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

Robert lives in the Hedingham neighborhood of Raleigh. He has two children.

Robert works as a property manager for Lampe Management. Prior to that, he worked as a division manager for Domino's and spent 14 years in the U.S. Navy.

Robert Steele, Jr.'s campaign for the city council of Raleigh is his first run for public office.

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.

Believes Raleigh has "wonderful parks," but notes that "most of them are too far from where people live, except in downtown."

Believes town hall meetings should be mandatory.

Believes in the importance of community support, saying, "People cooked meals for my family and I and dropped them off with just a quick knock."

Supports transparency in government, believing that public service goals should be accessible to the public and not hidden behind "closed session" rules.

Believes in transparency for public services, and as a City Council candidate, requested the City Manager’s goals be made public.

Believes community engagement efforts are ineffective, saying "our ability to engage with our government...has been stripped to almost nothing."

Believes every neighborhood should have a city park or green space within walking distance or easily accessible by bus.

Believes the public should know the goals set for the City Manager so they can judge if the performance evaluation and raise are justified.

Believes the city council fails to represent citizens and opposes inadequate opportunities for public advocacy.

Supports the implementation of an alert system to combat violent crime.

Believes police response time averages 5-6 minutes nationwide.

Opposes developers and real estate agents influencing public safety policies.

Received 85.47% of developer and real estate contributions from June to December 2023, totaling over $106,000.

Opposes politicians who are "Bought and Paid For" and believes they cannot represent local interests.

Said, "I won’t take money from big developers or special interests. I will not be 'Bought and Paid For'. The only people I have any interest in working for are YOU, the residents of Raleigh."

Believes in a government "OF the people, and FOR the people," and criticizes officials who "make more money in a few months than most of us make in a year..."

Believes there is "no excuse" for not using technology to inform citizens of ongoing violent crime.

- 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 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 drivers should be paid a "sufficient wage" to encourage them to continue working.

Believes the City Council's policies on affordable housing are ineffective, saying "the numbers of affordable units in the city continue to fall by about 4,000 per year."

Believes municipalities should have the authority to require developers to build affordable housing units, and supports changing state law to allow this.

Supports lobbying for inclusionary zoning policies.

Robert Steele, Jr. moved to Raleigh in October of 2020 and lives in the Hedingham neighborhood. He is a single father with two children, Toby and Bridgete.

Robert Steele, Jr. is currently working full-time as a Property Manager for Lampe Management, managing self-storage facilities. Prior to that, he worked as a Division Manager for Domino's and spent 14 years in the U.S. Navy.

As of August 21, 2024, Robert Steele, Jr.’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- 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. 