Rob Baumgart, candidate for Raleigh City Council District D
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Candidates for Raleigh City Council District D 2022
The candidates running for the Raleigh City Council District D seat include Rob Baumgart, Jane Harrison, Todd Kennedy and Jennifer Truman. 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 D candidate Rob Baumgart answered the questionnaire. Baumgart is one of four candidates for the southwest Raleigh seat.
District D candidates are elected only by people within the district and serve two-year terms. Stormie Forte, who currently holds this seat, is running for one of two at-large seats in this election.
All eight seats on the Raleigh City Council are up for re-election.
Early voting for the Nov. 8 election began Oct. 20.
Name: Rob Baumgart
Age: 41
Occupation: Investor and landlord
Education: Technically a Junior at NCSU
Endorsements (limit to three): Wake GOP
Previous political or civic experience? None
Campaign website: RobRaleigh.com
How do you identify your political ideology? I am a conservative pro-business YIMBY that believes less is more. As a small business owner, I support thoughtful limited regulation of the free market and still believe in the American Dream.
How would you add diversity to the City Council? I would represent all the doers. I love getting dirty on home renovations, planning a project and seeing it to completion, taking the risk of starting small business ventures and understand the real implications of making payroll every two week. I’m not cut from political cloth and feel this real-world experience would give voice to all of us that work for small businesses
What is your favorite locally owned restaurant either in the city or within your district? “Old Ruckus” is what my neighbors and I call it over in Mission Valley. I often go on Mondays and still order the same sub with its original name “Ash’s Hot and Blue”. Try it and tip Cindy well; she’s a gem.
The city of Raleigh lowered the speed limit downtown to 25 mph. Are you in favor of lowering the speed limit to 25 mph throughout the city?
No. I appreciate the change downtown but feel our secondary and tertiary roads should remain as they are unless traffic calming is specifically needed
Should the city help bring a sports and entertainment stadium downtown?
Yes. The ESA or now PNC arena and Carter Finley have yet to develop into the sports and entertainment hub we’d hoped when Project Phoenix was happening under McCrory. With that now dead and the birth of more student housing on the old Wardlaw Farm it makes sense to me for a proper, easily accessible sports and entertainment district to happen downtown. It would be fantastic to see the city partner with NC State and other colleges and with a private firm to make this a reality and even replace Red Hat.
Do you support reinstating Citizen Advisory Councils?
No. The time for CAC’s was abruptly ended and while not the most palatable way to do it, an appropriate action. The times I went to meetings a decade ago I felt very out of place and my voice was not represented. It’s 2022, internet and public forums are the new way to share information and should be promoted by our city as an alternative. I am fine with “CAC 2.0s” meeting in our community centers and would encourage our staff to attend meetings with public information to keep those channels open
Would you vote to increase the police department’s budget?
Yes. We’re growing as a city.
Would you vote to increase the salary of the city’s first responders, including police, fire and 911 staff?
Yes. If we want high-quality first responders we need to make sure they are respected and fully staffed. In a capitalist economy a shortage of workers means demand for wages hasn’t been met. To fill the shortage and improve quality of life for our city employees we need to raise their wages to a desirable amount.
Will you support keeping city buses fare-free indefinitely?
No. I count the 7L bus riders numerous times a day when it passes in front of my home. While I don’t have statistical information I can share anecdotally the number is typically two. I would support researching Uber’s “last mile” program in which citizens can get rides from their homes to hubs improving travel times, safety, and experience by partnering with a company better suited to make it happen.
The city has received numerous noise complaints about traffic and street racing. Is the city doing enough to enforce its noise ordinance?
Yes. I have dealt with noise complaints as a landlord for many years. It’s up to us as citizens to call the police and make the issues known. If anything increasing our police force funding and allowing more hires would help them dispatch faster to the complaints.
Would you support the city creating a buffer zone around abortion clinics?
No. The First Amendment is first for a reason. Even if you don’t agree with someone’s decision, we need to respect our right to protest and voice differing opinion
Do you support the city’s missing middle zoning changes?
Yes. We need more supply of realistic workforce housing based units. This text allows the market to build these now in areas that were previously restricted. I’m all for less regulation and the free market to decide what works.
Do you support the city’s $275 million parks bond?
No. I believe the City Council should have presented us with “option 1” for $180 million. Post COVID and all the rise in construction costs and delays and rampant inflation this is not the time to burden our citizens with even higher taxes. Funding Dix Park and our greenways/floodplains is a worthy investment, but with thoughtful spending. Not pork barrel.
Would you propose additional measures to address the affordable housing crisis for lower wealth residents?
Yes. If the approach is vetted and doesn’t burden our other citizens with higher taxes. One proposal I would consider and request study on is the practice of Land Value Tax in which we prescribe a value to the dirt base and less on the structures built. This has the potential to steer development along our prescribed zones and BRT routes while lowering taxes on the common residential lot
Do you support Raleigh’s and Wake County’s efforts in bus rapid transit and commuter rail?
Yes. It is vital we create a working and used transit system. This will lead to reduced car dependence and give our workforce the ability to truly live here car free
Should it be possible to live in Raleigh without owning a car?
Yes. Cars, insurance, gas, repairs are expensive. If we want to maintain our creativity and wonderful diversity we need to provide the ability for our citizens to live here car free.
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. Our population continues to grow and there’s no signs of it slowing down. More representation the better in my opinion. We should take a step further and alternate the at large/mayor races from the district races to keep continuity and increase the chances that long-range plans get seen to fruition.
Do you think the current City Council has put Raleigh on the right path?
Yes. Overall I think the current council handled the pandemic well and has opened the door with ADUs and zoning changes to bring us more housing stock that we desperately need.
What will you do to ensure Raleigh’s working-class residents don’t get priced out of the city?
I would like to partner with our citizens and promote the idea of accessory dwelling units. If permitted by the state, the city could reduce or freeze taxes for citizens that commit to renting to long-term tenants under certain thresholds. If we are unable to use taxes as the incentive I would explore reduced water and trash bills. This puts the solution of increasing supply in the hands of our homeowners and, if done wisely, should provide these homeowners with an additional income stream while taking the burden off the city, off developers, and off those who wish they could still find a place in Raleigh under $800/month.
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?
Knee-jerk reactions have the word jerk in it for a reason. I think our city needs to be able to act firmly when appropriate but commit to honoring the First Amendment while at the same time working on public relations even when disaster or tragedy isn’t part of the headlines. While I’m only 41 and still have much to learn, watching my two preteen boys play with children from any background without prejudice and without being taught prejudice as it once was is a beautiful thing and gives me hope questions like this won’t be asked if and when they decide to run for public office.
How can the city limit investment firms from buying entry level homes?
I understand our hands to be tied by the state legislature but would be open to suggestions. It does seem the free market has spoken, and groups like Zillow and Open Door are finding their bets aren’t panning out the way they hoped. This may very well be a moot point in the coming years.
Describe a program in another city that you want the city of Raleigh to try. Please be specific.
Uber Last Mile. Government subsidized ride-sharing. This would be a win for our citizens not having to stand at uncovered bus stops, a win for our uber drivers taking advantage of the on-demand economy, and a win for our public transit not having to add more city drivers and bus routes to better serve our citizens.
Raleigh is the center of one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. How do you personally feel about that?
One of my best friends worked for the Consulate of Mexico, and 15 years ago he told me we’d be larger than Atlanta one day soon. I thought he had lost his mind, but this many years later and the explosion in growth of the Triangle region, I concede he was onto something. I’m excited to watch a city in our era come into its own with today’s tech and advancements in construction. What an amazing opportunity and the growth simply means people want to live here. If our population starts contracting, we’re doing something wrong.
Name one initiative you’d propose in your first 100 days in office.
I propose we take city-owned land, the ADU craze, and combat homelessness all in one platform. The city could partner with tiny home manufacturers and allow their product to be fast tracked through planning/inspections in exchange for “floor models” we could create multiple small homeless shelter villages making these units available to our homeless or housing-stressed individuals for a period of time while also serving as a “sales floor” for our homeowners to go and see the units in person from multiple builders before committing to a design.
This story was originally published October 25, 2022 at 3:41 PM.
