Who is Anna Rubin, Huntersville Board of Commissioners candidate?
Name: Anna Rubin
Age: 57
Campaign website or social media page: huntersvillefirst.com
Occupation: Sr. Manager of Professional Certification Programs, Cisco
Education: BA in Education, UNC Chapel Hill
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought):
No.
Please list your highlights of civic involvement.
As a 19-year Huntersville resident, I have been active in Huntersville Parks & Recreation, community sports leagues, the Children’s Schoolhouse, Huntersville Elementary, Lake Norman Charter School, and community outreach through my neighborhood and church.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of?
While I am proud of managing a highly productive team at Cisco that represents seven countries, multiple cultures, diverse perspectives, and five languages; I am most proud of raising two daughters to be strong citizens!
Traffic is an issue in Huntersville while a few critical road projects, such as the widening of N.C. 73, have been delayed by NCDOT. How would you tackle the town’s traffic problem?
While I wish I could control NCDOT timelines, I realize this is something in which the Board of Commissioners has no control. We need to continue with our current plans to maintain and improve roads that the town manages, work to relieve congestion by adding new roads that move traffic to our main corridors quicker, and manage growth along our high density corridors until NCDOT projects break ground.
What are your ideas about how the town should recruit and retain more police officers specifically? And all town employees more broadly?
Public safety is an issue I feel passionately about. The growth of our police force and town staff needs to mirror our town’s growth. We have had challenges recruiting new police officers nationally and in Huntersville. I will advocate for a pay increase for our police force and strategic discussions around incentives available to recruit strong candidates.
Huntersville has experienced rapid population growth over the last few decades with the approval of hundreds of new homes. Do you think the town should control growth in some way or keep expanding? Why?
Growth is good and has made our town an appealing place to work, live and play. But it is the Board of Commissioners responsibility to manage growth so that it parallels infrastructure or is VERY close behind it. The Board needs to say “no” or “not now” when our current infrastructure can not sustain a new development project or the impact will be detrimental to a substantial number of our current citizens. Bottom line - it is not a “no growth” vs. “unlimited growth” issue. The issue is how do we continue to improve our town AND protect our citizens.
Why should voters choose you over others who are in the race?
Vote for me if you want proven leadership and a pragmatic approach to town management that ensures strong infrastructure, responsible growth, strategic economic development, and increased public safety. Huntersville is a vibrant town where we have all chosen to live, raise our families, invest our time, and give our resources. We want our town to grow and thrive, leaving it a better place for our children. This is our home, and the future of Huntersville is in our hands. We need strong leadership that puts the needs of Huntersville First. This is not about politics, this is about leadership.
