Robert Courts is a loan officer with Advantage Lending, LLC, a founding member of Shop Local Raleigh and a passionate advocate for Raleigh’s small, local businesses through his work at Your Back Yard Raleigh. With over two decades of community involvement, Robert has served for the last eight years on the board of Raleigh Crime Stoppers and currently serves on the Raleigh Human Relations Commission. He is dedicated to fostering connections between local government, businesses, and residents to strengthen Raleigh’s vibrant community.
Robert spoke to City Council on February 1, 2025:
Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
I stand before you today because democracy depends on the voices of its citizens, and public comment is one of the most direct ways we, the people, can engage with our local government. The proposal to limit public comment time is not just about minutes on a clock—it’s about the fundamental principle of representation.
US Supreme Court Justice, Louis Brandeis once said, ”The most important political office is that of the private citizen.”
Limiting public comment sends a dangerous message: that the voices of Raleigh’s residents—your constituents—are an inconvenience rather than an asset. That our concerns, ideas, and lived experiences should fit neatly into a smaller time slot, making civic engagement a privilege for the few rather than a right for all.
Public comment is not a formality—it is a safeguard. It is how we hold power accountable, how we bring real-life experiences into policy discussions, and how we ensure that decisions are not made in a vacuum but with the wisdom and perspective of the people who call Raleigh home.
I urge you to reconsider. Expanding public participation strengthens democracy; restricting it weakens trust. Do not let Raleigh become a place where government talks at the people instead of listening to them.
Thank you.
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