Why Am I Running Again? Let Me Count the Reasons

1. Because everyone matters!

     I have found myself giving voice to folks who don’t get many opportunities to speak to power, among them, immigrants and refugees and first-generation citizens born to Spanish-speaking, undocumented families. As a Town Council member, I have been able to speak for underrepresented communities when we make policy, as well as to advocate to businesses, employers, and organizations as a representative of Chapel Hill, the community that elected me and cares about all its residents.

2.  Because Social Justice requires proactive government!

     Chapel Hill has a proud history and is recognized as a progressive community. However, for decades, Black citizens have suffered discrimination, environmental racism, and have been deprived of opportunities for education, career advancement, home ownership, and wealth creation. As a consequence, the Black community is still disproportionately poor and disenfranchised. I have voted to make Chapel Hill a Living Wage Certified Employer—benefitting our lowest-paid workers; I petitioned the Council and voted to approve Paid Parental Leave for town employees (starting July 1, 2017!), and I have supported major investments in our historic Black neighborhoods, in youth empowerment, and in affordable housing.

     Through initiatives such as A Penny for Housing ($784,000 next year) from our tax revenues, and partnerships with non-profits and UNC, Chapel Hill is poised to double the number of affordable units in the next 2 years, including:

  • DHIC -Greenfield Place/Greenfield Commons : 149 units of affordable rental housing in the Ephesus-Fordham district. (Total Development Cost: $23 million, made possible by an investment from CH of only $4 million).
  • Homestead RD: 50+ units to be built in partnership with UNC’s Horizons Program for mothers in recovery and other low-income families.
  • Northside Neighborhood Initiative (NNI): in partnership with UNC, Self-Help Credit Union, and the Jackson Center, uses a $3 million no-interest loan from UNC to maintain and develop low-income housing.
  • Affordable Housing Development Reserve (AHDR): Established by the Town Council in March 2015, this money will support land banking, construction, rental assistance, and other much-needed programs in light of the loss of Section 8 Voucher units and the long waiting lists for affordable housing.

3.  Because I want to see progress continue!

     I am proud of what the 2013-15, and 2015-17 Town Councils have accomplished.  While I am only one vote, some of our decisions for progress have been close, and we will need to re-elect progressive voices to continue moving forward, with the following initiatives,

  • Major revision of the Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO),  We have made some changes to the LUMO, including allowing better commercial signage and Anxilary Apartments, a campaign promise I pushed for and fulfilled during my first term. Anxilary apartments will help families that want to have a mother-in-law apartment, or retirees who need to supplement their income. Anxilary apartments will provide density without changing the character of our neighborhoods, and create and maintain more affordable housing options.  A completely revised LUMO can remove barriers to affordable housing, promote multi-modal transportation, connect neighborhoods, and encourage environmentally-friendly development.  Those elected to TC in 2017 will play an important role in ensuring that the new LUMO works to make Chapel Hill a millenial-friendly, walkable, vibrant community.
  • Light Rail. Already, Chapel Hill has benefited from hundreds of thousands of dollars in Federal grants to hire internationally-recognized station-area planners. We can bring new businesses and walkable, transit-oriented development to focus areas, protecting the environment and bringing economic investment to Chapel Hill without incurring unaffordable debt.
  • Stormwater improvements. We have made huge investments and need to continue making improvements to ensure that water runoff is contained and flooding reduced as new development is approved.

4.  Because I want to use my expertise and experience!

     The learning curve is steep when you become a Town Council member, but in four years, having read thousands of pages of proposals and resolutions, and agonized over dozens of votes, I have become intimately familiar with our Town’s issues. As Council liaison to the Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board and the Transportation and Connectivity Board, I have acquired expertise in Chapel Hill’s transportation networks. I am committed to making our Town walkable, bikable, and pedestrian-friendly.  I have also spent four years working with our Parks & Recreation staff to ensure that all children and youth have affordable recreational opportunities. I will work diligently to support the construction of a Teen Center, a permanent Farmer’s Market and other much-needed community facilities.

     I love Chapel Hill, its beautiful tree-lined avenues, its festivals and celebrations, its Tar Heel pride and progressive, forward-thinking residents. I am seeking a second term on the Chapel Hill Town Council because I believe even a great community can be better. I believe we can make Chapel Hill better than it’s ever been. 

Issues: 

Comments

I have asked around and many have been displeased with Palmer and plan to see her voted off town council

A QUOTE FROM KEN LARSON MARIA PALMER DOESN T KNOW ABOUT SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE WHEN SHE OPPOSED MOVING TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS FROM MON TO WED NIGHTS

this isn't a helpful post.  Meeting times need to be sensitive to ensure as many people as possible are able to join.  Keeping them off heavy religious nights isn't state endorsement of a particular religion, but a reasonable accomodation to ensure maximum participation in the public process.  Mr Larson is making a leap here.

 

Community Guidelines

By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.

 

Content license

By contributing to OrangePolitics, you agree to license your contributions under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.

Creative Commons License

 
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by WeebPal.