Raleigh Real Estate Development/Govt Complex Goes on the Road

[sax184]

Below the beltline nails it, again:

Lessons Not Learned

Real progress in Raleigh will come when the people, and not the developers, govern the city.

[ChiefJoJo]

I always enjoy that blog. Can't argue with any of it!

[dmccall]

I always enjoy that blog. Can't argue with any of it!

Russ Stephenson of Stephenson Millworks is not the Russ Stephenson on the City Council. I'm not sure which one actually went on the trip.

If the representatives don't represent the people who elected them, who represents the electorate? I mean, the City Council is elected. If they can't represent us, who should we send? CAC leaders and PTA presidents are elected, too. Those people and the other second and third tier representatives may be passionate and/or talented, but the inarguable difference between them and the City Council is that they are not as committed. Otherwise they'd run for this thankless job and spend the enormous number of perfect performing hours elected office demands.

I'm not particularly interested in electing people with no talent or business backgrounds in certain fields to office. At some point the city has a P&L and has to spend money shrewdly, like a well-run company has to. Should we just elect fired up 22 year olds to run things? Some things surely would get better, but others would be horrible. I think we have a pretty good system, BTB. At some point cynicism is too caustic and unproductive.

Just playing Devil's advocate (ironic after the stuff I was yelling at Brodeur last night!)

[Subway Scoundrel]

Just playing Devil's advocate (ironic after the stuff I was yelling at Brodeur last night!)

Save your voice for this weekend as it will be "Miller Time" !!!

[ncwebguy]

CAC leaders and PTA presidents are elected, too. Those people and the other second and third tier representatives may be passionate and/or talented, but the inarguable difference between them and the City Council is that they are not as committed. Otherwise they'd run for this thankless job and spend the enormous number of perfect performing hours elected office demands.

It isn't a matter of *commitment*, it is a matter of *finances*.

Why does Big Real Estate own the Council and planning board? Because they can afford to sponsor councilors who only receive part time salaries. You will *never* see a bus driver, dish washer, musician, artist, etc. on Council because they can't *afford* to run, not because they don't want to. The only people who can keep the council's schedule and a job are lawyers (Meeker), architects (Stephenson, Crowder), retired/counsultants (the rest).

To write off people who work long hours to put food on the table and a roof over their head as "less committed" as the upper middle class and up representatives we have is not correct, but Raleigh swallows it hook, line, and sinker.