WINDSOR – For the first time in a century, Republicans will control both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly and the newly appointed leader of one of those braches of state government will visit Windsor next week.

Rep. Paul Stam (R-Wake) of Apex, new majority leader in the NC House of Representatives, will be the keynote speaker at an upcoming meeting of the Bertie County Republican Party and the Hertford County Republican Party.

That meeting, open to the public, begins with a Dutch-treat dinner at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13 at the Heritage House Restaurant (US 17 Business North, Windsor) followed by comments from local and state GOP leaders.

“The focus of this meeting will be jobs, taxes, growing the economy and wasteful government spending,” stated Garry Terry, Chairman of the Bertie County Republican Party. “In November, voters sent a clear message that they didn’t like the direction that the country and state were headed. Passing legislation by buying votes with bribes is not what America is about. If a piece of legislation can’t stand on its own and win enough support for passage, it shouldn’t be bought.”

Terry continued, “We are very pleased to have Paul Stam as NC House Majority Leader. Paul is the right person at the right time to serve as House leader and will fight to keep jobs here by protecting our Right to Work laws and reducing the regulatory burden on small businesses. North Carolina has some of the highest tax rates in the southeast, making it less attractive to businesses that may wish to locate here. Republicans plan to make North Carolina’s tax rates competitive with other states. Mr. Stam also believes in less government, more freedom and pro-life protection for mothers and unborn children.”

Dan Phillips, Hertford County Republican Party Chairman, stated, “The Republican majority will inherit a huge budget deficit due to years of overspending, but plan to balance the state budget without raising tax rates and we’re happy to have one of the men who will help with that effort to visit with us here in Windsor.”

Phillips also noted other issues that Republicans will address during the first 100 days. He said they will look to end “pay-to-play” politics and restoring honor and integrity to state government; passing The Healthcare Freedom Protection Act, exempting North Carolinians from the job-killing, liberty-restricting mandates of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obama Care); funding education in the classroom, not the bureaucracy; eliminating the cap on charter schools; passing the Honest Election Act, requiring a valid photo ID to vote; and passing the Eminent Domain constitutional amendment to protect private property rights.

Stam, an attorney, has spent six terms in the NC House, representing the 37^th District of southwestern Wake County. He is married to the former Dorothy Mills, who serves as the Minister of Music of Apex Baptist Church where the couple practices their religion. They are the parents of two children are Nathan, a graduate of NC State University and Southeastern Seminary and is Minister of Children at Apex Baptist Church, and Jana, a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill.

A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Stam was admitted to the North Carolina Bar by Chief Justice Susie Sharp on October 14, 1975. Since 1976 he has worked with the law firm of Stam, Fordham & Danchi, P.A. (and predecessor firm of Holleman & Stam). The firm specializes in real estate litigation, titles, municipal law and constitutional litigation.

Rep. Stam is also a military veteran, serving in the United States Marine Corps (1968-1970) with an Honorable Discharge at the rank of Corporal.