Winston-Salem business, education leaders lay out legislative priorities

Business and education leaders joined with elected officials in Winston-Salem Friday to discuss legislative priorities for the coming year, with jobs, training, and affordable housing among the key issues.

The delegation included local and state elected officials as well as U.S. Fifth District Representative Virginia Foxx.

State Rep. Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth) says he’s thankful for community colleges such as Forsyth Tech. He says many of the new jobs coming to the area will require more than a high school education but not a four-year degree.

“Every day people are coming to me telling me, ‘We need help ... we need people,'" he says. "And I really believe the community college system is the key to making that happen.”

Other speakers emphasized the need to make sure that growth is equitable in the area and for more affordable housing to handle growth.

The meeting was bipartisan in nature and several speakers urged those in attendance to work together across differences to address Winston-Salem’s needs.