WUNC, Memory of one Hedingham victim inspired Rob Steele to run for Raleigh City Council

Candidate website

Believes public oversight is crucial to government action.

Believes all City Council meetings should be public, and any attempt to hold closed meetings not required by law should be punishable.

Supports mandatory community meetings, saying "District reps should hold them quarterly. At-large and the Mayor should hold them twice per year. Failure to hold them should result in dismissal from the Council."

Supports mandatory community meetings, saying "District reps should hold them quarterly. At-large and the Mayor should hold them twice per year."

Believes smaller, community-accessible parks are important and supports the development of more accessible green spaces.

Wants to create a new, more centralized version of Citizen Advisory Councils.

Supports creating more Community Advisory Committees (CACs) that represent smaller, localized citizen groups, and mandates that developers and the City Council engage with these committees and consider their input.

Supports creating more Community Advisory Committees (CACs) that represent smaller, localized citizen groups.

Believes in giving back to the community and plans to support local initiatives and services that foster unity and assistance among residents.

- Believes public oversight is crucial to government action.
- Believes all City Council meetings should be public, and any attempt to hold closed meetings not required by law should be punishable.
- Supports mandatory community meetings, saying "District reps should hold them quarterly. At-large and the Mayor should hold them twice per year."
- Believes smaller, community-accessible parks are important and supports the development of more accessible green spaces.
- Wants to create a new, more centralized version of Citizen Advisory Councils.
- Supports creating more Community Advisory Committees (CACs) that represent smaller, localized citizen groups.
- Believes in giving back to the community and plans to support local initiatives and services that foster unity and assistance among residents.

Public Services

Believes addressing public safety requires improving city infrastructure, enhancing neighborhood bus services, and implementing a violent crime alert system.

Believes crime deterrence on city buses is crucial and supports working cameras and partnerships with the Reno Police Department.

Believes crime deterrence on city buses is crucial and supports working cameras and partnerships with the Raleigh Police Department.

Believes that public safety is paramount, highlighting that "5-6 minutes can result in the deaths of multiple people who are unaware of a problem," emphasizing the need for immediate action and awareness to prevent tragedies.

- Believes addressing public safety requires improving city infrastructure, enhancing neighborhood bus services, and implementing a violent crime alert system.
- Believes crime deterrence on city buses is crucial and supports working cameras and partnerships with the Raleigh Police Department.
- Believes that public safety is paramount, highlighting that "5-6 minutes can result in the deaths of multiple people who are unaware of a problem," emphasizing the need for immediate action and awareness to prevent tragedies.

Public Safety

Supports wage increases to address staffing issues.

Believes high taxes force homeowners to sell, leading to redevelopment and a "domino effect" of economic instability.

- Supports wage increases to address staffing issues.
- Believes high taxes force homeowners to sell, leading to redevelopment and a "domino effect" of economic instability.

Economy

As of July 31, 2024, Robert Steele, Jr.’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Education

Believes Raleigh is losing affordable housing and plans to improve Citizen Advisory Councils, seek public-private partnerships for affordable housing, and lobby for local control over developer projects.

Believes the city should partner with non-profits to purchase and manage existing housing as affordable units, rather than allowing developers to demolish existing housing.

Supports partnering with non-profits to purchase and manage existing housing as affordable units, rather than allowing developers to demolish existing housing.

Believes up-zoning forces long-time homeowners out of their homes by drastically increasing neighborhood tax values.

- Believes Raleigh is losing affordable housing and plans to improve Citizen Advisory Councils, seek public-private partnerships for affordable housing, and lobby for local control over developer projects.
- Supports partnering with non-profits to purchase and manage existing housing as affordable units, rather than allowing developers to demolish existing housing.
- Believes up-zoning forces long-time homeowners out of their homes by drastically increasing neighborhood tax values.

Housing & Urban Development

Believes no person should have to walk more than fifteen minutes to reach a bus stop or connector pickup, and no route should operate on less than fifteen minute intervals during peak hours.

Believes no person should have to walk more than 15 minutes to reach a bus stop or connector pickup, and no route should operate on less than 15 minute intervals during peak hours.

Believes there are significant gaps in the city's bus routes.

- Believes no person should have to walk more than 15 minutes to reach a bus stop or connector pickup, and no route should operate on less than 15 minute intervals during peak hours.
- Believes there are significant gaps in the city's bus routes.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Robert Steele, Jr.

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Ballotpedia, James Bledsoe

Supports mandating mental health days for police and fire department members.

Supports requiring mental health days for police and fire department members.

Wants to add a separation allowance for the Raleigh Fire Department, which would provide them retirement benefits until they are 62 years old for those who served for at least 30 years.

Supports transportation to medical appointments and veteran's facilities through a community volunteer program.

Wants the City to offer transportation to medical appointments and veteran's facilities through a community volunteer program.

Supports job search assistance, workshops, seminars, and employment training opportunities to boost the economy.

Wants the City to provide job search assistance, workshops, seminars, and employment training opportunities. 

Supports providing in-home assistance for disabled veterans to help them complete necessary paperwork for applications.

Supports providing in-home assistance for disabled veterans to help them complete paperwork for applications.

Supports a home check-up program for at-risk veterans, believing that phone calls or home visits are as crucial for veterans as the senior well-check program.

Supports a home check-up program for at-risk veterans, saying it "can be as crucial as the senior well-check program."

- Supports requiring mental health days for police and fire department members.
- Wants to add a separation allowance for the Raleigh Fire Department, which would provide them retirement benefits until they are 62 years old for those who served for at least 30 years.
- Wants the City to offer transportation to medical appointments and veteran's facilities through a community volunteer program.
- Wants the City to provide job search assistance, workshops, seminars, and employment training opportunities. 
- Supports providing in-home assistance for disabled veterans to help them complete paperwork for applications.
- Supports a home check-up program for at-risk veterans, saying it "can be as crucial as the senior well-check program."

Plans to change the pay scale for first responders to one based on time in grade and time in service.

Promises to work towards improving first responders pay without increasing taxes.

Wants to improve first responders' pay without increasing taxes.

Promises to advocate for police and fire department.

Promises to advocate for the local police and fire department.

- Plans to change the pay scale for first responders to one based on time in grade and time in service.
- Wants to improve first responders' pay without increasing taxes.
- Promises to advocate for the local police and fire department.

Plans to reduce taxpayer financial burden by paying off debts, cutting spending, and halving the City Manager's salary.

Wants less government spending and to reduce the City Manager's salary by 50% to help lower City debt. 

Supports implementing a cost-of-living adjustment that aligns with the national average.

Wants to adjust the cost of living in Raleigh so it matches the national average.

Wants to extend the age for benefits to 65 years old in order to help the RPD and RFD retire.

Wants to extend the age for benefits to 65 years old for the City Police and Fire Departments. 

Supports veteran preference on city government job applications.

Supports a preference for veterans for city government job applications.

- Wants to reduce taxes.
- Wants less government spending and to reduce the City Manager's salary by 50% to help lower City debt. 
- Wants to adjust the cost of living in Raleigh so it matches the national average.
- Wants to extend the age for benefits to 65 years old for the City Police and Fire Departments. 
- Supports a preference for veterans for city government job applications.

Plans to donate 50-100% of council pay to create grants for students pursuing STEM or trade careers.

Plans to donate 50-100% of council pay if elected to create grants for students pursuing STEM or trade careers.

- Plans to donate 50-100% of council pay if elected to create grants for students pursuing STEM or trade careers.

Plans to provide diverse housing options and ensure affordability for future generations.

Wants to expand access to affordable housing. 

Wants to improve housing options and support businesses of all sizes.

Wants to make it easier to own a home in Raleigh. 

Believes in selling derelict city-owned buildings to builders to create homes or condos.

Wants run-down city-owned buildings to be sold to builders to develop homes or condos.

Believes restrictions for buildings contribute to a lack of housing supply.

Believes in reducing minimum lot sizes for homes and encouraging developers to create internal or subterranean parking for apartment complexes and large buildings.

Wants to reduce minimum lot sizes for homes and encourage developers to develop internal or subterranean parking for apartment complexes and large buildings.

Believes in restructuring the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to remove height restrictions to encourage vertical development and a more pragmatic approach to housing and mixed-use development.

Wants to restructure the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to remove height restrictions to encourage vertical development and a "more pragmatic approach to housing and mixed-use development."

Aims to reduce city regulations to make it easier to build new housing.

Wants fewer city regulations to make it easier to develop new housing.

Proposes building dormitories near fire and police stations to address housing challenges for new responders.

Proposes building dormitories near fire and police stations to help reduce housing challenges for new responders.

Believes in encouraging multiuse buildings with housing on top of businesses to optimize vertical space.

Believes in encouraging multi-use buildings with housing on top of businesses to optimize vertical space.

Believes that increasing demand for housing, coupled with supply issues due to building restrictions, leads to higher housing and rent costs, rising taxes, and a housing crisis.

Believes when there is more housing demand than supply, housing, rent costs, and taxes increase. 

- Wants to expand access to affordable housing. 
- Wants to make it easier to own a home in Raleigh. 
- Wants run-down city-owned buildings to be sold to builders to develop homes or condos.
- Believes restrictions for buildings contribute to a lack of housing supply.
- Wants to reduce minimum lot sizes for homes and encourage developers to develop internal or subterranean parking for apartment complexes and large buildings.
- Wants to restructure the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to remove height restrictions to encourage vertical development and a "more pragmatic approach to housing and mixed-use development."
- Wants fewer city regulations to make it easier to develop new housing.
- Proposes building dormitories near fire and police stations to help reduce housing challenges for new responders.
- Believes in encouraging multi-use buildings with housing on top of businesses to optimize vertical space.
- Believes when there is more housing demand than supply, housing, rent costs, and taxes increase. 

As of July 31, 2024, James Bledsoe’s website did not contain information on this issue.

James Bledsoe

As a City Council member, he led initiatives for equal fares for public transit, establishing an eviction assistance clinic for low-income residents; and enacting a nondiscrimination ordinance to prevent discrimination for residents and visitors in private employment and public accommodations.

Supported efforts to establish Raleigh's Community Climate Action Plan, including mandating EV charging in new multifamily developments, requiring pedestrian connections in new developments even if a full road connection isn't required, and prohibiting any new drive-thru's downtown and in other pedestrian areas.

Supports establishing a Community Engagement Board and a Community Engagement Bus to reach underrepresented communities.

Supports establishing a Community Engagement Board and Bus to help reach underrepresented communities and help provide them greater access to local resources and community centers. 

Plans to hold monthly community office hours to engage in informal conversations with residents.

Plans to hold monthly community office hours to engage with residents. 

Believes community engagement should be an action embedded in all processes, not just limited to in-person meetings.

Believes community engagement should be "an action embedded in all processes..." not somewhere people "had to go to engage."

Believes local races are important and plans to work to increase voter turnout.

Believes local races are important and don't receive enough attention, saying "voter turnout is lower than state and national races."

Advocates for enhanced city worker and first responder support through increased pay and benefits.

Advocates for more support for city workers and first responders, including increasing pay and more benefits.

Supports environmental conservation efforts.

- As a City Council member, he led initiatives for equal fares for public transit, establishing an eviction assistance clinic for low-income residents; and enacting a nondiscrimination ordinance to prevent discrimination for residents and visitors in private employment and public accommodations.
- Supported efforts to establish Raleigh's Community Climate Action Plan, including mandating EV charging in new multifamily developments, requiring pedestrian connections in new developments even if a full road connection isn't required, and prohibiting any new drive-thru's downtown and in other pedestrian areas.
- Supports establishing a Community Engagement Board and Bus to help reach underrepresented communities and help provide them greater access to local resources and community centers. 
- Plans to hold monthly community office hours to engage with residents. 
- Believes community engagement should be "an action embedded in all processes..." not somewhere people "had to go to engage."
- Believes local races are important and don't receive enough attention, saying "voter turnout is lower than state and national races."
- Advocates for more support for city workers and first responders, including increasing pay and more benefits.
- Supports environmental conservation efforts.
- Wants to address social inequalities.

As a City Council member, led initiatives to establish a police advisory board.

As a City Council member, he led initiatives to request oversight capabilities for the police advisory board. 

Supports raises and benefits for police and firefighters to retain local talent.

Requested education pay incentives for all public safety employees.

Requested to the City Manager, that education pay incentives are established for public safety employees.

Supports increasing salaries and numbers of first responders.

Believes addressing public safety issues requires a comprehensive approach, including improving housing for the unsheltered, enhancing overall housing affordability, and providing support for first responders.

Wants to address housing for homeless populations, improve housing affordability, and ensure first responders are supported. 

Wants more support for police officers and to foster an accountable culture.

- As a City Council member, he led initiatives to request oversight capabilities for the police advisory board. 
- Supports raises and benefits for police and firefighters to retain local talent.
- Requested to the City Manager, that education pay incentives are established for public safety employees.
- Supports increasing salaries and numbers of first responders.
- Wants to address housing for homeless populations, improve housing affordability, and ensure first responders are supported. 
- Wants more support for police officers and to foster an accountable culture.

As a city leader, led efforts to include renters in required notice of city business and to make it easier to address the City Council at our meetings.

As a city council member, he led efforts to include renters in those notified of city business so they could more easily address the City Council. 

Supports efforts to reduce housing costs.

Supports worker's rights and wants them to recieve "livable" wages. 

Supports pay and benefit adjustments to align with regional labor and economic changes.

Wants to adjust pay and benefits for city workers to match new labor and economic dynamics in the region.

- As a city council member, he led efforts to include renters in those notified of city business so they could more easily address the City Council. 
- Supports worker's rights and wants them to recieve "livable" wages. 
- Wants to adjust pay and benefits for city workers to match new labor and economic dynamics in the region.

Supported increasing pay for educators during the previous fiscal year.

- Supported increasing pay for educators during the previous fiscal year.

Supports increasing housing affordability in Raleigh. 

As a city council member, removed the ban on short-term rentals and created new guidelines for their use.

As a city council member,  he supported removing a ban on short-term rentals and developing new guidelines for their use.

As a City Council member, supported efforts to provide over 5,500 affordable housing units by 2026 and voted to eliminate parking minimums and establish parking maximums to promote affordability and resilience.

As a City Council member, he supported efforts to provide over 5,500 affordable housing units by 2026 and voted to eliminate parking minimums and establish parking maximums to promote affordability and resilience.

Wants to focus on dense and new mixed used buildings when planning new development through "community gardens and produce stands, farmer’s markets in city parks, and allowing accessory commercial units (ACUs) and neighborhood markets."

- Supports increasing housing affordability in Raleigh. 
- As a city council member,  he supported removing a ban on short-term rentals and developing new guidelines for their use.
- As a City Council member, he supported efforts to provide over 5,500 affordable housing units by 2026 and voted to eliminate parking minimums and establish parking maximums to promote affordability and resilience.
- Wants to focus on dense and new mixed used buildings when planning new development through "community gardens and produce stands, farmer’s markets in city parks, and allowing accessory commercial units (ACUs) and neighborhood markets."

Supports building multi-use paths for non-car users.

Supports road widenings when there is significant public support and the project has been promised for years, but personally does not love the idea of road widenings, believing that "induced demand is a real problem, and adding lanes typically doesn't help reduce traffic."

Opposes road widening, believing that "adding lanes typically doesn't help reduce traffic."

Believes public transit should be safe and accessible to all, especially those who rely on it most.

Believes public transit should be safe and widely accessible, especially for those who rely on it most.

Supports reducing car-dependency by creating an e-bike incentive program, funding sidewalks and bike lanes, increasing transit options, and allowing micromobility providers to operate in the city.

Advocates for reducing car dependency and developing an e-bike incentive program, funding sidewalks and bike lanes, increasing transit options, and allowing micro-mobility providers to operate in the city.

Wants the city to increase its business efficiency, especially for construction and permitting.

- Supports building multi-use paths for non-car users.
- Opposes road widening, believing that "adding lanes typically doesn't help reduce traffic."
- Believes public transit should be safe and widely accessible, especially for those who rely on it most.
- Advocates for reducing car dependency and developing an e-bike incentive program, funding sidewalks and bike lanes, increasing transit options, and allowing micro-mobility providers to operate in the city.
- Wants the city to increase its business efficiency, especially for construction and permitting.

Jonathan Lambert-Melton

Ballotpedia, Joshua Bradley

Believes the city should work against discrimination and increase community involvement in local government.

- Believes the city should work against discrimination and increase community involvement in local government.

Supports non-discrimination policies to enhance public safety.

Believes investing in communities of color benefits all residents and aims to address racial injustice and economic inequality through equitable policies.

- Supports non-discrimination policies to enhance public safety.
- Believes investing in communities of color benefits all residents and aims to address racial injustice and economic inequality through equitable policies.

Indyweek, Candidate Questionnaire: Joshua Bradley, Raleigh City Council At-Large

Supports policies to improve working and living conditions for city workers, including sanitation workers, retail workers, teachers, and bus drivers.

Prioritizes policies to improve working and living conditions for city workers, including sanitation workers, retail workers, teachers, and bus drivers.

Supports the right to work, saying "This is an international principle, agreed upon by the US in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights treaty of 1966."

Supported raising city worker wages to $25 an hour.

- Prioritizes policies to improve working and living conditions for city workers, including sanitation workers, retail workers, teachers, and bus drivers.
- Supports the right to work.
- Supported raising city worker wages to $25 an hour.
- Supported unionization of workers.

As of July 31, 2024, Joshua Bradley’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes in a multifaceted approach to housing that protects low-income and working-class residents while addressing housing demand.

Supports a multifaceted approach to housing that protects low-income and working-class residents while addressing housing demand.

Believes racial injustice and economic inequality are evident, with gentrification and policing disproportionately affecting Black, brown, and Indigenous communities.

Believes gentrification disproportionately affect Black, brown, and Indigenous communities.

Believes Section 8 vouchers and past funding are inadequate for worker housing needs. Supports policies for equitable, environmentally conscious, accessible, dense, and low-income housing.

Believes Section 8 vouchers and past funding are inadequate for worker housing needs.

Supports affordable housing and wants to ensure working people have access to well-paying jobs and a voice in city government.

Wants to ensure access to affordable housing

- Supports a multifaceted approach to housing that protects low-income and working-class residents while addressing housing demand.
- Believes gentrification disproportionately affect Black, brown, and Indigenous communities.
- Believes Section 8 vouchers and past funding are inadequate for worker housing needs.
- Wants to ensure access to affordable housing

Supports solutions to transportation and infrastructure issues that are informed by organizers, activists, and scientists.

Supports enacting policies for safe and sustainable infrastructure, focusing on historically marginalized communities.

Prioritizes enacting policies for safe and sustainable infrastructure, focusing on historically marginalized communities.

Said, "Our public transit systems help us move away from car dependency and allow residents to get around the city in ways accessible to them, whether that be via the bus, walking, or cycling."

- Supports solutions to transportation and infrastructure issues that are informed by organizers, activists, and scientists.
- Prioritizes enacting policies for safe and sustainable infrastructure, focusing on historically marginalized communities.
- Wants to implement free public transit.
- Said, "Our public transit systems help us move away from car dependency and allow residents to get around the city in ways accessible to them, whether that be via the bus, walking, or cycling."

Joshua Bradley

Ballotpedia, Katherine Pate

As of July 31, 2024, Katie Pate’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes respect and civility are essential for making progress in public safety.

Said, "We can't accept leaders who lack civility."

Believes elected officials and public employees should be held to a higher standard, saying "honesty and transparency will make our city stronger."

- Said, "We can't accept leaders who lack civility."
- Believes elected officials and public employees should be held to a higher standard, saying "honesty and transparency will make our city stronger."

Katie Pate

Wants to enhance and expand parks and recreation options, especially for young people.

Supports fully investing in Community Action Councils and creating new opportunities for direct community engagement with city staff, developers, and the city council.

As a community organizer, he has organized campaigns that won funding for new public park facilities in Oxford.

- Wants to enhance and expand parks and recreation options, especially for young people.
- Supports fully investing in Community Action Councils and creating new opportunities for direct community engagement with city staff, developers, and the city council.
- As a community organizer, he has organized campaigns that won funding for new public park facilities in Oxford.

Believes in advocating for criminal justice reforms.

Supports advocating for criminal justice reforms.

Supports paying living wages to all city workers and competitive salaries for emergency service workers.

Supports fair property tax practices and advocates for local public servants to receive living wages.

- Supports advocating for criminal justice reforms.
- Supports paying living wages to all city workers and competitive salaries for emergency service workers.
- Supports fair property tax practices and advocates for local public servants to receive living wages.

Supports building ordinances that prioritize locally owned small businesses in new commercial spaces.

Aims to find ways to support seniors, retirees, and low-income residents who may be adversely affected by high property taxes.

Priorities finding ways to support seniors, retirees, and low-income residents adversely affected by high property taxes.

Supports affordable spaces for local small businesses.

- Supports building ordinances that prioritize locally owned small businesses in new commercial spaces.
- Priorities finding ways to support seniors, retirees, and low-income residents adversely affected by high property taxes.
- Supports affordable spaces for local small businesses.

As of July 31, 2024, Reeves Peeler’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports amending Raleigh's laws to require new developments to include public greenways and parks within a five-minute walk of all new homes.

Supports creating policies to incentivize affordable housing unit construction and protect residents of existing affordable homes.

Supports planning housing developments to shorten commute times, reduce car dependency, and ensure people can live close to where they work and play.

Prioritizes planning housing developments that shorten commute times, reduce car dependency, and ensure people can live close to where they work and play.

Supports re-investing in public housing and community land trusts.

Believes Raleigh is "a city for everyone" and that land use and development ordinances should be inclusive.

Supports increasing tree cover requirements in development ordinances.

- Supports amending Raleigh's laws to require new developments to include public greenways and parks within a five-minute walk of all new homes.
- Supports creating policies to incentivize affordable housing unit construction and protect residents of existing affordable homes.
- Prioritizes planning housing developments that shorten commute times, reduce car dependency, and ensure people can live close to where they work and play.
- Supports re-investing in public housing and community land trusts.
- Believes Raleigh is "a city for everyone" and that land use and development ordinances should be inclusive.
- Supports increasing tree cover requirements in development ordinances.
- Opposes development in protected watersheds.
- Opposes criminalization of homelessness.

Reeves Peeler

- City council members work together to set and implement city policy. 
- The city council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city.
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 