Carissa Johnson, candidate for Cary Town Council, at-large
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Candidates for the Cary Town Council, at-large
Three candidates are seeking one of Cary Town Council’s two at-large seats. Get to know the candidates with our 2022 Voter Guide.
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Three Cary residents are looking to be elected to one of the Cary Town Council’s two at-large seats.
Incumbent Ed Yerha is looking to defend his seat against challengers Ken George and Carissa Johnson.
Normally the Cary municipal elections are held in November of odd-numbered years. But last year’s elections were postponed due to a delay in the U.S. Census releasing redistricting data.
Early voting in the May 17 election begins April 28 to May 14.
To find polling places and full details on early voting, visit wakevotesearly.com or contact the Board of Elections at 919-404-4040 or voter@wakegov.com.
Name: Carissa Johnson
Age: 49
Occupation and employer: Product Marketing Manager, Axcient
Education: Bachelor’s in Sociology/Gerontology from Nazareth College, and studied Zoology at NCSU
Political or civic experience: Currently, I advocate for abused and neglected children in the Wake County court system as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem. I have spent years volunteering to better my community. I am a trained member of Cary’s Community Emergency Response Team (FEMA CERT). In addition, I am the Vice Chair of Democratic Precinct 04-11; I served for four years on Cary’s Information Services Advisory Board, and three years as Vice-Chair of the Cary150 Commission.
Campaign website: www.electcarissa.com
What is Cary doing right, and wrong, on managing growth?
The dedication of our past councils and town staff shows the minute you walk out your door in Cary. Even with a growing population, our amenities are second to none. Also, I think the revitalization efforts and the focus on investment in the downtown area are well thought through, are bringing thriving businesses and visitors, and are proving to be very successful. That being said, I think the current challenges faced by the town reflect a changing, mobile, high-tech world and will require a council that will take a less conservative approach and commit to tackling challenges creatively.
I see many opportunities for our town to embrace forward-thinking approaches to environmental stewardship, in addition to current efforts. Greener approaches range from more intensive stormwater management in the face of potential 500-year rain events, to solar investments, and incentivizing the greenest building standards to safeguard what we have and curb environmental deterioration.
What do you think Cary should do, if anything, to address racial injustice issues, and what kind of changes would you propose?
It is time for our town to adopt the Wake County Non-Discrimination Ordinance. There is simply no reason not to; I know firsthand that many of our citizens support the measure. Additionally, we have vibrant and diverse communities in Cary that are underrepresented in many areas ranging from advisory boards to town-sanctioned celebrations. I see many opportunities to engage more people from underrepresented groups. However, it will require a majority on Council willing to do more than what they have always done, and a couple of forward-thinking councilpersons cannot do this alone. It can be uncomfortable for some, but we must be more agile and consider ways we can pivot to protect and engage citizens in ways that honor and reflect Cary’s remarkable but untapped diversity.
How should Cary increase the availability of affordable housing within the town?
We must work to build private-public-nonprofit partnerships to build capacity to ease the housing affordability crisis, and there is no silver bullet. Instead, this crisis requires a comprehensive approach that combines a wide array of funding sources and applied plans with real benchmarking to curb the rise in housing cost-burdened citizens. At the municipal level, the first challenge to tackle is capacity. Working with public companies, builders, nonprofits, and our regional governments to quickly build capacity will be key. This will require critical, out-of-the-box thinking and excellent stewardship of grants and funding to ensure additional future funding.
The success of any efforts rests on a Council that will prioritize and adequately fund it so that the document is actionable and becomes more than simply words on paper. As property values rise, so does the inflow of tax dollars, and when considering how to use those additional funds, housing programs must be prioritized.
Would you support a property tax increase for an affordable housing fund? Explain your answer.
No. Cary’s financial team manages town funds wonderfully, and staff reports that it will quickly recover from the deficit of dollars coming in it saw during the COVID-19 epidemic. Simultaneously, as property values rise, so does the inflow of property tax dollars, and when considering how to use those additional funds, housing programs must be prioritized. There is not a need to raise Cary municipal property taxes, which are the lowest in the area.
What new steps should Cary take to recruit businesses to the area?
To be attractive to businesses, we must continue investing in Cary’s world-class sports and entertainment facilities. On the horizon, I see needs that must be met with a high-tech approach, ranging from smart-cities infrastructure to regional cooperation in transit and shared resources. As someone spending her professional life immersed in IT and technology, I know the advances, changes and expectations are coming at a rapid-fire pace, and our council and staff must be ready. We also need an environment that allows small to medium businesses to thrive. A municipal commitment to easing the housing cost burdens of the workforce is going to be essential to attracting and keeping businesses. Also, as commutes become even more problematic, a commitment to walkability and bikeability will make Cary a first choice, as will investment in our transit. We must protect Cary’s beauty, safety and desirability, but we must look for a balance to be business-friendly, whether small or large.
If elected, what would your two or three priorities be during your first year in office?
- Work to build private-public-nonprofit partnerships to build capacity to ease the housing affordability crisis: As a person who once experienced the stress of housing insecurity, I’ve been laid off and spent sleepless nights worrying about where your child(ren) will lay their heads at night. I had help, but not everyone is as lucky, and I will work to help people who are housing cost-burdened.
- Create equity opportunities and better municipal access for all: I believe our council can work with our town staff to get a better diversity of citizen input and participation. Also, it is past time for Cary to adopt Wake County’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance for LGBTQ+ and minority protections.
- Champion opportunities for Cary to adopt greener practices and renewable energy: I believe we need to move beyond coal for our electric needs and strengthen environmental protections. I want to be a part of a council that prioritizes solar and green building standards in our town projects.
What unique skills or life experience would you bring to town governance?
My lived experiences separate me from other candidates. I come from a blended, large, working-class family, and I was the first person in my family to graduate college. My parents were principled people who showed me, by their everyday example, that you do for others whenever you can. They would be proud that I am trying to be a positive force for my community. I feel like I have lived two lives: When I was younger, I had no financial reserves and often had more than one job, and I know what it is like to struggle to pay student loans. Today, I have a remarkable college-age daughter, a terrific career, and much to be thankful for. Also, I have an IT and health care technology marketing background. This affords me a high level of comfort with modern advances — and our world is swiftly changing, so the experience I bring to topics ranging from public and behavioral health to data security will be a great addition to the other skill sets on the council. I am compelled to serve!
