Vermillion Residents Asked - LaToya Answered

Following is a summary of my views on the questions that Vermillion residents wanted to know. Many thanks to Jeff Sny and the Vermillion HOA Committee for inviting the candidates for an open discussion with residents. I take seriously my role, and its non-partisan designation. My first job is to listen and to represent the citizens of Huntersville to the best of my ability. If you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to fill out a form on my website or email me. My door is always open. ~ LaToya

1. Beyond core municipal services, what do you think Huntersville should be doing for its citizens—and why?

In my first term, I focused on making local government more accessible and responsive, from advocating for clearer communication with developers to championing citizen engagement initiatives in historically underrepresented neighborhoods like Pottstown. That work has shown me what else local government can and should be doing.

Huntersville should be creating pathways to economic mobility, affordable living, and inclusive community-building. That includes:

• Strengthening small business ecosystems by offering permit and compliance guidance, expanding access to entrepreneurial education (via CPCC, The Lake Norman Chamber and Link Lake Norman), and facilitating "buy local" initiatives.

• Collaborating with employers and developers to advance workforce housing, which I began in my first term by helping deliver 10 new workforce units.

• Deepening civic engagement through regular community listening sessions outside of and transparent governance that invites feedback early and often. I’ll be enhancing my website after the election to include a monthly update that helps residents see more clearly how I am working to improve Huntersville’s future.

Government is about more than services, I believe it’s about partnership, planning, and people. That’s how we build a Huntersville where everyone can thrive.

2. If you could change two things in the 2040 Community Plan during your first board meeting, what would they be, and why?

1. Make Workforce Housing a Primary Component, not a subset of growth planning.
In my first term, I was proud to help deliver new workforce housing units, but I know the need far exceeds what we’ve accomplished. By elevating workforce housing within the 2040 Plan, we signal that this is not a niche or “campaign” concern, it’s an economic, and livability priority that directly impacts teachers, first responders, and everyday families.

2. Require Stronger Accountability Metrics for Developers.
If we communicate more proactively with developers and partner with those who pair well with our vision, development can move more smoothly for all parties involved. We need to maintain clear and binding infrastructure alignment requirements and community impact thresholds that are clearly communicated in advance and are addressed early in the approval process.

My first-term work of forming positive relationships while still holding developers accountable to the spirit and specifics of the 2040 Plan and the desires of the overall community has laid the groundwork. Codifying expectations around roads, walkability, affordability, and preservation of community character will help draw the right partners and investments to Huntersville.

3. What ideas do you have, beyond existing NCDOT and CIP projects that would meaningfully improve traffic in Huntersville?

Traffic is personal for residents. I’ve heard it again and again in Pottstown, in Gilead Ridge, in downtown and around Birkdale. While we’ve supported important projects through our CIP and regional partners, I believe we must also:

• Consider traffic signal technology to optimize flow in high-volume corridors.

• Continue to expand walkability and consider long range planning for bike access to reduce short-distance car trips, especially near parks, schools, and downtown hubs.

• Incentivize live-work-play developments that reduce commuting needs.

• Continue to review the most efficient methods for moving traffic through intersections.

• Make sure we continue to work with surrounding towns on public transportation and ensure if the 1 cent sales taxes passes that we push for implementation in a timely manner for the benefits afforded to our community.

  
  

Smart growth must include smart mobility. We need to take ownership of local solutions while leveraging every opportunity to coordinate regionally.

4. Apartment and for-rent developments are a concern. What’s your plan to address it?

I understand these concerns. Huntersville residents want housing variety, but not at the cost of overcrowded roads, strained schools, or a loss of community feel. In my first term, I helped shift the conversation to prioritize workforce housing that supports our essential workers and mixed-use developments that align with our infrastructure. And we slowed approval of apartment complexes.

Going forward, I support:

• A cap-and-review system to manage the pace and placement of new rental developments.

• Zoning incentives for ownership options and rent-to-own models, especially near transit and town centers.

• Ensuring community benefits agreements are included in future large-scale rental approvals.

This isn’t about saying “no” to renters, because it’s one of the ways we can keep residents here when they are ready to downsize and desire less responsibility for maintenance and upkeep. It’s also a way for college students who grew up here to have a reasonable ability to come back here and afford to live in the

community that raised them.

I want us to focus on saying “yes” to balanced, and thoughtful growth that keeps Huntersville livable for everyone and, helps keep our taxes low in the process.

5. How do you view the current state of schools in Huntersville and what would you do to improve things beyond new buildings?

Education quality and school capacity are deeply personal to families, and they matter to me as a mom, a neighbor, and a commissioner. While CMS governs school operations, the Town has an important role in collaboration, advocacy, and planning. In my first term, I helped prioritize development projects that aligned with infrastructure capacity, including schools. I field many calls from concerned parents and teachers and help make the necessary connections that ensure our school board is focused on Huntersville as an important part of the CMS System.

To go further, we can explore:

• Strengthening the Town–CMS Partnership to better coordinate planning and ensure Huntersville’s needs are heard early in the process.

• Support afterschool enrichment opportunities through Town-rec, nonprofit, and school partnerships, especially for working families.

• Advocating for school resource officers, mental health and academic support services to meet the growing needs of our students.

• 
  

Huntersville’s future depends on safe, strong, and well-resourced schools, and I’ll continue to be a proactive partner in that effort, keep my door open to conversations with all stakeholders.

6. What’s one way to make our police and fire departments even better?

I’m proud to have voted to for our first full-time fire staff and add new officers in my first term. Both departments are professional, community-minded, and committed to service. To build on that:

For Fire: I am committed to ensuring that infrastructure is sufficient to support our growth and ensure out towns safety. That means funding new fire stations, fire personnel, and equipment more consistently that has been done in the past.

For Police: We need to always be evaluating best practices and consider alternative policing strategies as we grow. We’ve raised pay to attract and maintain staff. And, we’ve managed traffic accidents by adding staff that only address traffic issues, making our response quicker, more affordable, and allowing our highly trained officers to be available for critical events and crime reduction activities.

The "One Town, One Team" spirit is strong, and with continued investment, intentional engagement and a board that works transparently together, we can make it even stronger.

7. Sales Tax Referendum: For or Against?

I support the referendum.

Reason 1: It creates a reliable, dedicated funding source for transportation improvements that our growing town desperately needs.

Reason 2: It gives us a seat at the table for regional funding priorities, which North Mecklenburg has historically lacked.

In my first term, I pushed for smart planning tied to infrastructure. This referendum would help fund that vision, but only if paired with local oversight. We need to strengthen the right relationships with surrounding communities, especially Charlotte to ensure we receive the maximum benefit from the tax increase.

8. If the sales tax passes, how will you ensure Huntersville benefits and has a voice in how funds are spent?

I would push for:

• A formal committee to work with Cornelius and Davidson to establish priorities and work collaboratively to ensure the greatest impact for North Mecklenburg, while maintaining local autonomy.

• A new Huntersville Oversight Committee of residents, staff, and electeds to track and report how every dollar is spent.

• Transparent criteria that tie funding to equity, urgency, and public input, so the benefits flow to where they’re most needed.

  
  

If voters put their trust in this tax, we owe them accountability, access, and results. I’ll make sure Huntersville gets its fair share. We will get our future funded.