Something is rotten in the way we pay for development.
With Raleigh among the fastest growing cities in the country — with tall buildings springing up everywhere and all the small houses torn down to make room for McMansions — why are Raleigh taxpayers getting hammered by rising property tax rates?
I have lost count as to how many times I have spoken before you. I will say that over the last 18 months, I have learned how quiet you actually are. The excuses that have come out of you on a multitude of subjects is baffling. From community engagement, to affordable housing, to first responder pay! Your priorities are skewed and it’s led to placing anything and everything ABOVE the people you represent.
You as a city council can take the charge on this — back in 2019 the Charlotte City Council created buffer zones and put in place noise ordinances so that people seeking reproductive care could receive their healthcare in peace. And recently in Austin, Texas, some of their city council members wrote a resolution to decrimininalize abortion by restricting city funds from being used to investigate any abortions and make investigations of abortion-related crime as the lowest priority for their police department.
It is no secret that John Kane donates to anti-LGBT politicians, including our very own Lt. Governor Mark Robinson, who has taken to calling people like myself “filth.” And yet, we have council members and a mayor who refuse to return John Kane’s donations and to call him out on his anti-trans sentiments and funding.
Council voted to eliminate residential zoning throughout the City by a vote of 6 to 2 with Councilors Cox and Forte dissenting
Council discussed increasing funding for sidewalk and street improvements, a traffic analysis tool, a slight adjustment to leaf collection, raising police and firefighter salaries, and raising their own salaries.