When a Community Climate Action Plan is just a veneer
Lynn Edmonds spoke at the March 16 meeting of the Raleigh City Council. Her remarks are below. Lynn is Outreach Director for Public Schools First NC. A native of Durham, NC and 30 year resident of Raleigh, she is a longtime public school advocate and...
The cost of a TIG…. Millions and Millions? Not according to Mayor Baldwin
At the March 2 evening City Council meeting during Public Comments several speakers addressed the Tax Increment Grant, or TIG, that Kane Realty has requested for its Downtown South project. Mayor Baldwin was frustrated by the figures being quoted by these speakers,...
Kane’s Stadium: The “Benefit” Is All His. Whereas Affordable Housing Would Benefit the Community — With No TIG needed.
Q: What's our take on Kane Realty's plan for a soccer stadium/"entertainment venue" in his Downtown South project? A: It's a bad idea, especially when you remember that South Wilmington Street is supposed to be a corridor for Bus Rapid Transit -- and affordable...
Do claims made about Downtown South and a possible TIG stand up to scrutiny?
A recent article about a possible Tax Incentive Grant, or TIG, for Downtown South developer John Kane included several claims. Let's examine them to see if they measure up to a reality check. The article is here Raleigh City Council Considers a Program to Save...
Patrick Buffkin – Withheld Videos Revealed
District A Councilor, Patrick Buffkin, has held three virtual Town Hall meetings since the pandemic has shut down in-person gatherings. The first was April 28, 2020. The second on Sept 29, 2020. And, the most recent was Feb 11, 2021. All other councilors who have...
The NC Justice Center Opposes a TIG for Private Development
The NC Justice Center has written to the Wake County Commissioners and the Raleigh City Council expressing their concerns about the possibility of approving a Tax Increment Grant for the Downtown South project especially in this current environment of a pandemic and...
A taxpayer giveaway for a stadium right now is indefensible
For those who want to learn more about TIGs, please join Livable Raleigh this Saturday at 10am for a free community conversation with a panel of experts.
You can register at bit.ly/TIG-forum
Study Group on Council Terms/ Salaries and Voter Engagement/ Participation
City Council created a study group to explore if and how the council’s structure should change. That could include increasing terms from two to four years, upping council members’ pay (currently $17,412 for what’s considered a part-time job), and expanding the...
Can Raleigh Become a Leader in Addressing Climate Change?
Linda Watson, a former member of Raleigh's Environmental Advisory Board, sent the following letter to the members of the Growth and Natural Resources Committee and the full City Council prior to the 1/26/21 GNR committee meeting. She points out Raleigh's climate goals...
This Council abused its white privilege to suppress all Black CAC voices
One year ago, this Council used the excuse of ‘too much white CAC privilege’ to justify and conceal their own white privileged suppression of all Black CAC voices.