Full name: Brittany Richards
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: brittanyforcary.com
1) In 300 words or less, please give our readers your elevator pitch: Why are you running? Why should voters entrust you with this position? What prior experience will make you an effective member of Cary’s town council?
I’m running for Cary Town Council because I love this community and want to ensure it remains a place where families can flourish for generations to come. My husband and I chose Cary four years ago, leaving behind a community that no longer served our family well. We came here for the schools, the parks, the safety, and the sense of belonging. With four kids in Cary’s public schools, I’m deeply invested in protecting what makes our town special while preparing for the challenges ahead.
I bring both professional expertise and personal commitment to serving Cary. With a Master’s in Public Policy and a career in the nonprofit field, I’ve spent years helping communities solve complex challenges through collaboration and thoughtful decision-making. Locally, I serve on Cary’s Environmental Advisory Board, volunteer with Wake Audubon, and work as a precinct officer to ensure fair elections. These roles reflect my values: listening first, building consensus, and leading with integrity.
I also understand the realities facing Cary. Expenses are outpacing revenue, growth is slowing, and inflation has strained our budget. We can’t avoid tough conversations about priorities. But I believe that with careful planning and open community dialogue, we can continue to protect our green spaces, preserve high-quality town services, and prioritize a range of housing options for everyone.
I’m running against a 26-year Republican incumbent, and I believe the values I bring to this office better reflect the community I’ll represent. Voters can trust me to be a thoughtful steward of our resources, an advocate for families and neighborhoods, and a leader who will protect the promise of Cary for the long term.
2) What would your priorities be as a member of the town council? Please identify three of the most pressing issues Cary currently faces and how you believe the town should address them.
Cary’s budget challenges must come first. With growth slowing and costs climbing, inflation has already forced Cary to make budget cuts and put projects on hold.To move forward, we need open, community-centered conversations about what we value most and how to align spending with both priorities and revenues. For me, the priorities that matter most for keeping Cary a thriving community are: (1) protecting our tree canopy and green spaces as vital to our character, health, and sustainability; (2) preserving the high-quality services, from summer camps to senior centers, that define our quality of life; and (3) prioritizing housing options so young adults, seniors, and essential workers can continue to call Cary home.
3) What’s the best or most important thing the Cary town council has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the town should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.
The most important decision Council made this year was approving the FY 2026 budget, which passed unanimously. The council tried to keep the property tax increase as small as possible, but that meant pausing 68 capital projects and cutting $26 million just to cover essential services. It was a difficult but necessary balancing act. Looking ahead, the challenge for future councils will be finding ways to manage these budget realities while keeping Cary the vibrant community we all love.
On the other hand, last year’s proposed bond packages – while well intentioned to bring new amenities to residents across Cary – were simply too large and came at the wrong time. Their failure was a reminder that we need to phase projects more carefully, listen closely to residents, and build consensus so that investments truly reflect both our community’s priorities and voters’ willingness to pay for them.
4) President Trump is working to ramp up deportations and curtail visas. At the same time, the state legislature has passed laws requiring agencies to cooperate with ICE. What do you think the town council can or should do to ensure safe, welcoming communities for immigrants in light of these policies?
Cary has long been recognized as a welcoming and diverse town. In light of state and federal pressures, Town Council can reaffirm this by ensuring town services are accessible to all residents regardless of immigration status. That means ensuring no one is afraid to report a crime, call for help, or participate in community life. I oppose mandatory cooperation with ICE because it erodes trust. Local law enforcement knows our community best and should set policies that keep public safety front and center while protecting residents’ rights. Partnerships with nonprofits that assist immigrant families can also help residents feel safe, supported, and included. On Town Council, I would work to ensure language access in Town services and meetings and advocate for programs that connect residents with resources like housing, healthcare, and small business support. Cary’s strength lies in its diversity, and local leaders should make clear that everyone belongs here.
5) As climate change leads to more intense rainfall, communities are at greater risk of inland flooding, such as the historic floods in parts of the Triangle caused by Tropical Storm Chantal in July. How would you like the town council to address climate resilience, particularly flooding?
Flooding is a growing concern as climate change brings more intense storms. Cary must continue investing in green infrastructure like expanding tree canopy, protecting riparian buffers, and encouraging the use of native landscaping that absorbs stormwater. We should prioritize updating stormwater infrastructure in older neighborhoods and ensure new development follows best practices. I fully support Cary’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan, which also addresses broader resiliency goals like expanding renewable energy, improving energy efficiency in public buildings, and supporting sustainable transportation options like walking, biking, and transit. On Council, I will champion these efforts because they’re not just about the environment, they’re about public safety, quality of life, and long-term fiscal responsibility. Every investment in trees, greenways, and sustainable infrastructure is an investment in a healthier, stronger, and more resilient Cary. Thoughtful planning today will reduce costly damage tomorrow while protecting our homes, roads, and waterways.
6) Federal funding cuts this year have hit the Triangle particularly hard, from cancelled grants to layoffs, and local government officials are having to make difficult decisions about what to fund and how. What are your ideas for how the town council can prioritize competing funding needs, close funding gaps, and support impacted residents?
I know how hard last year’s tax increase felt, especially for families and residents on fixed incomes. I’m a Cary homeowner too. But the truth is, revenue isn’t keeping pace with expenses, and just maintaining core services now requires significantly more investment each year. We must engage residents in setting shared priorities, explore outside funding sources like grants and partnerships, and continue advocating for property tax relief authority from the General Assembly. My framework is to make any future tax increases RELIABLE (steady and predictable, avoiding surprise jumps like 2024), REASONABLE (incremental and manageable for households), and RESPONSIBLE (carefully invested in shared priorities that sustain Cary’s quality of life).
7) Describe what sustainable growth and development mean to you. Additionally, what is another municipality you believe has made smart decisions related to growth and development that could be similarly implemented in Cary?
“Sustainable growth” has become a phrase so overused it risks losing meaning. What I want for Cary is balanced growth – growth that allows us to welcome new residents and opportunities while being mindful of our other priorities like protecting our tree canopy and green spaces and ensuring a range of housing options. These goals may seem at odds, but I believe we can achieve them together. That means focusing on redevelopment of already built areas before expanding into undeveloped land, preserving canopy and open space as we build, and ensuring our infrastructure and services keep pace with growth. It also means maintaining the character of our existing neighborhoods while allowing more density where it has already been identified as appropriate, and prioritizing the kinds of housing that meet residents’ real needs, like smaller apartments for young adults or one-story cottages that allow seniors to age in place. I admire Chapel Hill’s robust tree canopy protections, which ensure that growth doesn’t come at the cost of long-term environmental health, and I believe Cary can adopt similar measures to protect what makes our town extraordinary.
8) Last year, Cary voters rejected a $560 million parks bond referendum. Do you think this was the right move? Under what circumstances would you support a new parks bond? More broadly, what level and types of investments should Cary be making in its parks in the coming years?
I personally voted for the bond because I believe robust town services and amenities are what set Cary apart. My family chose to move to here rather than to other area towns because of the high quality of life Cary offers – our parks, greenways, and community spaces are central to that. But I’ve heard loud and clear from residents that the proposal felt too big and too expensive, and I respect that opinion. Going forward, I would support a more incremental approach – smaller, targeted bonds or dedicated funding streams tied directly to community priorities. Expanding greenways, maintaining existing parks, and adding amenities where demand is high are the kinds of investments that residents typically value. Parks and recreation are essential to Cary’s identity, and I want to ensure we continue to invest in them in ways the community broadly supports but remains affordable for residents.
9) Cary voters also rejected a $30 million affordable housing bond referendum last election cycle. Do you think this was the right choice? Under what circumstances would you support a new affordable housing bond? How would you like to see the town approach affordability issues over the next few years?
Affordable housing is a clear need in Cary and one of the concerns I hear most often from residents. Unfortunately, the housing bond was overshadowed by the much larger parks bond and came at the same time as a steep tax increase, which made it harder for voters to support it, and I was disappointed it did not pass. I believe the bond had pragmatic, worthy goals – creating and preserving affordable, stable homes – and with better timing and stronger community engagement, a similar measure could pass in the future, which I would support. In the meantime, Cary should continue to expand affordability through partnerships, redevelopment, and our existing programs that create a diverse mix of housing so our community remains accessible to families at every age and income.
10) How can Cary improve its pedestrian infrastructure? With regional commuter rail effectively off the table, how should it look to improve public transit options for residents?
Cary has made progress on sidewalks and greenways, but there is still important work to do. We should prioritize safe connections near schools, parks, and transit stops, and ensure redevelopment includes pedestrian-friendly design. I support Cary’s forthcoming Bike Plan, which will help create a comprehensive multi-modal network by identifying priority corridors and strategically filling gaps, so investments align with where people live, work, and play. On transit, Cary should commit to keeping GoCary fully funded, expand on-demand options, and coordinate with regional partners to improve connections to RTP, Raleigh, and RDU. While commuter rail may not be a reality anytime soon, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will play a critical role in the region’s future, and Cary must ensure we are well connected as those plans move forward. A reliable mix of walking, biking, and transit choices will make it easier and safer for residents to get around while easing traffic pressures.
11) If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
I feel that Cary is the hometown I was always meant to have, and it’s the place I plan to call home for the rest of my life. As a parent, I want Cary to remain a nurturing place for children to grow up. As a neighbor, I want the same sense of opportunity to extend to everyone – whether you’re building a career, raising kids, or enjoying retirement. I am running for Town Council to ensure that the Cary we love remains a place where all families can thrive.
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