Politics

Politics

There are 1,056 posts filed in Politics (this is page 44 of 106).

Dix Park press conference

Being Raleigh’s Parks board chair, I have a great interest in making Dix Campus into a park. This morning I learned of an afternoon news conference by Dix Visionaries and wrote my friend Bill Padgett to get the details so I could attend.

The presser was on the Dix campus and I arrived in a suit. A gaggle of press were there setting up and I began to chat with the assembled dignitaries. There were big names there: Jim Goodmon, Anne Goodnight, Greg Poole, Bill Padgett, Jay Spain, Susan Bowers. I was there just a supporter but these folks had done a lot of work to get where we are today.
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Fixing the “Raleigh Elites” problem

The blowhard representing the local branch of Assholes For Prosperity recently had this to say about Gov. Perdue’s plans for Dix Park:

“This is a billion-dollar giveaway of taxpayer resources to Raleigh elites for another state taxpayer funded cultural amenity…”

The rest of the statement doesn’t matter. What does matter is the “Raleigh elites” part. This is a theme that the political right in this state has played to great success. Rural voters feel too often taken for granted. The “elites” in our cities become easy targets.

This is especially visible in Wake County. Wake County should move forward with a light rail system, or at least a referendum on it, for crying out loud, because it will be in big trouble soon without it. Instead, rural Wake County voters don’t want to pay for something they won’t use, even though a light rail system only works in higher-density areas: precisely what “rural” is not. Charlotte has light rail because Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are so intertwined it’s easier to convince Mecklenburg voters that what’s good for Charlotte is good for Mecklenburg County, whereas Wake has a greater number of municipal stakeholders to convince.
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SeeClickFix user suggests beautifying greenway sewer pipes

I experienced the beauty of SeeClickFix today when an anonymous user suggested the city spiff up the ugly concrete sewer pipe towers along our city’s greenways:

The concrete sewage vents could use some beautifying. Maybe you could hire a graffiti artist to paint nature scenes?

Another citizen chimed in:

Juanita Martinez (Guest)

I agree! That’s a wonderful idea. These things are ugly, I know they are necessary, but painting some nature scenes or something unique to Raleigh on them would make them interesting. I bet you could even get folks to do it for free. Maybe you could have a contest too and offer a simple prize.

Then the city responded:

City of Raleigh

I’d recommend directing your suggestion to the Raleigh Arts Commission (http://www.raleighnc.gov/arts/content/BoardsCommissions/Articles/ArtsCommission.html). This citizen group can be helpful in developing this idea into a possible project. As with most things there is more than meets the eye in any project involving public property, but the Arts Commission is made up of citizens whose task it is to involve the arts in everything we do. They can be very helpful!

SeeClickFix can often be used to point out what’s wrong with the city. This ticket shows how the service can also act as a big suggestion box, allowing ordinary citizens a way to help shape our city. More of this, please!

What’s gotten into Lundsford Lane?

I occasionally stop by the Below The Beltline website because once in blue moon it has an update. Last week Lundsford Lane was in a grouchy mood when he took aim at the Planning Commission’s requesting a bike rack for a proposed gas station at the corner of Sunnybrook Drive and Rock Quarry Road.

Says Lundsford:

Mamta Patel, aka Earth Petroleum VI Inc., Earth Mama, who goes by Ricky, is building a gas station at the corner of Rock Quarry Road and Sunnybrook Drive. Six pump islands under one giant canopy, no waiting, no getting wet when the weather is nasty.

So Little Ricky turns in the site plan to the Planning Commission, which must give its blessing to build. Only one problem, say the Commissioners – no bike racks. So Ricky agrees to add one rack to accommodate two bikes. After all, it’s Earth Petroleum, you can’t get greener than that. Never mind that there is no bike path near there, no sidewalk connection, and it takes a death wish to ride a bike through that intersection.

We spent millions to rebuild Hillsborough Street to improve traffic flow and instead get dangerous accident-prone roundabouts and all-day gridlock. We’re building a $60 million train station with no near-term prospects for new trains. And now we’re requiring gas stations that are not safely accessible by bicycle or foot to have bike racks. Apparently in Raleigh, even bikes need gas.

“Only in America,” said Mother Love Patel.

Being a persnickety kind of guy I decided to see for myself, so I pulled up the site in question using Google Maps:
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Providence Day comes to Raleigh

Students from Providence Day learn about Raleigh’s CACs


As I had mentioned they would, a group of 150 9th graders from Charlotte’s Providence Day came to Raleigh today to learn about its Citizens Advisory Councils and to learn more about civic participation. As I expected, I loved every minute of it. I even called Kelly at lunch and gushed at how I was in my element.

I didn’t have a real agenda in front of me until this morning. That’s when I found out I would be leading the first hour of the discussion about what CACs are and what they do. I was wondering how I would fill up this hour but it turned out to be easier than I anticipated. We started quite a bit late and when asked to say a few words about how they became involved with CACs, some of the chairs on the panel talked at length about the whole CAC experience.
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Raleigh Aquatics to do away with punch passes

At tonight’s Parks and Rec Fees and Charges committee meeting, I learned that the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Aquatics program plans to do away with the popular punch passes. The passes allow 15 swims apiece but will be phased out beginning in January.

Aquatics director Terry Stroupe said the goal is to get people moved to the monthly and annual passes, which offer greater savings. I believe there is also an issue with the new “class” system and swipe cards not being able to support the punch-pass type of transaction.
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Stepping away from CACs

This morning I let my fellow RCAC members know that I would not be running for a second term as chair of the RCAC when my term is up in January. It was a difficult decision for me as it’s been an honor to serve as the leader of leaders. I’ve really seen folks working together to a degree I hadn’t seen in a long while. That seems like a good time to step aside, though, doesn’t it? When things are going well?

I have had a few chairs ask if I would consider staying on but I was noncommittal until today. Part of my job as leader is to help create other leaders. People tend to step up when there’s a leadership opportunity. I have confidence that the RCAC will have a great leader to follow me and that the RCAC will continue to grow and prosper.
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More ‘fewer angry white guys’

Tim Funk at the News and Observer also points out the value of the non-white vote.

Tuesday’s voting results held some good news for North Carolina Democrats hoping to keep the state competitive in future election years.

Black voters, who make up 22 percent of the state’s population, cast 23 percent of the vote and went for Obama 96 percent to 4 percent, according to exit polls.

And Latinos went for Obama 68 percent to 31 percent. “You’re talking 2-1 in a group that’s getting to be a bigger part of this state,” said Bitzer.

But exit polls also said this: White voters, who now represent 70 percent of the state’s electorate, were even less supportive of the president than in 2008.

That year, 35 percent of white voters in North Carolina cast their ballots for Obama.

In 2012, he got 31 percent.

via 5 reasons why Obama didn’t carry North Carolina – Elections – NewsObserver.com.