — it's whether $65 million should move between projects without citizens ever seeing the full numbers or having a say first. Right now it did. Felicia isn't against the idea; she's against decisions this size getting pushed through before the public sees the full picture. With honest cost, traffic, and revenue data laid out from the start — and independent expert opinions weighed alongside the county's own numbers — Davidson County could have built this without ever needing to raise taxes to cover it.

Issue 03Secret Agreements & Transparency
Felicia's Stances
  • Believes every agreement made in the county's name should be disclosed before it's signed, not after.
  • Believes every sitting commissioner should personally review the terms of a deal before it's approved, not learn about it after the fact.
  • Sees secrecy as a red flag, not routine cost of doing business — if a company won't deal with the county in the open, citizens deserve to know that.
  • Wants a standing disclosure policy stronger than the county's current after-the-fact rule, so citizens have real time to weigh in before anything is final.
The Approach

Current Commissioner Shortfalls

  • Citizens packed a commissioners' meeting after learning the county had signed a non-disclosure agreement tied to a rumored power plant proposal connected to data center demand.
  • Some commissioners said they weren't aware of the NDA's terms — meaning even the county's own elected officials weren't fully informed before it was signed.
  • More than a dozen citizens spoke out over transparency and environmental concerns during public comment.
  • In response, the board adopted a policy requiring NDAs to be disclosed after they're signed — a step forward, but still after the fact.

Felicia's Approach as Commissioner

  • No agreement gets signed in the county's name without every sitting commissioner reviewing the terms first.
  • Disclosure before signing, not after — taxpayers deserve to know what's being negotiated on their behalf while there's still time to weigh in.
  • If a company won't do business with the county without secrecy, that's information the public deserves to have too.
FAQs & Public Concerns

Isn't some confidentiality normal in business negotiations?

Some is standard, yes — but this NDA involved terms that some commissioners themselves said they didn't know, tied to a project that could affect the county's water and land. That's not routine business confidentiality; that's a transparency problem.

Doesn't the new after-the-fact disclosure policy already fix this?

It's a step forward, but it still means the public — and sometimes commissioners themselves — only find out what was agreed to after it's already signed. By then, there's no more room to weigh in.

Would requiring disclosure before signing scare companies away from Davidson County?

A responsible company shouldn't need secrecy to do business here. If a company insists on it, that's exactly the kind of thing citizens deserve to know before the county commits to anything.

Does this only apply to this one NDA, or would it change how the county operates going forward?

It's about setting a standing rule: no agreement gets signed in the county's name without every commissioner reviewing the terms and the public seeing them first, not just handling this one case after the fact.

Bottom Line

Some of the commissioners who voted on this deal didn't even know its terms first. Felicia commits to never signing a non-disclosure agreement tied to a county project. Full disclosure before any agreement is signed. Nothing should happen behind the scenes.

Issue 04Property Taxes
Felicia's Stances
  • Wants lower taxes for Davidson County families. Right now, it begins with better planning and budgeting. Overspending needs to stop.
  • Opposed to rate hikes on personal property taxes — there are other ways to bring in revenue for the county besides raising personal property tax rates.
  • Will not make blind decisions. Blind decisions lead to poor planning, which leads to project shortfalls.
The Approach

Current Commissioner Shortfalls

  • Davidson County's property revaluation, originally set for 2026, has been postponed to the 2027 tax year — so none of the numbers below have actually taken effect yet.
  • Before the postponement, the county's proposed budget was built around that revaluation: average home values estimated up roughly 65% (some homeowners 90-100%), paired with a proposed rate of 36.68¢ per $100 of value, down from 54¢.
  • Even with a lower proposed rate, that budget projected total property tax revenue rising about 4.6%, to roughly $91 million — because it was calculated against much higher values.
  • With revaluation now pushed to 2027, families are left budgeting without knowing what their actual assessed value or tax rate will be.

Felicia's Approach as Commissioner

  • Wants lower taxes for Davidson County families — real relief, earned through disciplined spending and an honest accounting of where tax revenue actually goes.
  • Get organized first: a full accounting of where existing tax dollars go, and where they're being wasted, before asking citizens to trust another rate change.
  • Good planning is how you responsibly cut taxes without cutting the services people rely on.
FAQs & Public Concerns

If she wants lower taxes, why hasn't she promised a specific number?

A number only means something if it's actually paid for. Before promising a rate, she wants the full accounting of where the money goes so any relief promised is real, not a temporary number that comes back around later.

Does wanting lower taxes conflict with paying for projects like the sports complex?

No — it's the same principle. Better planning and honest budgeting up front is what makes both possible: services get funded responsibly, and citizens don't get hit with rate hikes later to cover shortfalls that better planning would have caught.

Why does the revaluation postponement matter here?

Families can't judge whether a proposed rate is fair without knowing what their home's new assessed value will be. Postponing the revaluation just delays when citizens get the full picture — it doesn't fix the planning problem underneath it.

What does "better budgeting" actually look like in practice?

A full public accounting of where existing tax dollars go — and where they're being wasted — before asking citizens to trust another rate change.

Bottom Line

With the revaluation postponed and the numbers still in flux, no one — including the county — actually knows what the real bill will look like yet. Felicia isn't chasing a rate that just sounds good on paper. Real relief starts with disciplined spending, honest accounting, and the full picture before any number is set.

Issue 05Schools & Community Safety
Felicia's Stances
  • Believes good schools bring better home values for every family in the county.
  • Puts what's best for Davidson County's children first and always, starting with a safe environment for them to grow up in.
  • Sticks to the fundamentals of local government — prioritizing funding for infrastructure and schools, the areas commissioners actually have a say over.
  • Sees responsible planning as protecting the county's finances and the community kids are growing up in, together.
The Approach

Current Commissioner Shortfalls

  • Major growth decisions — data centers, industrial development, large capital projects — are being made without a clear picture of how they affect the neighborhoods and schools already here.
  • Families are left finding out about big changes to their community after the decisions are already made.

Felicia's Approach as Commissioner

  • As a mother with children in Davidson County schools, want every growth decision evaluated for what it means for families first — traffic, water, noise, and safety around our schools and neighborhoods.
  • Responsible planning means keeping the county our kids are growing up in a safe, stable place to live — dollars and community, together.
FAQs & Public Concerns

Does a county commissioner control what's taught in schools?

No — curriculum and day-to-day school operations are handled by the Davidson County Board of Education, not commissioners. What commissioners do control is the county's capital budget: funding for school construction, safety upgrades, and the infrastructure around growth that affects families.

What does "growth decisions affecting schools" actually mean?

Things like a new industrial project or data center changing traffic patterns near a school, adding demand on water and infrastructure, or bringing noise and construction that changes daily life for families nearby — all without residents finding out until after it's approved.

How would her approach change what happens today?

Growth decisions would come with an honest look at what they mean for the schools and neighborhoods nearby before commissioners vote, not after families start noticing changes to traffic or safety around them.

Isn't school safety a school board issue, not a commissioner issue?

Day-to-day school safety policy is the school board's job. But the county controls the capital budget that pays for safety upgrades and infrastructure — and commissioners set the tone for how seriously growth's impact on schools and families gets taken.

Bottom Line

Families are finding out about growth's impact on their neighborhoods and schools after the decisions are already made, not before. Felicia wants every growth decision evaluated for what it means for the kids and families who already live here — because responsible planning means protecting the community, not just the county's bottom line.

Issue 06Duke Energy's Gas Plants & SB266
Felicia's Stances
  • Cares about protecting the environment and keeping the Yadkin River and the land around it healthy for the community.
  • Wants complete water withdrawal, air quality, and cost data made public before the plant moves forward.
  • Believes the data centers are driving this demand and they should cover the real cost.
  • Knows the final decision on whether Duke can build here sits with state regulators, not the county — but will use every lever the county actually has: formal testimony, local land-use conditions where they apply, and a Board resolution of opposition.
The Approach

Current Commissioner Shortfalls

  • Duke Energy has identified a 1,600-acre company-owned site off Giles Road in western Davidson County, along the Yadkin River, as one of the locations under consideration for a new natural gas power plant — up to 1,360 megawatts — and has not made a final decision on where it will build.
  • Duke has pointed to surging electricity demand from data centers across North Carolina as a key driver behind the need for new gas plants like this one.
  • Based on estimates for a plant this size, a single facility could withdraw roughly 600,000 gallons of water a day from the Yadkin River for cooling — a projected net loss of about 200,000 gallons a day from the river basin, with warmer discharge water potentially harming aquatic life.
  • Under state law SB266, Duke Energy can bill ratepayers for financing costs on new gas plants as they're built, even if a plant is never completed, while the data centers driving the demand aren't guaranteed to cover those costs themselves.
  • Citizens across Davidson and Davie counties have packed public meetings and organized grassroots opposition, citing air pollution, water loss, emergency response, and the loss of rural character.

Felicia's Approach as Commissioner

  • Give this project the full public process a plant of this size deserves — complete details on water use, air quality, and cost laid out before it moves forward, not after.
  • Push for the data centers driving this demand — not everyday Davidson County electric customers — to cover the real cost of the power plants built to serve them.
  • Stand with the citizens already organizing against a project this size on the Yadkin River until the full picture is public.
FAQs & Public Concerns

Does opposing this plant mean she's against Duke Energy or growth in general?

No. Davidson County will need power as it grows. This is about making sure a plant this size doesn't move forward until citizens have real answers on water, air quality, and cost.

Can the county actually stop Duke Energy from building here?

The final decision sits with state regulators, not the county. But Davidson County still has real tools — formal testimony, land-use conditions where they apply, and a Board resolution — and Felicia will use every one of them if the effects remain unclear.

What happens if Duke chooses the Davie County site instead?

The concerns about cost and accountability under SB266 don't go away either way. Ratepayers across the region could still end up covering financing costs for a plant built to serve data center demand, regardless of which side of the river it lands on.

Why should data centers cover the cost instead of everyday customers?

The demand driving this plant is coming from data centers, not household electricity use. It's basic fairness that the industry creating the need helps cover what it costs to meet it.

Bottom Line

The question isn't whether Davidson County needs power — it's whether citizens and the Yadkin River should risk absorbing the cost of a gas plant built mainly to feed data center demand, if Duke ultimately chooses this site. Under SB266, ratepayers could foot financing costs either way, plant built here or not. That's not responsible energy planning.

Put the People Back in the Conversation.

Davidson County Deserves Better Planning

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