City Council Election Focus: Paul Anderson

The forty-five year old Paul Anderson may have a stroke of luck behind him this election cycle (he was born on St. Patrick’s Day), unlike his last shot at a different seat on the council which lost by a very slim margin. You can hear the excitement in his voice as this former banker, turned pastor, offers himself as the newest public servant on the city council. His background reads like a story of a man who has risen the ranks and stopping now wouldn’t do justice. Anderson is one of nine children of rural Georgian share-croppers who came to North Carolina in search of a better lot for their children. Anderson and all his siblings graduated high school and college will multiple honors. He is a proud family man, with his wife Tina Morris-Anderson and their two boys, Paul L. Anderson, II (aka Petey) and Noah.

One of Anderson’s contributions to the community, in addition to serving on the Raleigh Planning Commission, and various boards including the Food Bank and Smart Start of Wake County; he was one of the founders of the Interfaith Alliance of Wake County. This organization sought to bring together members of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities to find common ground and find ways to reach their goals together. Anderson believes that this is one of the assets he can bring to the council. “Not just communication, but dialogue.“ he says, “Everyone can bring something to the table. Be they from city council, school board, state, or county.“

Successful dialogue would be needed he said to address the issue of a multi-modal transit hub. Anderson agreed that it would be a great asset to the community, but there was still debate as to where such a facility would go and dialogue was key. He said that public transit should be crucial in delivering people downtown, “not just on weekdays, but on Saturdays and Sundays as well.“ He is currently researching the matter and has sought advice from people knowledgeable of the priorities of transit. Anderson also added that any solution should be environmentally friendly and prepared to handle the fuels of the future.

As far as the arts, Paul Anderson said he was behind the arts whole-heartedly; “Besides my wife is one” (Tina is a professional vocalist who performs with the North Carolina Symphony).  “Plenty of people would love to come downtown to see shows and exhibitions, and we’ve got to ensure people have the means to make that trip.“

He argued that plenty of people were priced out of living in Raleigh, even municipal employees, and it should be city’s duty to make sure that people could come live in Raleigh and not make long commutes.

Anderson likened Raleigh to a wagon wheel, with downtown being the middle of the wheel. It must be strong and well built, with all the spokes given equal equal attention because without careful construction the wheel wouldn’t work properly. 

Paul Anderson’s website can be found here.