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:
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.
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....
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
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...
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.
Highlights from October 18 City Council Meetings
HIGHLIGHTS Council’s total Affordable Housing production, from all funding sources including the $80M Bond, is less than 600 units per year. Despite losing more than 4,100 affordable units each year, Council policies and rezoning votes overwhelmingly produce...
Tax Breaks for Developers and Tax Hikes for Homeowners
Mayor Baldwin and her City Council majority including Jonathan Melton, Stormie Forte, Corey Branch and David Knight, who are all running for re-election, implemented a tax break policy for developers known as a “Tax Increment Grant” or TIG. Despite Baldwin’s claim otherwise, it can cost the City of Raleigh 5 million dollars in tax rebates every year FOREVER.