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Can Free Bus Fares Fix Raleigh’s Broken System?

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

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!

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

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

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.

Landlords PAC backs Mayor Baldwin’s slate, putting $$$ where their evictions are

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!

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

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

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!

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.

Silencing Raleigh’s Neighborhoods

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.

David Knight refuses to listen to his constituents

David Knight refuses to listen to his constituents

The right to vote and the exercising of that right is an important step in putting the voice of the people back into City government. I just hope that the majority of the electorate exercise that right wisely, choosing a candidate that truly supports all the people all of the time.

Will missing middle housing be affordable?

Will missing middle housing be affordable?

Former Planning Commission Chair Bob Mulder highlights the need to improve Raleigh’s missing middle housing rules. Focusing debates on criticisms of pro and con stakeholders only diverts attention from what we all (except the greediest) agree on: Adding density in the right places is good, but the missing middle rules should be improved – with a more open, public engagement process about how to actually retain, replace and produce housing that’s affordable to current working families and households.

Lack of trust in City Council is well deserved

Lack of trust in City Council is well deserved

I’m disappointed that while the numbers show engagement has decreased significantly, it’s being reported in a way to make the public think improvements have been made when they have not, All of this during the City Council election as a way to fool the voters. You can’t correct the lack of trust Mickey Fearn found in this Council with this type of deception.