FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2023
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STEVE MORRIS TO FILE FOR CABARRUS COMMISSION SEAT
Steve Morris announced today that he plans to file for re-election to a four-year term on the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners. Morris, a Republican and Cabarrus native, was first elected to the board in 2012 and currently serves as chairman.
Filing for the 2024 primary elections begins December 4 and ends December 15. The primary election will be held on Tuesday, March 5.
“During the years I’ve served as a commissioner, I’ve worked to keep taxes low, eliminate wasteful spending and aggressively recruit new businesses and industries that bring good-paying jobs to our community,” Morris said.
Conservative financial management has been a priority, Morris said. Working closely with county finance and accounting staff, his work contributed to Cabarrus County earning a triple-A rating bond rating for the first time in history. The rating positions the county – and in turn taxpayers – to save millions in interest over the next decade. A triple-A rating is the best rate available, and Cabarrus is one of only 10 counties in the state to earn the distinction.
During his tenure, Morris has been a leader in helping bring 71 new companies and 7,000 new jobs to Cabarrus County. A conservative estimate of $3.5 billion in new business and industry has relocated to the county, bringing $25.9 million in annual tax revenue and offsetting the tax burden that would have been paid by property owners.
Morris said he has focused on public education for children. “We have been able to open eight new state-of-the-art schools and three early college high schools. To support and help keep good teachers, the commissioners have worked together to raise local teacher supplements,” Morris said.
Morris said when he was first elected, residents told him they wanted county and city leaders to work more cooperatively. As a result, he helped establish public official summits so elected officials in Concord, Kannapolis, Mt. Pleasant, Harrisburg and Midland could meet quarterly and find ways to use tax dollars more effectively, benefiting all residents.
Morris worked to restore funding for Rob Wallace Park in Midland, supported infrastructure for the redevelopment of downtown Kannapolis, worked with the City of Concord to add more than 600 parking spaces downtown and helped the Town of Harrisburg create new transportation arteries to manage the town’s rapid growth.
Working with the Town of Mt. Pleasant, the county commission will soon break ground to build a combined library and senior center. Similar facilities are planned for western Cabarrus County and Harrisburg.
To help address continuing needs for mental health care, Morris was a leader in obtaining state funds to build a new mental health facility and a behavioral health emergency department at Atrium Health Cabarrus.
Morris is a graduate of UNC Charlotte and has two adult children and a grandson. He previously owned and operated the historic Gem Theatre in Kannapolis and worked with Mills Florist, operating retail and wholesale florist, garden and gift shops in Kannapolis, Concord and Salisbury.
