New Bern, NC
444 Point Impact Plan
This is a good plan. It involves taking the city's current infrastructure, upgrading it, making it more efficient, exploring and creating new methods of city revenue, protection of our natural resources, (think wetlands) with outreach to fellow government agencies, expansion of fire and police capabilities including a plan for a new station on the river for more enhanced water rescue and patrol, upgrading moveability around the city, upgrading farmer's market (think three stories tall, same footprint, industrial elevator) a plan to reduce property tax by 5%, no new taxes on restaurants or small business, three new corporate taxes which fall under three different umbrellas.
Let's get to the new taxes first. So the three new corporate taxes would be spread out over an eight to twelve year period, each heavily discussed and weighed. The money rasied for each new tax will be transparently laid out. They will go towards infrastructure (70% everything from parks to sewer pipe) housing (10%) first responders (20%)
The 444 Point Prosperity Plan Highlights
This Plan will be used as a road map to help us navigate moving forward with the City of New Bern
Month One
During the first month as Mayor the first three orders of business will be as follows: (1. To reasses all current spending, this includes ongoing projects, reoccurring bills, salaries and bringing in a oversight financial committee. (2. Reassessing city boundaries to protect wetland areas forever, ensure methodical construction efforts/zoning and expand on police and fire protection. (3. Increase meeting for the Mayor and Board of Aldermen to expedite decision making processes and to allow more citizen input, including a new virtual video conference at the board meeting so citizens pressed for time can appear via Zoom or similar.
Month Thirteen - Forty-Eight
As stated in the previous section the timeline is subjective to the speed of which we can pay down the current debt, incoming grants, fundraising events and community participation in such. The first major project I would like to see get done is taking over the Craven Terrace projects from the state. They are disgusting as I've been back their working over the years and quite frankly I don't understand how they aren't condemned. No one deserves to live like that. I will work in conjunction with the state and the New Bern Housing Authority to get the people there into adequate housing and then bulldoze everything. We will be reclaiming the brick with the help of the prison system to make walkways for the new and masive park I would like to put in the location, think of like a miniature Central Park that will stretch to the river well into the city. I've always admired Fredrick Olmstead and have studied his work extensively while in college obtaining my Horticulture degree. This project will be complete with a new avenue that will serve as an emergency evacuation exit for downtown, by connecting future Hwy 42 with Hwy 43 through the Oaks Road area. On this road Roundabouts will be used to keep the flow of traffic moving. We will tap into Federal money for this project as President Trump is appropriating funds for such projects (Don't worry we won't name it after him if that's a concern).
Month Two - Twelve
During the remainder of the first year and first term, many small projects and improvements will be undertaken. My top two priorities are: (1. Reducing wasteful spending without cuts in services. Hiring grant writers for the city to capitalize on available state and federal funds. Working with area businesses to create fundraising events for specific small projects (think infrastructure). (2. Infrastructure, I'm talking sidewalks, roundabouts, smooth roads (all city roads paved), updated sewer lines, solving all drainage issues, fiber-optic cable, synchronized traffic lights on main corridors, crosswalks, bike paths and other realitively low cost solutions until the city's debt is gone.
Beyond Forty-Eight Months
This taps into 96-123 points in the 444 point prosperity plan. Some other highlights will be a fund set up for people who rent and would like to purchase a home of their own. I would like to implement a corporate tax that will go towards this effort. The tax monies will be set aside in an account to pay the down payment on a home. We can all admit that house pricing has skyrocketed while wages have not. This will create an opportunity for people being financially squeezed to get their foot in the door of their own home. This will create new opportunities for realtors to sell homes, home builders to keep on building and give a huge sense of pride to the people receiving the down payment, creating in turn a closer knit community and keeping at bay large rental companies that come in and buy up all the existing houses just to rent out. As far as the rest of the 444 points we will have that discussion as the time comes, but this gives us a roadmap for the next four years. Remember, the priority is fiscal responsibility and maintenance and upgrading of existing infrastructure. This will be a challenge, but I will bring in the people we need to get this done as it's doable. I would like to put up a sign by City Hall tracking our debt so we can all watch it trickle down and celebrate once it hits zero.