Mary-Ann Baldwin, candidate for Raleigh mayor
The News & Observer asked readers again this year to submit their questions for the people looking to lead Raleigh.
We received nearly 200 questions that covered a range of topics important to city residents.
We asked candidates for a yes or no response to 15 questions with a chance to fully explain their position. If candidates did not provide a yes or no answer, we didn’t include their fuller response.
We also included biographical and open-ended questions. Some responses were edited for clarity or length.
Here is how Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin answered the questionnaire. She faces two challengers: DaQuanta Copeland and Terrance Ruth. The mayor is elected by the entire city and serves a two-year term.
All eight seats on the Raleigh City Council are up for re-election.
Early voting for the Nov. 8 election began Oct. 20.
Name: Mary-Ann Baldwin
Age: 66
Residence: 614 Capital Blvd., #223
Occupation: Mayor, VP of Advancement, First Tee - Triangle
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, University of Rhode Island; Associate’s Degree, Community College of Rhode Island
Endorsements (limit to three): Raleigh Police Protective Association, Wake County Homebuilders Association, North Carolina Transit Workers Association
Previous political or civic experience? Current mayor; Served as at large Raleigh City Councilor from 2007 to 2017
Campaign website: MaryAnnForRaleigh.com
How do you identify your political ideology? Democrat
How would you add diversity to the City Council? I would like us to further study adding another at-large or district council member with the goal of ensuring diversity on our City Council.
What is your favorite locally owned restaurant either in the city or within your district? Mulino’s. But I sure do miss Garland.
The city of Raleigh lowered the speed limit downtown to 25 mph. Are you in favor of lowering the speed limit to 25 mph throughout the city?
No. I believe this needs to be a data-driven decision based on the number of car accidents, pedestrian and bicycle incidents and other criteria, with a focus on where we have issues related to speed and right-hand turns. More importantly, we need to focus on Vision Zero so we improve the pedestrian and biking experience with a focus on safety.
Should the city help bring a sports and entertainment stadium downtown?
Yes. I support the development of an all-purpose stadium in Downtown South that could be used for soccer, concerts, college sports and for conferences in conjunction with our Convention Center. This would create a great fan experience and unique economic development opportunities for our region.
Do you support reinstating Citizen Advisory Councils?
No. CACs were outdated, controlled by a few individuals and did not offer inclusive engagement. For example, I attended a CAC meeting where a young man was booed for saying he supported a rezoning for a proposed apartment complex. While I was on council, we conducted two studies that outlined improvements to CACs, which were fought by the CACs. In a city survey, 90% of residents had never attended a CAC meeting. That represents exclusive engagement, not inclusive engagement.
Would you vote to increase the police department’s budget?
Yes. The council voted to increase the department’s budget this year to support a new greenway unit, increase efforts to prevent gun violence and expand our ACORNs unit, which is comprised of police officers and social workers who address mental health and other crisis issues. We are exploring new ways of policing and financially supporting these efforts.
Would you vote to increase the salary of the city’s first responders, including police, fire and 911 staff?
Yes. The council this year voted to increase minimum and maximum salary ranges for all first responders, approved a 2% cost of living wage and approved a 5% salary increase. We also approved retention bonuses to retain necessary personnel with a focus on senior officers. Also, we have committed to increase police pay by another 5% during the 2023-24 budget year.
Will you support keeping city buses fare-free indefinitely?
Yes. Zero fare is a good way to encourage the use of our bus system. It also helps residents who are low to moderate income save money, which can be used for other priorities
The city has received numerous noise complaints from traffic and street racing. Is the city doing enough to enforce its noise ordinance?
Yes. Since COVID, this has become a national safety issue, not to mention a quality of life concern. Our Police Department is patrolling and ticketing in high speed areas; towing vehicles when possible; and partnering with other law enforcement agencies to monitor activity throughout the city. This is also governed by state statute, limiting our ability to create new penalties and rules. At this point, we are doing what we can to address the issue.
Would you support the city creating a buffer zone around abortion clinics?
Yes. No one should be intimidated or threatened for exercising their rights to reproductive freedom. Our staff is working with our clinics to create buffer zones and ensure that police are trained to respond to these sensitive situations.
Do you support the city’s missing middle zoning changes?
Yes. This is a national best practice designed to create more housing supply to meet demand. The goal of “missing middle” housing is to end exclusionary zoning and allow for townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and quads to be built – just like the housing that exists in our historic neighborhoods. This also allows for housing choice. Not everyone wants to live (or can afford to live) in a large, single-family home.
Do you support the city’s $275 million parks bond?
Yes. The one thing we learned during COVID is that parks and greenways were our salvation. Everyone needs and deserves a safe place to walk, play, bike and enjoy the great outdoors. This bond will support the creation or renovation of 20 parks in areas throughout the city. It was developed with an equity lens, with $105M dedicated to District C, which has historically been underinvested. The average homeowner will pay $9 a month in taxes to support this bond and bring parks to all!
Would you propose additional measures to address the affordable housing crisis for lower wealth residents?
Yes. We currently have two programs that address this issue: a home loan program that allows seniors and the disabled to repair their homes and a first-time homebuyers program that provides down payment assistance. We recently partnered with Campbell University Law School to assist people facing eviction. And we are looking at ways we can promote a current Wake County program that provides tax relief to seniors and the disabled on fixed incomes — and how we might expand it.
Do you support Raleigh’s and Wake County’s efforts in bus rapid transit and commuter rail?
Yes. The Wake County Transit Plan was created with significant input from a 75-member task force and approved by voters in 2016. I have been working on this effort for more than a decade and it is one of my top priorities. (Bus rapid transit) and commuter rail will help reduce congestion, address climate change and provide our residents access to educational opportunities and jobs. This is a must do for our city, county and region.
Should it be possible to live in Raleigh without owning a car?
Yes. Developing walkable communities on transit corridors is a top priority, with a focus on density in key areas such as Downtown, Midtown, Crabtree and Briar Creek. This will create healthier lifestyles, reduce congestion and have less impact on the environment. It will also save residents money as the cost of owning a car is approximately $10,000 per year. This type of connectivity is also beneficial to seniors and students, as well as a younger generation seeking alternatives to vehicles.
A council-appointed study group made a recommendation to add one seat to the Raleigh City Council. Do you support expanding the size of the Raleigh City Council by a seat?
Yes. I would like to see more research done on whether a district or at-large councilor should be added. My goal would be to expand diversity on the council and make it accessible for those seeking to run for office.
Do you think the current City Council has put Raleigh on the right path?
Yes. This City Council has focused on housing affordability and choice, the expansion of bus rapid transit and commuter rail, support for our small business community, public safety enhancements, and the expansion of our parks and greenway system — all during unprecedented times. Raleigh continues to attract good, high-paying jobs. We were recently named the 4th Best City to Live by Money magazine. We offer a great quality of life, enhanced by this Council’s decisions.
What will you do to ensure Raleigh’s working-class residents don’t get priced out of the city?
I will continue to focus on housing affordability, enhanced transit and my 10-point plan on housing. (For details, please go to: https://www.maryannforraleigh.com/housing-affordability).
Now that accessory dwelling units, also known as granny flats, can be built by right, we are working on ways to incentivize their construction.
Second, we now have in place inclusionary zoning laws that allow for the construction of townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and quads in more areas of the city, as well as cottage courts and tiny homes. This gives people housing options at different price points.
Third, we are partnering with nonprofits to build affordable housing on city-owned land.
We are also using housing bond funds to build 5,700 new units by 2026. The bond also provides funding for home repairs and down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers. And we recently created a new fund with the county to purchase naturally occurring affordable housing so it remains affordable.
What lessons should the city have learned from public safety challenges like COVID, curfews and George Floyd protests? Would you propose any new policies or changes?
As the Capitol City, Raleigh experiences protests on a weekly basis. However, we were not prepared for the devastation that followed the murder of George Floyd. To address these issues, we hired a third party, 21CP Solutions, to assess our response and offer suggestions for improvement. Their report included 39 recommendations, which RPD has implemented.
Some examples include:
Formalized training of all officers on protest / crowd management and civil unrest- Monitoring protest incidents across the country to help develop action and response plans
Designating a “Safety Officer” to ensure the safety of first responders- Exploring more rigorous enforcement of permitting and First Amendment rights
Assessing our policies on use of force and tear gas
Ensuring that mutual assistance agreements with other public safety agencies reflect RPD policies so we are all working together with the same rules.
How can the city limit investment firms from buying entry level homes?
This issue is being reviewed by staff following a request from the council. The City’s Planning Department, Housing & Neighborhoods and the City Attorney’s Office are evaluating ways the city can address this issue. However, since the city does not own the property, we cannot restrict the sale of such property. However, we have developed a partnership with the county, along with Self Help and Truist, to create a new fund that will allow us to purchase naturally occurring affordable housing to keep these units affordable. We have already partnered with CASA, a nonprofit agency, on the purchase of one such community. Working with our housing partners seems to be our best route forward.
Describe a program in another city that you want the city of Raleigh to try. Please be specific.
At the US Conference of Mayors in January 2020, I attended a number of work sessions on housing. During one, I heard how the city of Portland was addressing policing through the use of social workers. I brought this idea home and urged our then-chief to implement such a program. As a result, ACORNS (Addressing Crises through Outreach, Referrals, Networking, and Service) was born.This special unit is composed of police officers and social workers who work with our unsheltered community, those suffering mental health issues and others in crisis to get them the assistance they need. This is done with a “care and safety first, enforcement last” approach. So far, this unit has assisted 507 residents during its one year in service. We approved funding to expand services during this budget year.
I would like to add that I am contacted by other communities for advice on how to address housing affordability and choice as Raleigh is seen as a leader in this arena.
Raleigh is the center of one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. How do you personally feel about that?
Having grown up in a city that has faced significant loss of resources and population, I much prefer leading a community that is growing. A community where people want to live. A community that is attracting new businesses and creating job opportunities. A community that cares about its residents and shows empathy for those in need. That defines Raleigh. Yes, we are the third fastest growing city in the U.S. Yes, we are changing and change can be difficult. But we must acknowledge that growth is happening and plan for it. We are going to see more density around us — gentle density in some areas, higher density in others. But this should be viewed as a positive.
I work with a lot of entrepreneurs and they tell me they came to Raleigh because the people here are “nice.” They feel welcome and connected. They love the parks and greenways, the weather, the educational opportunities and the quality of life. I say that’s a cause for celebration and pride.
Name one initiative you’d propose in your first 100 days in office.
I will focus on incentivizing Accessory Dwelling Units. We currently have 110 completed, permitted or under review. I would love to see that number doubled during 2023, giving people more options to house aging parents or family, or giving them the option to rent and earn income — and provide much needed housing.
I will work tirelessly to find ways to incentivize and encourage the construction and sale of missing middle housing, such as townhomes and duplexes, to increase housing supply and housing choice for our residents.
I will also ask my colleagues on council what their top priority is during the first 100 days and work with them to make it happen. That’s what shared leadership is all about.
