Cat Lawson, candidate for Raleigh City Council District A
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Candidates for Raleigh City Council District A 2022
The candidates running for the Raleigh City Council District A seat include Mary Black, Cat Lawson and Whitney Hill. Get to know the candidates with our NC 2022 Voter Guide.
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The News & Observer asked readers again this year to submit their questions for the people looking to lead Raleigh.
We received nearly 200 questions that covered a range of topics important to city residents.
We asked candidates for a yes or no response to 15 questions with a chance to fully explain their position. If candidates did not provide a yes or no answer, we didn’t include their fuller response.
We also included biographical and open-ended questions. Some responses were edited for clarity or length.
Here is how Raleigh City Council District A candidate Cat Lawson answered the questionnaire. Lawson is one of three candidates for the north Raleigh seat.
Incumbent Patrick Buffkin is not seeking another term. District A candidates are elected only by people within the district and serve two-year terms.
All eight seats on the Raleigh City Council are up for re-election.
Early voting for the Nov. 8 election begins on Oct. 20.
Name: Cat Lawson
Age: 35
Occupation: Law professor
Education: Duke University (J.D.), American University (B.A.)
Endorsements (limit to three): Police Benevolent Association, Home Builders Association, Mayors Meeker and Baldwin
Previous political or civic experience? Member and chair of Study Group on council reforms (2020-2021), McClatchy “N.C. Influencer” contributor (2018), Women’s Campaign School at Yale (2019)
Campaign website: CatLawson.com
How do you identify your political ideology? Independent moderate
How would you add diversity to the City Council? I’m an unaffiliated female lawyer under 40
What is your favorite locally owned restaurant either in the city or within your district? Northside Bistro
The city of Raleigh lowered the speed limit downtown to 25 mph. Are you in favor of lowering the city’s speed limit to 25 mph throughout the city?
Yes. Lowering the speed limit has a demonstrated positive impact on public safety for both drivers and pedestrians. These reduced limits will complement the continued investment in public transportation options and walkability throughout the city so that all Raleigh residents can freely and safely move around the city.
Should the city help bring a sports and entertainment stadium downtown?
Yes. A sports stadium needs community buy-in and must not be rushed. While a stadium would be an exciting addition to life downtown and may generate significant revenue for surrounding communities and businesses, we need the right partners committed to progress that does not displace current communities
Do you support reinstating Citizen Advisory Councils?
No. CACs served a useful role for a long time, but we need new approaches to ensure representative community input and communication. The new Office of Community Engagement has the staff and tools to go into our communities and meet with people where they are, instead of relying solely on feedback from people with the means and time to attend specific meetings — a weakness with the CACs.
Would you vote to increase the police department’s budget?
Yes. We’re missing more than 130 police officers, and both Apex and Cary pay more. Providing safety for our communities is an essential responsibility of the city. Raleigh must offer competitive salaries and modernize oversight and training so that it can afford the best candidates.
Would you vote to increase the salary of the city’s first responders, including police, fire and 911 staff?
Yes. Neighboring cities have outpaced Raleigh’s salaries for first responders. We can’t expect our first responders to take less pay for a more demanding job as Raleigh grows, and we need to retain experienced staff. Higher salaries are the most obvious first step to ensure a fully staffed and top-performing complement of first responders.
Will you support keeping city buses fare-free indefinitely?
Yes.
The city has received numerous noise complaints about traffic and street racing. Is the city doing enough to enforce its noise ordinance?
No. Our police force is understaffed and under-enforcement of street racing and disruptive noise is a direct result. Fixing one will fix the other.
Would you support the city creating a buffer zone around abortion clinics?
Yes. Access to lawful health care services should be safe and free from interference.
Do you support the city’s missing middle zoning changes?
Yes. Duplexes, townhomes, row homes, and cottage courts are needed to achieve the density (supply) that will drive down housing costs over time.
Do you support the city’s $275 million parks bond?
Yes. Taxpayer dollars should target concrete opportunities for long-term payoff. This bond does that by investing in parks and community spaces all throughout the city, including the Sertoma Arts Center at Shelley Lake, improvements for Green Road Park, and improvements to the Big Branch and Mine Creek Greenways.
Would you propose additional measures to address the affordable housing crisis for lower wealth residents?
Yes. We should continue converting under-used, city-owned priorities into subsidized housing for our most vulnerable residents, particular around high-volume transit corridors. It’s not just about subsidized housing, though. We need to help keep people in homes they own, which is why I am committed to creating a homeowner care fund in coordination with Wake County.
Do you support Raleigh’s and Wake County’s efforts in bus rapid transit and commuter rail?
Yes.
Should it be possible to live in Raleigh without owning a car?
Yes. Many already do, which is why public transit options should be safe, reliable, and affordable.
A council-appointed study group made a recommendation to add one seat to the Raleigh City Council. Do you support expanding the size of the council by a seat?
Yes. I was a member of that study group. Our recommendation was unanimous, bipartisan and correct.
Do you think the current City Council has put Raleigh on the right path?
Yes. Our community is trending in the right direction, but it’s time to double-down on housing affordability, infrastructure investment, upgrades for first responders, and ethics/modernization reforms.
What will you do to ensure Raleigh’s working-class residents don’t get priced out of the city?
Making Raleigh a more affordable place to live requires tackling two primary sources of increased costs: housing and transportation. We need more housing at all economic levels, but particularly for people relying on entry-level rental properties and first-time home ownership. Sometimes, that will mean building density in the right places, like where density exists and areas with easy access to transit corridors. We can bring down the costs of travel and access to essential services by reducing the distance people must travel for groceries, personal care and employment . These require the council to identify opportunities for appropriately located mixed-use and commercial developments.
What lessons should the city have learned from public safety challenges like COVID, curfews and George Floyd protests? Would you propose any new policies or changes?
Trust building is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. The last two years clarified how much we need each other, how isolation frays community bonds, and how hope fatigue curbs our joy. Raleigh has long been a diverse city, but we must commit to the ongoing work of making a diverse community. I support the proactive reforms and programs initiated under our new police chief, Estella Patterson, like the ACORNS unit and community-based de-escalation training. Those who protect and serve our community also deserve our investment, including proper protective gear and appropriate training and compensation for the essential they do.
How can the city limit investment firms from buying entry level homes?
This is an incredibly important issue faced by many of our sister cities. Although new communities may explore HOA-type controls, scaled owner-occupancy requirements across the city would most certainly be litigated and will likely require state-wide legislation.
Describe a program in another city that you want the city of Raleigh to try. Please be specific.
I would like to explore a permissive, form-based zoning approach.
Raleigh is the center of one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. How do you personally feel about that?
I feel a sense of responsibility, which is why I’m running. Raleigh is growing, and although we don’t get a say in whether we grow, we have a say in how we grow. We need to create more opportunities for low-income and middle-income housing by allowing greater density along key transit corridors. At the same time, we need to make sure that our public transit and core infrastructure (like stormwater management and road maintenance) are ready to handle the challenges of increased use and our changing climate. Work we do today will have outsized impacts on the future of our city. I want our next best steps to be taken together, based on data, and rooted in community.
Name one initiative you’d propose in your first 100 days in office.
Public trust is earned through transparency and communication. I will immediately propose a resolution requiring all council members to submit annual statements disclosing their personal economic interests, based on the State Ethics Commission requirements.
This story was originally published October 24, 2022 at 3:18 PM.
