The Raleigh City Council met on April 21, 2026, to address a wide range of agenda items, including public comment on the proposed budget and several rezonings, approval of the FY2027 Human Service Agency Grants, authorization to proceed with $203 million in housing and transportation bonds, adoption of the Safe Streets for All Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, funding for five affordable housing developments, adoption of the Forestville Road Park Master Plan, various zoning and annexation decisions, and board appointments. All votes were unanimous unless otherwise noted.
The council meeting. Uh, we will start as always with the Pledge of Allegiance, and I will allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All in favor of the motion, aye. All opposed, nay. So that passes. If the Iran war will have an impact, present the numbers and that general statements. Withhold additional ECC staff until proven AI technology is fully implemented. Additional inspectors from the staffing study should be offset with service revenue. Leaf pickup is transferred to solid waste but no reduction in transportation headcount. Service changes from bi-weekly to weekly, both absurd in reevaluation. To Megan's question, Ms. Gupta needs to come back quarterly with delivery model updates, not in a year. Essential pavement marking can be done by contractors. With a $25 million general fund subsidy, go rally reviews are needed on underutilized bus routes, 15% back-to-back yearly increase is additional revenue from new routes and new fares. The proposed 200 million GOB justified by city debt affordability limits is a weak argument, analogous to running out more credit card debt because the approved limit is high enough. The current budget trajectory likely increases property taxes 3 to 5 percent. Service fees 3 to 10 percent. All of you and I can afford it, but not low-income and working families. The FY26 budget emphasized city employees is the greatest assets, but mentions taxpayers who pay for everything just once. A fundamental mentality problem. Council is one month to collaborate and replace the softball questions with a thorough responsible review and challenge of the entire budget. Every department headcount and dollar accomplishments and FY27 plans, presumably city manager, reviews it monthly, certainly quarterly. If she wants approval for the entire budget, then direct her to review the entire budget. All organizations. Thank you. Thank you. Mama Kai Sanders. Good afternoon. It's another amazing day in paradise. Thank you for being here. I appreciate this opportunity to speak. I'm going to continue with my remarks from last week where I suggested some aspect of our parks and rec should be opened, should be operated as an enterprise like water and solid waste. By creating membership levels, including a free one, individuals and families can receive different benefits so the community centers can actually be used by the community as one way to address the tax deficit. Our community centers should be our third spaces. If you're not familiar with this term, a third place is a familiar public spot where you regularly connect with others known and unknown over a shared interest or activity. Ray Oldenburg, who coined the term, argued it is necessary for public well-being. What suburbia cries for are the means for people to gather easily and expensively, regularly and pleasurably. Our community centers should be these places. They currently are not. Think of it like coworking membership. If community centers were accessible like that, with makerspaces containing art supplies supplies, printers like 3D or laser, or sewing machines, or even a tool library, the city could potentially be generating revenue from the need for places like that. By the way, Durham has all of that in various ways, mostly in their public library system. And Raleigh does in some way with Ruma, Raleigh United Mutual Aid Aid Hub right here in downtown. Need more ideas before and after school care. Play groups should be offered in most community centers daily, especially where a library isn't as easily accessible. Teen and youth meeting spaces from community leaders, partners, and even youth themselves. Indoor play areas, especially when the weather is excessively hot or cold. Um, special interest groups that build community, quiet co-working space, and true refreshments like Juiced, a black-owned juice bar with two locations here in Raleigh because not everyone drinks coffee or raw right up the street. There's also a design from the Real Matter 2025 that was inspired by remarks made by our very own Councilmember Silver.