The year ahead: Raleigh City Council member Jonathan Melton

As we head into a new decade, I hope we learn from any mistakes of the past decade and expand upon the positive strides we have made.

I hope to see continued acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ community, particularly our trans brothers and sisters and queer people of color. I hope we continue to embrace new technology, invest in healthy, vibrant communities — where everyone can earn a livable wage and find a safe, affordable place to live — and focus on becoming a less car-dependent society.

We must also seriously address the issue of climate change; the time to simply talk about this issue has more than expired, and it must be addressed with urgency this next decade.

In Raleigh, there are many things I would like to see happen by the end of the year, and I will work my hardest through collaboration and compromise with my fellow council members to make them happen.

My priorities include passing a well-planned and thoughtful quality of life bond that will address park equity, Dix Park, and affordable housing. I hope to see accessory dwelling units allowed by right and more housing options citywide, an investment in our transportation infrastructure to build more people-oriented spaces and for Raleigh to become a leader in micromobility.

These are steps we can take to push Raleigh forward toward those decade-end, long-term goals. Raleigh is the city of innovation; let’s build a city that comes from a place of “yes” and prioritizes responsible, equitable growth.

Jonathan Melton was elected to the Raleigh City Council in 2019. He is a partner at the law firm of Gailor Hunt Jenkins Davis Taylor & Gibbs, and a founding board member of Stonewall Sports, Inc., a national LGBTQ and allied philanthropic sports league. He is the first openly LGBTQ person elected citywide in Raleigh.

2020 will be a year full of important news. For smart, reliable and timely coverage of the issues you care about, subscribe to The News & Observer at newsobserver.com/subscribe or subscribe to The Herald-Sun at heraldsun.com/subscribe.