WCDP Election Central – Candidate Information

Jonathan Lambert-Melton

Raleigh City Council
At Large

Jonathan Lambert-Melton - Raleigh City Council At Large

Candidate Statement:

I first ran for City Council to help build a more affordable, sustainable, equitable, and less car-dependent city, and those same goals are why I’m running again. I moved here in 2004 to attend NC State and decided to make Raleigh my permanent home after law school in 2011. At that time, I was working for the State government and struggled to find a place I could afford to live near my office downtown. I also struggled to navigate the city without a car, as our transit was often not frequent or convenient, and bike lanes and multimodal transportation was scarce. I knew there was a better way to grow the city, and I ran in 2019 for that reason. During my time on the City Council, we’ve made great strides in these areas, and many big initiatives have started, like implementing the Affordable Housing Bond that voters approved in 2020, beginning construction on Bus Rapid Transit, and creating an Alternative Response Program for public safety, but there is still so much more work to do, and I’m committed to seeing these initiatives through to completion. I’ve also had the honor of serving as Mayor Pro Tem this term, and as an out, gay man under the age of 40, I think that visibility, especially in a southern capital city, is extremely important, and I want to remain a voice for LGBTQ+ and other marginalized issues on our City Council.

Importance of this Race:

From public safety and equitable growth to roads, multi-modal transit, parks, and greenways, city government has the most direct impact on the lives of people. It is vital that those who seek to represent our city have the experience, understanding, and common sense to keep Raleigh one of the best cities in the country to live and work.

Office Responsibilities:

Members of the City Council are the governing body for for the City of Raleigh. Their responsibilities include:

  • Appointing the City Manager, City Attorney and City Clerk.
  • Approval of the budget for the operations of all departments within City government.
  • Setting the vision and policy for Raleigh’s core services such as the Police Dept, Fire Dept, and 911 services, as well as the provisioning of clean water, collection of solid waste, and maintenance of our city streets.
  • Making legislative decisions regarding land use. They set both the broad vision for where development should occur and decide upon individual rezoning cases within Raleigh City limits.
  • Review and approval of grants to nonprofit organizations providing services within the city.
  • Review and approval of bonds addressing affordable housing, completing transportation projects, and enhancing parks and green spaces.

Issues: