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Livable Raleigh’s proposal for renewed engagement
With the election of four new Councilors, Raleigh voters have made it clear that restoring and improving city support for the public’s involvement in community affairs is a top priority. After three years, the voters know that waiting for a perfect solution is unrealistic and will only further delay city support for the essential and imperfect community conversations that are the foundation of an informed democracy. It is with this sense of purpose that the Livable Raleigh Advisory Committee offers six policy-level proposals for quick adoption. Our hope is that these proposals will have several positive effects:
Raleigh’s voters responded to the challenge
In May of 2022 we ran a piece challenging voters to restore democracy to the City of Raleigh by dedicating the November election to restoring former Mayor Clarence Lightner's vision for community engagement in Raleigh. Well, the voters responded to our challenge in...
Recycling do’s and don’ts
In one of the wealthiest cities in the wealthiest country in the world, we have neither the personal ethics nor the appropriate infrastructure and educational, monitoring and enforcement efforts to responsibly manage the enormous detritus of our privileged daily lives. Our recycling efforts are on the level of a third world country. And, yes, I realize that is a derogatory term. We deserve it.
Can Free Bus Fares Fix Raleigh’s Broken System?
Council’s upcoming decision to either keep or eliminate Raleigh’s COVID-era free bus fares has been framed as making an important statement about Raleigh’s commitment to high quality and equitable bus service. Maybe so, but if you listen to the Raleigh Transit Authority’s Nov 10 deliberations on the topic, you might conclude that reinstating fees will have little impact on a system that is in decline and without an effective plan to provide high quality and equitable transit services in post-COVID Raleigh.
In Praise of outgoing Councilor David Cox
David Cox’s service to Raleigh will long live as an example for those that follow him for his research, his thoughtful synthesis, and his cogent and straight-forward statement of principled representation.
Your Donations of Time, Treasure, and Talent Worked!
Because of supporters and volunteers like you, we made a difference in Raleigh’s 2022 City Council elections. Together we helped elect four new councilors who value transparency, engagement, and equity. We are hopeful they will be part of making Raleigh livable for all. But there’s more work to be done and Livable Raleigh needs your help.
City Council Meeting Highlights — November 15, 2022
HIGHLIGHTS Work Session – Apparently the Office of Community Engagement spends a lot of time engaging with City staff and people who serve on Boards and Commissions – not necessarily with the actual larger community. They also spend a lot of resource on branding....
A Retrospective on The Raleigh City Council Election
The election is over and people have spoken. Baldwin and Council have forced unpopular and failed policies on Raleigh. With very few financial resources, challengers pushed back and have taken back Council despite incumbents and candidates endorsed by, and heavily financed by, wealthy developers and realtors.
With this win, let the citizens of Raleigh look forward to better days as well as to more changes in 2024.
Livable Raleigh’s response to the N&O, how we view the election results
After Raleigh’s City Council election was completed, Ned Barnett, Associate Opinion Editor, The News & Observer, contacted us to ask how we saw the results and what we expect from the next City Council. Here is our response:
Press Release – Raleigh Election Results
Listening to ALL Voices should be more than a campaign slogan
Your campaigns are making statements like: “Mary-Ann believes that everyone’s voice deserves to be heard”. But, she changed her twitter feed so only those she “follows” can reply, silencing her critics.
Landlords PAC backs Mayor Baldwin’s slate, putting $$$ where their evictions are
This is all pretty gross. As Peeler wrote to me in an email, “it’s astonishing that certain candidates can get by with claiming they are for more affordable rental housing, for less displacement, and for supporting low income tenants, when they are being funded heavily by an organization, which is essentially a landlord lobbying firm, who is vested in ensuring none of those things occur.
Mayor Baldwin & City Council have FAILED to hit their own targets for Affordable Housing!
The mayor and other councilors SAY that Affordable Housing is their number one concern. Let’s take a look at the smoke and mirrors going on here. This first slide shows that in Fiscal year 21-22, council has FAILED, for the 3 rd year in a row, to meet the paltry goal of providing 570 affordable housing units. This council only accomplished providing 156 units, just 27% of their goal!
City Council is caught up in their own echo chamber
If you were asked what lessons you have learned from the Missing Middle, as a mayor and council, I have no idea what you would say. Never mind, here are the lessons for a new mayor and council
November 1, 2022 City Council Meeting
HIGHLIGHTS Many public hearings scheduled for November 15 afternoon meeting despite a question about whether mailed notice would arrive in time and despite Councilor Cox bringing up concerns about it being difficult for members of the public to attend afternoon...
Fact Check – Melton listens to ALL Voices? – NO!
Jonathan Melton and Council talk about ‘getting to yes’ even though they never reach out to the public to discuss equitable outcomes. On important citywide issues where you’d expect a vigorous, inclusive debate before voting – it never happens.
Watch and Learn, then VOTE!
WATCH our videos. LEARN about the candidates. Then GO VOTE!
Bob Geary in the Indy: In the Raleigh Elections, I’m Voting for Growth AND Equity. Not Growth Without Equity.
The first camp favors letting the market work without regulation, arguing that it will serve rich and poor alike – but knowing that it won’t – while the second camp favors using the powers of city zoning to assure that growth occurs and serves the interests of all.
Hollow Excuses for defunding CACs
It infuriates me to continually hear all the BS reasons for getting rid of CACs.
Silencing Raleigh’s Neighborhoods
The council must have a procedure which contains advance public notice, public opportunity to respond, and a required city procedure for neighborhood preservation and respect for existing neighborhood architecture.