~ MARY-ANN ON THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FACING RALEIGH

As evidenced by the growth Raleigh has experienced, our area is a desirable place to live and do business. But we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to work on enhancing our quality of life so we become a truly great 21 st century city.

I will continue to work for:

•  Job Creation and Expanded Economic Opportunities

•  Smart Growth with Expanded Transit

• Parks, Greenways, and Open Space

•  Public and Neighborhood Safety

•  Improved Communication and Outreach

Job Creation and Expanded Economic Opportunities

For years, Raleigh has been on the top of every national list, ranking among the top cities to live and do business. It's no wonder with our excellent schools, universities, housing mix, weather and business climate. The economic recession, however, has impacted many residents who have lost their jobs and their homes.

To ensure that we all share in Raleigh's future success, we need to commit resources to ensure job growth and creation. The most effective ways to do this are to:

•  Partner with our economic development officials to attract corporate headquarters and new businesses, especially in the medical and technology sectors

•  Work with leaders in economically disadvantaged areas of our city to encourage and incentivize small business success

•  Focus on enhancing our quality of life by building a more sustainable community, expanding transit, and approving our new comprehensive plan

•  Working in partnership with the private sector to create a welcoming climate for business growth and expansion

Balanced Growth with Expanded Transit

With our population expected to double over the next 20 years and our demographics expected to change with that growth, it is imperative that we offer a choice in housing and lifestyles to accommodate the needs of a diverse population.

Any good growth policy must also include transit. For the past several years, I've worked diligently on this issue by serving on the Triangle Transit Authority and the Wake County Transit Leadership Team and being actively engaged with the Capital Area Friends of Transit. Expanded transit is my top priority.

As the Council's liaison to the General Assembly, I have also been actively engaged in these issues with our delegation. From light rail and expanded bus service, including express service from high population outlying parts of the county, to the possibility of circular routes connecting RDU, RTP, NC State, and downtown, we have exciting options for ways to move forward.

Parks, Greenways, and Open Space

Raleigh is known as the “City of Oaks.” And for good reason. We have one of the finest parks and greenway systems in the country. As we continue to grow, we must not forget the need to provide citizens with places to enjoy their leisure time. Raleigh must continue to develop parks, greenways and facilities for active and passive recreation.

One of our major opportunities is the potential to turn the Dorothea Dix property into a destination park. While we must ensure that the mental health needs of our area are fully met, the Dix campus can become a “shining light” for Raleigh and a major attraction for businesses and families considering moving to our community. Having experienced Millennium Park in Chicago, Central Park in New York City and the Boston Commons, I recognize the positive economic impacts this will have on our city and state.

Public and Neighborhood Safety

Our first responders are some of the hardest working people anywhere. We must ensure that they have the facilities, tools and resources to do their jobs throughout all areas of the city.

As the economy has worsened, we've seen crime increase in Raleigh. In addition, gang-related activity is on the rise. Many people I've talked to do not believe we have a gang problem. Believe me, we do. Kids join gangs to belong to something. They join gangs because they don't have the support of a family. They join gangs out of hopelessness and desperation. It's a critical issue that we have to face.

While we have funded initiatives related to the policing of gangs, I believe we need to do more in terms of gang prevention . I want to increase the collaboration among police, educators, neighborhood, non-profit and community leaders to find ways to solve this problem. We are currently working on several initiatives that focus on gang prevention, student success and mentoring. Our children are counting on us.

Communication and Outreach

My professional career has involved marketing and communications for a number of firms in the Research Triangle area. My area of specialty is working to bring people together to find consensus.

We've had some success in this area, but we still have work to do. I will continue to work with the Mayor and Council to improve communication among ourselves, the staff and the citizens of Raleigh. I will continue to encourage proactive communication and engagement with our residents. And I'll continue to work with our Wake County legislative delegation on behalf of Raleigh residents.