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Mayor Baldwin shows disdain for the public yet again
Did Mary-Ann Baldwin’s disdain for public participation in rezoning cases cause her to violate a new state law this week?
The new law puts rules in place for public hearings when they’re part of a remote, or “virtual” meeting.
Council to hear from developers, not the public, on rezonings (updated 5/14)
Raleigh’s new Council summarily abolished Raleigh’s 18 Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs) without any notice or public comment. Three months later, the CACs’ community-run zoning review process has been replaced with a quickie substitute controlled by the rezoning applicant — i.e., the developer.
Raleigh: A city government without citizens
Having all but eliminated citizen input, and perhaps because half of its members are brand-new, the Council looks to be frozen on stage, with no wisdom to offer. And then they adjourn, congratulating one another on the great job they’re doing!
Raleigh’s Affordable Housing Bond: Pandemic Casualty or Bold Opportunity?
Moonshots are easier when Raleigh’s economy is humming and surpluses can be diverted to social benefits. The true test of the new Council’s commitment to bold, revolutionary and transformative change is at hand now, at this time of recessionary crisis and opportunity.
Show me the money!
Do you have any idea how much money was spent to win the seats on Raleigh's City Council? Do you have any idea where all that money came from? Do you know who is expecting a return on their investments? The data is all available in the campaign finance reports...
N&O Reporter notes Citizen Engagement is worse under New Council Process
On Feb 4, 2020, Raleigh's City Council disbanded the city's Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs) that had been in place for nearly 50 years. CACs provided an opportunity to engage the public and allow a two-way information flow between the public and the city government....
What’s Happening to Citizen Engagement?
For all the talk about how this Mayor and new City Council are going to develop a fantastic, new community engagement initiative, you’d never know they give a hoot about this subject given how they have restricted our ability as citizens to participate on the matters...
Delay April & May Council meetings
Dear Mayor Baldwin and City Council Members, We are not living in “business as usual” times. On the City website, a notice has been posted to hold a “virtual” City Council meeting on April 7th where there will be “public comment” allowed so we can continue to...
Letter to Raleigh’s City Manager
Dear City Manager Hall: I am writing on behalf of many Raleigh residents. First of all we want to thank you for your leadership during this time of unprecedented crisis. We appreciate the very big challenges you and other City staff are facing as you endeavor to run...
Sports Stadia and Affordable Housing
Sports Stadia and Affordable Housing... ... both share the feature of a taxpayer subsidy. Subsidies from public revenues are needed when a project is not feasible in a 'free market,' i.e. it will not generate income exceeding its costs --- otherwise private capital...
If Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin tells you she wants to “brand” the city, WATCH OUT…. It’s gonna cost you…
In 2017 the city commissioned a new logo. It cost $226,000 City leaders say Raleigh's new $226,000 logo was worth it https://abc11.com/2624736/ "The project, accomplishing part of the City's strategic plan to find a way to effectively tell Raleigh's story, comes with...
The Carolinian on CACs
Excerpt from The Carolinian Newspaper, March 19, 2020 edition. Editorial by Danny K. Manning
“Yes” to helping the suddenly jobless, and “No” to any public money for a soccer stadium
Two competing ideas, one good, one bad, are out there for spending money from the taxes on restaurant meals and hotel rooms in Raleigh and Wake County. The bad idea, pushed hard by Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin this week at a truncated City Council meeting, is to spend it on...
Business as Usual?
It’s clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is a serious threat to our health, safety, and way of life. Please adhere to the guidelines from local, state, and national governments. And please do what you can to help others. We will not recover quickly or easily from the...
Taxpayer-subsidized sports stadiums aren’t good catalysts
Did you know.... from our friends at INDY https://indyweek.com/news/wake/raleigh-soccer-stadium-john-kane-downtown-south/ as catalysts go, taxpayer-subsidized sports stadiums aren’t very good ones. Economists are nearly unified in the belief that they don’t...
Watch Out For Your Wallet – Again!
The massive taxpayer subsidy John Kane is requesting for his Downtown South sports and entertainment project is a startling replay of his 2007 pitch for North Hills East subsidies. In 2007, the News & Observer wrote: "Kane wants about $140 million in local tax...
COVID-19 Resources
Your best resources for COVID-19 information: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov/ State of North Carolina – www.ncdhhs.gov Wake County – www.Wakegov.com City of Raleigh – www.Raleighnc.gov
DID YOU KNOW?
Local developers want a share of the Raleigh and Wake County hospitality tax. It's the extra six percent you pay on local hotel bills and the extra one percent you pay on restaurant and bar tabs. They're requesting $13 million a year for the next 20 years, for a...
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to be discussed at March 17 meeting
The Planning Commission’s Text Change Committee will be discussing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) at their March 17 meeting. Raleigh Real Estate Broker and Appraiser Bob Mulder recently sent the following memo to the Planning Commission. In it he discusses concerns...
Citizen Engagement and Diversity
We are all likely aware now that Raleigh's City Council disbanded the near 50 year old citizen engagement process of the Citizen Advisory Councils or CACs. And the reasons given by council for this surprise move was that CACs didn't get high enough attendance and...