City Council Candidates are Off and Running. Livable Raleigh will provide the play-by-play!

City Council Candidates are Off and Running. Livable Raleigh will provide the play-by-play!

The filing period for candidates in Raleigh’s November 8th Mayoral and City Council elections closed Friday, July 15, at noon. It’s an interesting slate of candidates, with a mix of returning incumbents, unknown newcomers and even a couple well known Council retirees coming back for another run. Raleigh voters will be able to count on Livable Raleigh to provide all the information needed to be an informed voter in November.

Your Taxes Raised 22%, Council’s Pay Raised 82%

Your Taxes Raised 22%, Council’s Pay Raised 82%

During their term in office, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin and City Councilors have raised your taxes by nearly 22% and Council's pay by 82%.First, some background facts:  Mayor Baldwin and City Council took office in Dec 2019. Each spring the council approves a budget for...

N&O says Raleigh Needs Better Answers

N&O says Raleigh Needs Better Answers

With your help, we are expanding our outreach and partnerships to engage voters and candidates about the most important city issues and highlighting the better answers Raleigh residents want and deserve.

Who Does Council Serve? – Part 2: Eliminating Big Money Influence

Who Does Council Serve? – Part 2: Eliminating Big Money Influence

"Rotten to the Core"Our system of paying for political campaigns is "rotten to the core", says Bob Phillips of Common Cause NC, a leading clean government watchdog. In a recent Indyweek article, Phillips said "We need a better way ... to eliminate the influence of big...

Who Does Council Serve? Part 1: Follow the Money.

Who Does Council Serve? Part 1: Follow the Money.

72% of Raleigh voters say city government is too beholden to developers. City Council has tried to hide the corrupting influence of big money in a growing list of backroom decisions, but three out of four Raleigh voters see it and feel it every day – as rapid growth drives up their cost of living, drives down their quality of life and drives modest income families out of town.

The People Have Spoken

The People Have Spoken

There has not been a municipal election in Raleigh in over two and a half years. But as you know, this week there was a NC State Senate race involving Patrick Buffkin,  a member of the Raleigh City Council. I view the outcome of this race as a proxy for the opinion that the people in Senate District 13, and more broadly across the city, have regarding the Raleigh City Council and its performance over the last two and a half years. Just as elections have consequences in the direction of the next council, so the actions of the council have consequences in the direction of the next election.

Patrick Buffkin – Rejected in Landslide

Patrick Buffkin – Rejected in Landslide

Raleigh City Councilor Patrick Buffkin asked the voters who know him best to promote him to a seat in the NC Senate. Their answer was a resounding NO! The Tuesday, May 17th primary was the first electoral test for a sitting member of Raleigh's City Council and the...