Name: Stormie Denise Forte
Age: 55
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: Stormie4Raleigh.com
Occupation and employer: General Counsel/HR Director Southeastern Healthcare of NC
1. Given the direction of Raleigh government, would you say things are on the right course? If not, what specific changes will you advocate for if elected?
Yes, things are on the right course. We are a very well managed city. We are frequently on the “Best Lists” of places to live, start a business, begin a career and other categories. We have caught the attention of Major League Baseball for consideration of an expansion team. Several Fortune 500 and other large companies have relocated operations here. That is not to say we do not have some ongoing challenges. A growing unsheltered community, aging infrastructure and the need for more public safety employees for the Raleigh Police and Fire Departments are things I want to address in my next term.
2. If you are a candidate for a district seat, please identify your priorities for your district. If you are an at-large candidate, please identify the three most pressing issues the city faces.
As an at large candidate, I see the growing homelessness community, aging and limited infrastructure and a need for more public safety employees for the Raleigh Police and Fire Departments as the three most pressing issues the City of Raleigh currently faces.
3. What in your record as a public official or other experience demonstrates your ability to be effective as a member of the city council and as an advocate for the issues that you believe are important?
I am licensed as an attorney. I also have a real estate license and I am certified as a mediator and ombudsman. I have worked in the government and private sectors, as well as have owned small businesses. All of these experiences have afforded me the opportunity develop negotiation, conflict resolution, listening, problem solving and other skills to approach the matters brought before the City Council in a pragmatic way. While serving on the council I recognize the value of taking a balanced perspective to issues presented to us while obtaining input from our residents, staff and community partners.
4. Many Raleigh leaders publicly committed to supporting a future affordable housing bond before the 2024 city council election and again this summer. Do you agree that a future affordable housing bond referendum should go before voters? Please explain your position. If you support a future affordable housing bond, when should it appear on ballots and in what (estimated) amount? What else can the city do to make sure Raleigh housing is affordable for current and future residents?
Yes. We need another affordable housing bond on the ballot this fall. The recommended amount is about $100 million.The 2020 affordable housing bond was used to support not only the quantity, but quality affordable housing being brought into the market. We were able to support organizations like CASA and Healing Transitions with projects like King’s Ridge and the HT Men’s Campus renovation. We were also able to use funds for housing preservation programs. On average, 65 people move to Wake County daily. Half of those folks will settle in the City of Raleigh. The most recent analysis indicates a need for 65,000 units of housing throughout Wake County to address the challenges of affordability. Certainly, we are doing what we can in the city and we are working with our partners in Wake County to identify additional opportunities to add more units where possible.
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 Raleigh to address climate resilience, particularly flooding?
To mitigate all of the stormwater issues we are currently facing, it would cost approximately $900 million in infrastructure improvements. Our staff does a remarkable job of finding solutions to our most problematic areas. Over the next few years we will continue to gradually work towards making the necessary repairs using a system that prioritizes areas with the greatest impact.
6. After a decade of planning, Raleigh scrapped a proposal for the Six Forks Road widening project for bike and pedestrian lanes that would have been financed by transportation bonds that voters had already approved. In southeast Raleigh, construction on Phase 1 of the city’s Bus Rapid Transit system was delayed two years after the city initially failed to attract a bidder. How can city leaders ensure Raleigh keeps its commitments to voters and taxpayers and keeps projects on track from planning through construction, as well as within their budgets?
The City of Raleigh has experienced issues like other entities taking on construction projects. Problems with obtaining building materials and having a work force to complete the jobs are two of the most pivotal challenges we and others are facing. There have been delays with transportation and park projects that have been approved by voters but faced unanticipated increased costs over the past few years. We will diligently work to have projects better positioned for rapid development going forward. This will include a better upfront public engagement process so when the voters approve bonds, the projects covered will be immediately placed in design and construction phases to avoid unintended delays and escalating costs.
7. Recently, Customs and Border Protection agents carried out immigration enforcement operations in Raleigh with no official warning to elected officials or the public. At the same time, the Trump administration is working to ramp up deportations and curtail visas, while the legislature has passed laws requiring cooperation with ICE. What do you think Raleigh officials can or should do to ensure safe, welcoming communities for immigrants in light of these policies?
The City of Raleigh and RPD do not have jurisdiction for enforcing or participating in ICE operations. The mandates by the General Assembly refer to Sheriff’s Departments being required to inform ICE and Border Patrol when there is someone in their custody that has an immigration detainer. Certainly the City of Raleigh wants all residents and visitors to be safe and feel welcomed. We have encouraged people to contact RPD if there is a concern about an activity or if they need assistance in any situation where there is a question of safety.
8. GoRaleigh’s bus operators, who are officially employed by international transit system operator RATPDev USA, have brought complaints about difficult and unsafe working conditions to the city council on numerous occasions in the past year. Besides working with the Raleigh Police Department on more patrolling and safety at bus terminals, what could the city be doing to make the bus operators’ jobs safer and more manageable?
In addition to shoring up concerns at the station with RPD and private duty security personnel we have to make sure there is adequate communication equipment on every bus.The operators are out very early in the morning and also late at night. They need to be able to reach someone quickly in case of emergencies. Also the ability to expedite removal of passengers who are causing disruptions in service or pose a security risk is something that will make the bus rides safer for drivers and passengers.
9. This year, the Raleigh Police Department has come under scrutiny for its handling of the investigation into the crash that killed Tyrone Mason. Additionally, a former senior officer was fired in May; it was later revealed that the officer conducted illegal searches. How do you think the city should work to build trust between residents and RPD, and what role do you think the council should have in overseeing the culture of the police department?
One of the best ways to build trust between the community and RPD is direct communication and engagement. Chief Boyce started his career with RPD as a patrol officer and worked his way up the ranks. During that time he had an opportunity to build a lot of relationships with a variety of segments of the community. I think his work and that of his staff will go a long way in repairing issues of trust with our residents. Additionally, I believe adding additional staff to RPD and providing them with the equipment they need will assist with reducing stress in tense situations. Chief Boyce and the City Manager have worked to improve the culture of the police department. We also have a Police Advisory Board comprised of residents of the city, including a former RPD officer that review issues and concerns raised by our citizens in regards to RPD.
10. Over the last year, Raleigh rolled out a crisis call diversion line and a care navigation team under the CARES umbrella. Those programs join the preexisting ACORNS unit within the police department as part of the city’s tool kit for responding to mental health, substance use, or homelessness concerns. Are you satisfied with the rollout of Raleigh CARES? Where do you want to see more investment or additional services? Should Raleigh consider creating a mobile crisis response team separate from the police department?
One thing we are continuing to work on is establishing a partnership with Wake County to provide some of the human services components that are not within the purview of the City of Raleigh. We want to have the best response to situations that do not necessarily require the services of sworn law enforcement personnel. Many of the mental health and substance abuse concerns would be better addressed by a team comprised of city and county staff that best equipped to meet the needs of the person experiencing the crisis.
11. Raleigh’s Citizen Advisory Councils have been fully restored, and the city has introduced civic assemblies for paid community outreach, among other measures. What more could or should the city do to engage and inform residents?
In addition to the actions mentioned in the question, the city has a community engagement department that actively works with residents and city departments to facilitate conversations surrounding challenging issue and concerns. That department frequently holds sessions to inform residents about potential policy changes and other actions that may be taken by the council. Additionally, they conduct surveys of the general public to obtain feedback to be presented to the council, especially when the issue is one that generates a lot of interest from residents.
12. If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
I am hopeful that we will be able to attract a Major League Baseball team to Raleigh. The economic impact could be as high as $3 billion dollars. The tax revenue from that would certainly facilitate a lot of solutions to problems such as providing more facilities for our unsheltered neighbors, adding more units of quality affordable housing, making much needed infrastructure improvements and expansions. Certainly, that would also provide the economic revenue to increase staff for RPD and RFD. We would also be very well positioned to attract even more corporations as well as supporting our thriving small business community. In the past budget cycle we were able to give our staff raises between 9-11% and we did not have to raise taxes to do it. Bringing another professional sports team to the area would give us the financial leverage to make a lot of things possible. I would like to thank the citizens of Raleigh who have previously elected me to serve on the Raleigh City Council. It has been the honor my lifetime. I am hopeful that I have earned your support again and humbly as for your support during the primary and general election cycles.