Elections Matter for Growth

Karen Rindge is chair of WakeUP Wake County, a non-partisan, citizens’  non-profit supporting good growth solutions for Wake County and the Triangle region.

Most election news is focused at the national level this year.  However, many of the quality of life issues that affect us daily, like schools,  transportation and drinking water, are decided at the local and state level.  This election, voters should look for candidates who will best plan for growth in our communities.

Given the current economic slowdown, do we in the Triangle still need to be concerned about growing population and development that comes with it?  According to a study published October 5th in the New York Times, Raleigh is one of the few places in the U.S. that still has a growing economy, or at least a stronger economy than most parts of the country.  This good fortune means people will continue to come to the Triangle in search of jobs and good schools.

While we may need to adjust population growth projections, elected officials still must figure out how to plan and pay for the many people who will move here.  Our increasingly urban community will best be served by elected officials who have the wisdom to take the long-term view in growth management planning.

This election, voters need to scrutinize candidates with a growth lens at the state and local levels—from North Carolina governor to Wake Board of Commissioners.  Voters should challenge candidates about their plans for paying for schools, ensuring long-term water supply, and building transit.  Voters should look at whose funding their campaigns, to ensure special interests are not working to the detriment of quality,  sustainable growth.

Here’s what voters should be asking candidates:

How will you propose paying for schools? Property taxes aren’t keeping up with the growing need for more schools and a 21st century K-12 education.  Wake County already spends $30,000 less annually than the national average per classroom, and now some school programs can’t be funded because there’s simply not enough money. Should everyone’s property taxes increase, or should new development pay a greater share of the additional costs?

Do you support stronger water conservation and protection measures to keep clean drinking water flowing? Growing population poses two challenges:  we’ll need to conserve more water to serve more people, and we need to ensure water is clean and safe.  The fact is we have limited supplies of fresh water, so we’ll need to use water wisely.  Increased development means more stormwater runoff, and that means pollution in Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and the future Little River Reservoir.  We must protect these assets with proper planning and stormwater controls.

Will you work to plan and fund a regional transit system for the Triangle? If we fail to increase transportation choices that we’ll need when our population doubles in two decades, our economy, environment and quality of life will suffer with worse traffic.  A plan for a regional system of expanded bus service, rail and circulators has been proposed, and we should support this plan.  Higher gas prices have increased demand for transit, but to remain competitive,  employers will need better options to get employees to work.  The state and local government should act now to support transit.

Are you accepting campaign funds from the realtor and homebuilder PACs? These powerful special interests heavily influence policy decisions at the local and state levels.  The NC Association of Realtors (NCAR) is the largest contributor to state legislative races in North Carolina.  NCAR has threatened legislators who support allowing counties to vote on a real estate transfer tax as a means to pay for schools,  transportation or other growth needs.

Do you believe growth should pay its fair share of the costs of development? With a declining economy, our tax base will decrease.  New sources of revenue – such as transfer fees on real estate transactions and increased impact fees on new development - are essential for paying the costs of new infrastructure needed for growth.  Those that benefit financially from development itself currently do not pay their fair share of costs for the schools, roads, parks and water supply needed for that growth.  Existing taxpayers continue to subsidize sprawl.

If we fail to ask the hard questions of our political candidates, we will end up with short-sighted growth plans and an eroding quality of life –  meaning longer commute times, more air pollution, kids in school trailers and worse water quality.  Realtor and homebuilder PACs and lobbies have often controlled growth planning and policies, and this won’t change unless the voters decide to elect leaders with a new vision for the 21st century.

Karen Rindge
    919-828-3833,  919-637-4271
    3303 Clark Ave.
  Raleigh NC 27607