Voters in Raleigh will elect a new mayor and city council members in November.
All eight council seats, including the mayor’s seat, are up for grabs, with all incumbents, with the exception of current Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, seeking another two-year term.
Election day is Tuesday, November 5. Early voting runs from Thursday, October 17 through Saturday, November 2.
To help inform voters across the state, this candidate questionnaire may be republished in local North Carolina publications at no cost. To help enable this reporting, please consider subscribing to The News & Observer.
Name: Whitney Hill
District/seat: Raleigh City Council, District A
Political party: Republican
Age as of November 5, 2024: Candidate did not respond
Campaign website: whitneyforraleigh.org
Current occupation: Business owner
Education: BA in Computer Science
Wanted/occupied offices: ran for city council, district A
Include any notable government or community involvement.
Raleigh Chamber, Jobs for Life, worked on a fundraiser for Hospice at the Capital Club
In which municipal district do you live? A
What is the most important issue facing Raleigh today and how would you address it?
Our police are seriously understaffed and underpaid. This has resulted in a steady increase in crime.
What is your strategy to increase affordable housing in Raleigh?
The first step would be to put an end to the slow progress of zoning changes, building permits and inspections in the downtown area. Raleigh has not historically had a housing problem, even when it was experiencing rapid growth. The problem is a supply problem. I would like to work with builders and developers, city government, and nonprofits to establish goals and action plans to address the housing shortage in Raleigh. We need to build at all levels to address the fact that we simply don’t have enough places to live.
Should the city be more aggressive in requiring developers to make units available or partner with nonprofits?
Yes. Zoning is a power the city has that it can use to deal with developers and get affordable units.
Do you think Raleigh can support concert venues downtown and in Dix Park?
Not sure. I’m in favor of keeping Red Hat in the center. The people and the companies want it. The real question is why a plan for Red Hat was not requested before the convention center expansion plan was drafted. And why are we expanding the convention center if the current one is a loss leader and not used to the capacity?
Would you describe Raleigh’s growth as too fast, too slow or just right?
I wonder if by giving tax breaks for seven years to big companies to move to Raleigh, we’re not giving away the store. Retired citizens who have lived in Raleigh all their lives and paid for their homes are now facing large increases in property taxes (a new home payment), and low-income people are being forced onto the streets. I’m for growth, but that shouldn’t mean giving the store away.
Do you think Raleigh is losing too many historic properties? If so, how should this be addressed?
I’m against Missing Middle. Citizens of Raleigh can expect zoning laws in their neighborhoods to be protected. Owners in well-maintained single-family neighborhoods should not expect the adjacent single-family home to be demolished and replaced with a multi-family home.
