Tonight Is Still A Victory In Raleigh

Friends,

Congratulations Mary-Ann Baldwin and Russ Stephenson on their victories tonight in the Raleigh Municipal Election. Democrats will remain in control of the council, and continue to champion our issues around transit and strong neighborhoods. While ultimately, we did not win in this race, we championed issues of economic development and comprehensive public transportation. I will continue to work with the city council to advance our position on these issues.

I want to challenge us Democrats as we move forward in our great city:

• Commit to comprehensive public transportation: Raleigh is a world class city with a world class workforce. We must move forward on the development of a world class transportation system.
• Support the half-cent sales tax for transit: We in Wake County have the tremendous task of convincing voters county-wide of the necessity of the half-cent sales tax for transit. We must work in unison to make this effort a reality.
  
• Keeping Democrats in office nationally: Our losses in Raleigh may be a forewarning of 2010. We must work diligently to keep Representatives Brad Miller, David Price, and Bob Etheridge in office in 2010. We must also work with our party's nominee to oust our lackluster Senator Richard Burr from office in the 2010 midterm election. We must also support our folks in the General Assembly in the upcoming midterm elections.
  
• Holding John Odom Accountable: Rodger Koopman has been a great public servant to District B, and his absence will apparent on our council. We Democrats have a great responsibility to hold John Odom accountable to leadership in a 21st Century Raleigh. When John Odom last served Raleigh we were in the throws of the "anti-Raleighisms" of Mayors Fetzer and Coble. We must hold Councilor Odom to 2009 standards of sustainability and quality growth in our city, and expect him to support Raleigh's future

I look forward to working with each of you to Build Raleigh's Future. We will be in touch over the coming weeks, as we work on future races.

Thanks for the tremendous support you have given me. Let's continue to Build Raleigh's Future Together!


Lee
lee@sartainforraleigh.com
http://www.sartainforraleigh.com

Will Developers or Citizens Own Raleigh

While we are all aware that running a winning campaign for office takes money, many of us are disenchanted with the recent focus on the importance of money in this race. The Raleigh news media seems to be overlooking how campaign finances influence Council votes. My opponent, Mary-Ann Baldwin is a case study on how backing from big real estate can sway how a Councilor votes.

In a recent vote concerning the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Baldwin voted to give an out-of-town land speculator a free hand in the West Morgan neighborhood of Raleigh. Her vote came against the recommendation of the Hillsborough Citizens Advisory Council and the majority of the City Council. Had Baldwin prevailed, the speculator with a history of quick selling land after getting zoning changes, would have had a free hand to build whatever they desired--even a high rise more typical of Fayetteville Street. What's worse is that this could have been done with no input from the neighborhood, the Planning Commission, or the Council. Could it be because her campaign is directly linked to the development community?

This is not an isolated incident. Mary-Ann Baldwin's record is a two-year string of siding with developers over citizens. An informed voter should ask these questions:

Growth Paying For Growth:

How can we believe that she'll be on our side when it comes to growth-paying-for-growth when her backers vehemently oppose all impact fees?

Transportation:

How can we trust her to make good decisions about transit when developers profit on continuing the age of sprawl and land consumption?

The Answer:

These are issues where Mary-Ann is clear: She's voting with her Big Real Estate Paymasters.

We in Raleigh have a choice to make about our future in this election. We believe the choice is quite clear. We must vote to protect our city's future, and to grow in sustainable and transit oriented ways. Baldwin can't deliver on these issues the way that we can. I'm asking you to spread the word in your communities about this election. It is critical that we move forward to protect our future.

Thanks for all that you do! I'm looking forward to serving as your Raleigh City Councilor.

Lee

lee@sartainforraleigh.com
http://www.sartainforraleigh.com

NBC Coverage of WakeUp and the League of Women Voters Debate

In The News: N&O on Endorsements

The News & Observer recently covered endorsements by the Police Benevolent Association. Our campaign was endorsed by our men and women in uniform.

http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1666800.html

In The News: Indy Weekly Article

Thanks to Bob Geary for his great coverage of the race. There is a lot of chatter in the feedback section of the article. Feel free to join the coverage.

http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A400421

RITZ Focus: 20% Tax Credits For Research

Tax credits for Research Expenditures are a major component of the Raleigh Innovation and Technology Zone plan. While companies can receive up to 3% in credits for independent expenditures, the real credits come from partnerships with North Carolina State University. Research done through the university receives a 20% credit with no spending threshold requirements. These credits are applied towards NC corporate income and franchise taxes.

Let's take a look deeper into how this program creates jobs and benefits Raleigh:

World Class Research Lab's: NCSU has long been the home to world class research facilities. In the midst of the current credit crunch, new companies are struggling to attain financing for research space. Our plan leverages the abundance of space already built and available to the people of North Carolina. This further leverages North Carolina taxpayer investments into university facilities.

Top Experts Leading Projects: Every project channeled through NCSU Centennial Campus will have internationally ranked PhD-level faculty leading their project.

Students Fuel Recruitment Chain: Students working on projects become primary candidates created downtown in the RITZ. The students we educate in Raleigh will stay in Raleigh to launch their careers and invest in our city.

It's Still About The Economy, Stupid: This program still comes back to real job creation. Take a look at this job creation example where a RITZ partner commits $1M in university-based research.

• (2) .5 FTE PhD-Level Researchers: $140k
• (3) FTE Masters-Level Researchers: $225k
• (5) .25 FTE Research Assistants (Students): $100k
• Total University-Based Employment: 10 Jobs, $465k annual salaries

Beyond this, the company will receive $200k in Tax Credits to re-invest in corporate-based jobs, or business capital growth.

So, with research tax credits available to RITZ partner companies, a $1M Research expenditure yields over $665k in job creation while still doing the research required.

Political Signs Go Green

What started as a quest to lower the cost of yard signs resulted in having the most environmentally sound signs of the campaign. Lee Sartain's campaign for Raleigh City Council is aiming to have the "greenest" signs in the race. Our new yard signs are made from recycled materials, and the signs themselves can be recycled at the end of the election. The stakes are made from pine, and can be composted or used as tomato/vegetable stakes in your backyard garden after the election in October. One of Sartain's competitors is using plastic "bag" signs. Not only do these signs use oil in the process of production, they easily fly off holders and become choking hazards to our pets and other animals. Urge our competitor to stop using these signs as they are bad for our environment, and are not easily recycled. For more information on the campaign visit: http://www.sartainforraleigh.com

SARTAIN CALLS FOR MAJOR RENTAL REFORM

Today candidate for Raleigh City Council, Lee Sartain, announced major changes for two programs impacting rental properties in the city of Raleigh. Sartain is calling for major reforms to the Probationary Rental Occupancy Permit (PROP) program and the Raleigh Rental Dwelling Registration Ordinance.

The Raleigh Rental Dwelling Registration Ordinance was passed by city council in July 2008 to generate revenue for a city database of rental properties. Currently, the aims of program fall short of the needs of renters and property owners. Sartain’s proposal would morph the database into a tool that would aide property owners in identifying problem tenants and properties.

The current Rental Registration Ordinance does not act as a tool to aide property owners in maintaining safe and healthy rental properties for their tenants. Reforms would link the database to public safety and health information so property owners can identify problems before they reach levels that require city intervention.–Lee Sartain

Sartain is also proposing major reforms to the Probationary Rental Occupancy Permit (PROP) program. The aim of the PROP program is to address “problem rental properties.” However, the current program blends several housing issues together, including problem tenants. Currently PROP shoulders the burden of problem tenants on property owners. To carry out the expectations of PROP requires landlords to violate tenant privacy rights protected by state and federal law. Reforms will hold nuisance tenants responsible for their actions, while enabling property owners to maintain the health and safety of the residence.

A Blue Ribbon commission consisting of members of the City Planning Commission, community groups, and representatives from various property management groups would be formed to make full recommendations for reform. The goal of the commission will be to bring comprehensive reform that works for tenants and property owners. For more information on Sartain’s proposed reforms see http://www.sartainforraleigh.com. A campaign media kit is also available at http://www.sartainforraleigh.com/news/mediakit.zip.

Summer Reading List

If you have high schoolers at home you are probably well aware of summer reading lists. Candidates for public office should also have summer reading lists. In addition to policy briefs and pages of tax code, I have been reviewing several books I have read in the past to aid me in my campaign. I would suggest you check them out if you get the opportunity.

A Generosity of Spirit: The Early History of the Research Triangle Park by Albert Link: This book chronicles the early history of RTP, and highlights the unheard of (at the time) collaborations between three major research universities, state government, and the business community. This case study has been been extremely instrumental in the development of the RITZ proposal.

From Seed to Harvest: The Growth of the Research Triangle Park by Albert Link: This followup explores the ongoing growth of the park, and policy interactions required to make growth constant.

The Age of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby: This book discusses the "dumbing down" of American politics into categorical extremes. It also covers how the age of distractionism has left us in an untenable situation where we fail to seek real long-term goals.

The Vision of The Anointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy by Thomas Sowell: While generally Sowell is on the wrong side of the debate around economic issues, this book is more than that. Overall I don't agree with much of Sowell's philosophies, but it proves to be an interesting read.

Raleigh Innovation & Technology Zone F.A.Q

Several questions about the Raleigh Innovation & Technology Zone (RITZ) have been raised. Below are several frequently asked questions.

What is the Raleigh Innovation & Technology Zone (RITZ)?

The RITZ is an Economic Development Zone that includes all of Downtown Raleigh, Hillsborough Street Corridor, NCSU Centennial Campus, and depressed areas of Capital Blvd. The RITZ is not an attempt to rebrand downtown Raleigh, it is designed to be an engine for new job growth.

Will the RITZ Take Jobs From RTP?

RTP has fueled prosperity in our region for over 50 years, and will continue to be a major employment center. The RITZ is designed to support start-ups and small companies that have traditionally not located in RTP due to cost and lack of suitable space. The value-add of the RITZ is location in the urban core of our city, and generous tax credits that are already in place.

Where are these tax credits coming from? Can the city afford it?

Tax credits to fund this program have been in place for years. These tax credits impact corporate income taxes collected by the state. City property taxes would not be impacted by this program. Beyond this, participating companies must maintain a wage standard and pay 50% of employee health insurance premiums.

If these tax credits have been around so long, why haven't jobs already been created?

Tax credits alone do not create jobs. Coordinated efforts involving city leaders, business leaders, and local citizens are required to develop jobs in the RITZ. These coordinated efforts are what made RTP successful, and will make this new project successful.

Where will the city have to invest to make this work?

Raleigh's primary fiduciary to the long term success of this project is transportation infrastructure. With the potential of 75,000 employees working in downtown Raleigh by 2030 the city must implement an effective public transportation plan today. The current hands off approach to public transportation is simply unacceptable. If something isn't done soon, our poor public transportation system will cripple our regional economy.