Politics

Politics

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Highlights of 2010: Parks board

Lions Park Playground Dedication

This year marked the start of my second term on Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation, and Greenways Advisory Board (a.k.a. PRGAB). Service on this board has led to an amazing set of friendships and a greater understanding for all our Parks department does.

It has been challenging but rewarding work. The board meets every month, and each member is also expected to serve on one or more committees. My committee of choice is to act as liason to Mordecai Historic Park, which is a mile away from our home.
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City council considers smoking ban in parks

The Raleigh City Council is considering a recommendation from the Parks board to ban smoking in city parks. Ray Martin of the News and Observer wrote a story about it that ran today.

My quote:

Mark Turner, vice chairman of the board who presided over that meeting, said littering was the board’s chief concern.

“We don’t have the resources to clean up all the cigarettes,” Turner said. “If people can’t be responsible, this has to take effect.

“I think there’s also a big health benefit of the ban, but I’m the kind of guy who does not like making health decisions for other people.”

Considering the circumstances I’m pleased with the interview. Ray caught me literally minutes before we walked out of the house for our New Year’s trip. I was racing around to find last minute items as I talked with him. I’m surprised I sounded somewhat coherent.

One thing I would like to point out is that for this issue it was about litter for me. Other board members might have different concerns but for me it was litter. Ray writes that “littering is the board’s chief concern,” but I don’t know that to be the case. I was only speaking for myself and I tried to make that clear.

Since the story ran today I’ve spoken with News14 Carolina and WPTF. We’ll see how those turn out.

Storm crews did great job

I should also say that the state and local officials did a great job managing today’s storm. Salt brine was on the roads days earlier, making the snow that fell very easy to plow. Streets in my neighborhood were wet but clear by mid-day, which is no mean feat for a storm this size.

I give the government crews an A for their efforts. The state missed getting an A+ from me only because the governor neglected to publicize on the state websites the state of emergency she declared. Fortunately most people already knew there was snow on the way so it wasn’t a big deal.

Overall, I’m impressed. A huge swath of the state received snow and I think it was managed effectively.

Immigration equals congressional seats

2010 Census apportionment

The official Census apportionment took place this week. While North Carolina grew at an 18.5% clip this past decade, it was not enough to gain us an additional seat in the House of Representatives. We missed that landmark by fewer than 16,000 people.

One thing I noticed is that the states which gained the most in population are also the ones known for attracting immigrants (documented or otherwise). Since the Census doesn’t care whether someone is a citizen or not the states that made big gains in population benefited from at least some so-called “illegal” immigration. Do you think that these states might now change their tune about immigration?

Black segregation in US drops to lowest in century

This makes me happy.

America’s neighborhoods became more integrated last year than during any time in at least a century as a rising black middle class moved into fast-growing white areas in the South and West.

Still, ethnic segregation in many parts of the U.S. persisted, particularly for Hispanics.

Segregation among blacks and whites fell in roughly three-quarters of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas as the two racial groups spread more evenly between inner cities and suburbs, according to recent census data.

Black segregation in US drops to lowest in century :: WRAL.com.

Elizabeth Edwards

The Edwards family reunites at RDU Airport

Elizabeth Edwards lost her battle with cancer Tuesday. She was 61. As one of her friends remarked, it was fitting she died on Pearl Harbor Day, having grown up a Navy brat.

I got a chance to meet her during the 2004 Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign and she made quite an impression on me. Here’s what I wrote in my blog post from that day:

Last, but certainly not least was Elizabeth Edwards. This woman radiated warmth like you wouldn’t believe! She seemed genuinely pleased to meet me and bragged about her father’s 30 years of Navy service. Her sincere, upbeat personality just blew me away. I thought Edwards was electric, but he doesn’t hold a candle to his wife.

After they had made their way down the line of veterans, the campaign photographer had us all bunch up and get a picture. John and Elizabeth Edwards ran up to the group for the picture. Elizabeth stood just in front of me, so I thoughtfully put my hand on her shoulder. Hopefully, that shot will serve as proof I was actually there.

I tried tracking down that picture but have yet to find it. Maybe someday it will turn up.

Elizabeth was one of a kind. I’m glad I got a chance to meet her.

Chaired my first Parks board meeting

Tonight I chaired my first Parks board meeting, one meeting after I was elected Vice Chair. The Chair, Jimmy Thiem, is on vacation this week.

And it was a doozy of a meeting, too, with a controversial action item: a proposal to ban smoking in Raleigh Parks. After some debate and discussion (and lots of work by our Smoking in Parks committee), tonight the Parks board voted unanimously to recommend banning all smoking in city parks.

I received several emails on the topic, all in favor of the ban. I’m sure there are other folks with differing opinions but they were nowhere to be found.
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Mordecai board splits Interpretive Center vote

I’ve served on the board of Historic Mordecai Park for over two years now as part of my Parks board service. At most meetings we have few things of importance to discuss. Tonight, however, we were presented with location options for the new Interpretive Center. This was the biggest decision I’ve yet had to make as a boardmember.

The problem was, however, that a boardmember quickly put forward a motion to recommend approval of the location, which staff recommends to be adjacent to Wake Forest Road. In the discussion phase of the motion I made it known that I was not comfortable supporting this recommendation and needed more time to think it over. A vote was taken anyway and passed on a 3-2 majority.
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Election Night

Well, that was interesting. Election Day was yesterday and, nationwide, Democrats took a drubbing. The U.S. House is in Republican hands again. The Senate remains in Democratic hands. Can’t say results on the national level surprise me.

I found the local races more interesting. GOP took control of the General Assembly for the first time in over 125 years. The Republicans face tough decisions with a looming $5 billion state budget deficit. Cutting taxes won’t solve that problem, so now Republicans will have to govern rather than whine.

For all the “throw the bums out” talk, nearly all North Carolina Congressional incumbents were reelected. At this time Bob Etheridge is calling for a recount against political newcomer Renee Ellmers. At this point it looks like Etheridge is done. If so, he’ll become the only congressional incumbent to lose this election.
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