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.

How To Tweet With Lee

Twitter can be somewhat daunting if you're a new user. However, once you get the hang of it you might just be hooked for life. Follow these simple steps to interact with Lee on Twitter.

1. Sign up for an account on http://twitter.com: Pretty self-explanatory.
2. Add Lee as a follower at http://twitter.com/sartainraleigh: Once you login click the "Follow" button under Lee's picture. You will now see updates from Lee on your Twitter page.
3. Interact with Lee on Twitter: If you want to send a message to Lee start your tweet with @sartainraleigh. These messages will get to Lee so he knows what you're thinking.
4. ReTweet things from Lee: When you retweet (RT) the message goes to all your followers. So if you like something Lee has tweeted simply RT the tweet. All you have do is RT @sartainraleigh then add your message.
5. Respond to topics Lee tweets about: Lee regularly marks topics in his tweets. For example if he is talking about Hillsborough St in his tweet he may add #hillsboroughst to his message. If you have something to say about Hillsborough Street in your tweets simply add that topic tag. Topic tags are easy...just add #topicname to your tweets.

Those are just a few features of Twitter to get you started with micro-blogging. You can also text your tweets from a mobile phone, and there are several applications for iPhone and Blackberry users to save your text messages. Get started today...but be careful you might just get hooked.

PS follow @Raleighgov as well for news from Raleigh City Government.

YouTube Channel Videos

Videos are now being added to the campaign YouTube channel. The channel can be accessed at http://www.youtube.com/sartainforraleigh. Videos from the campaign can be found there. Lee will also highlight success stories from Raleigh and other cities on the site. Check back often for more information.

Raleigh Innovation & Technology Zone Poised For Green Economy

A recent Pew Center reports cites North Carolina as one of the top states for "green" job growth, and suggests that we are poised to grow in the new green economy. The Raleigh Innovation and Technology Zone (RITZ), an economic development zone proposed by city council candidate Lee Sartain, could potentially accelerate the growth of green jobs in the region.

The study reported that over 1700 green business are located within the state. Job growth with these businesses grew 15.3% as compared to the statewide average of 6.4%. If the city fully implements the RITZ plan, businesses will be aided with these benefits:

• Healthy Tax Credits: Up to $3750/per new job created in the RITZ
• Research Support: 1-3% tax credits for research expenditures. 20% if done through NCSU Centennial Campus
• New Business Incubation Space: RITZ plan calls for new business incubation space in all new construction downtown.
• Job Training Within Walking Distance: The Pew report lists several career paths that do not require a four year degree. A downtown WakeTech campus will be an integral part of job training for these new green jobs.

Get Involved In The Conversation: Post your thoughts on Raleigh's "green" potential on Twitter with topic #raleighgreenjobs.

Sartain Announces Run For Raleigh City Council

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 7, 2009

CONTACT: LEE SARTAIN

SARTAIN ANNOUNCES RUN FOR RALEIGH COUNCIL

Lee Sartain publicly announced his campaign for one of two at-large Raleigh City Council seats today. Sartain’s campaign focuses on growing new jobs, comprehensive public transportation, and strong neighborhoods.

“Raleigh’s high quality of life and embrace of education, technology, and innovation has led to rapid growth over the last twenty years. More people are calling Raleigh home than ever, and the pace is not expected to slow. This growth has also placed us at a crossroads, and Raleigh must take several strategic steps to ensure a bright future. Stepping up job growth downtown, building strong neighborhoods, and building a reliable transportation system will ensure that Raleigh is a destination city for years to come”

Sartain’s primary initiative is the development of the Raleigh Innovation and Technology Zone (RITZ) in the city’s downtown. The economic development zone is design to compliment and model the success of the suburban Research Triangle Park.

“Today’s entrepreneurs want an affordable environment where they can live, work, and play. The development of the RITZ in downtown Raleigh will drive the biological and technical innovations of the twenty-first century. The RITZ will be a catalyst for job growth in our city for the next fifty years. Plus this project can begin today with progressive tax credits already available in downtown Raleigh.”

Sartain is in Education Technology and Policy at the William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University, and he is also a graduate of the university. For more information see http://www.sartainforraleigh.com. A media kit is available at http://www.sartainforraleigh.com/news/mediakit.zip.

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Thanks for all your support, and for helping build Raleigh's Future Together.

Lee