Raleigh voters will pick a new mayor and City Council members this November.
All eight council seats, including the mayor’s, are up for grabs, with all the incumbents except for current Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin seeking another two-year term.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 17, through Saturday, Nov. 2.
To help inform voters across the state, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The News & Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Whitney Hill
District/seat: Raleigh City Council, District A
Political party: Republican
Age as of Nov. 5, 2024: Candidate did not respond
Campaign website: whitneyforraleigh.org
Current occupation: Business owner
Education: BA in computer science
Offices sought/held: ran for City Council, District A
Please list any notable government or civic involvement .
Raleigh Chamber, Jobs for Life, worked on a fundraiser for Hospice at the Capital Club
Which City Council district do you live in? A
What is the top issue facing Raleigh now and how would you address it?
Our police department is severely understaffed and underpaid. This has resulted in a steady rise in crime.
What is your strategy for increasing affordable housing in Raleigh?
The first step would be to stop the slow walking of zoning changes, building permits and inspections downtown. Raleigh historically has not had a housing problem, even when experiencing fast growth. The problem is a supply issue. I would seek to work with builders and developers, city administration and non profits 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 do not have enough places to live.
Should the city be more aggressive about requiring affordable units from developers or partner with nonprofits?
Yes. Zoning is a power the city has that it can use to deal with developers to get affordable units.
Do you think Raleigh can support concert venues both downtown and in Dix Park?
Not sure. I am for keeping Red Hat downtown. The people and the businesses want it. The real question is why wasn’t a plan for Red Hat being asked before the convention center expansion plan being put together. Also, why are we expanding the convention center when the current one is a loss leader and is not being used to capacity?
Would you describe Raleigh’s growth as too fast, too slow or just right?
I do wonder if in giving seven-year tax breaks to big corporations to move into Raleigh, we are not giving away the shop. Retired citizens that have lived in Raleigh all their life and paid for their houses now face large property tax increases (a new house payment), and low-income folks are being forced onto the streets. I am pro growth, but that should not mean giving away the shop.
Do you think Raleigh is losing too many historic properties? If so, how should this be addressed?
I am against Missing Middle. Raleigh citizens should expect zoning within their neighborhoods to be protected. Owners in maintained single-family neighborhoods should not expect to have the single-family unit next door be torn down and replaced with a multi-unit dwelling.
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