Key Issues

Keeping Taxes Low by Making Growth Pay Its Fair Share
Wake County’s Blue Ribbon Committee projects a 10.3 billion dollar growth funding gap over the next 25 years – beyond our county and municipal budgets and borrowing capacities - to pay for new schools, roads and parks. Right now, the only way we have to fill that 10.3 billion dollar hole is with property taxes. But with rapid growth and the rising costs of living, it is simply unrealistic to expect one group - property taxpayers - to shoulder all the burden. I believe a fairer solution is to broaden the base of who pays for growth to include newcomers who are creating the increased capacity needs and those who are profiting the most from growth.

Protecting Our Quality of Life
Raleigh is on its way to becoming a big city, but we won’t become a great city unless we make great choices. As we enter a time of global competition for energy, land, natural resources and labor, I pledge to continue working hard to protect our quality of life today and for future generations by making decisions that are fair, that keep taxes low, and that provide the best possible return on our investments in education, transportation and recreation. Most of all, Raleigh must innovate in order to meet the challenges ahead and lay a new foundation for more sustainable growth that benefits all of Raleigh’s citizens. I look forward to your support of my efforts to keep Raleigh healthy and competitive in the long run.

Click here to learn more about Russ’ record and positions on environmental protection and sustainable development.