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