Name: Robert Mitchener

Age: 55

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: n/a

Occupation and employer: Capitol Police 

1. In your view, what are the three most pressing issues facing Wake County? If elected, what will you do to address these issues?

Affordable Housing, Mental Health and Public Safety 

Not reinvent the wheel, expand the services so we can help more people 

2. How would your experience―in politics or otherwise in your career―make you an asset to the county’s decision-making process? 

I would be a voice for the people and their needs and because face to face experiences from law my 30 years of law enforcement 

3. If you are a candidate for a district seat, please identify your priorities for your district. If you are an at-large candidate, please explain how you would approach decision-making with the entire county in mind.

The entire county is dealing with affordable housing, mental health and public safety as a whole 

4. With Wake County’s rapid growth come challenges related to suburban sprawl, transportation, and affordable housing. What have been the county’s successes in managing this growth in recent years? What about its failures? What would you do differently?

The success is that there are an increase of building but what I would do differently is providing more vouchers and assistance for more people to afford the buildings 

5. What should be the county’s role in addressing issues of economic inequality, such as gentrification, affordable housing, and homelessness? Do you believe the board is doing enough to help its municipalities manage Wake County’s growth in order to prevent current residents from being priced out? 

To ensure fairness of the developers and builders that the homes are affordable and equitable for everyone to live in.

6. Property valuations have risen significantly in recent years and many Wake County residents are worried about their ability to continue to afford to pay taxes on their homes. What do you believe the county commission should do to make living here more affordable? Should the county consider lowering taxes or creating new tax assistance programs? If you support cutting taxes, where would you reduce government spending?

The entire system need to be reviewed and seen as how it’s being assessed. More programs of relief will be put in place especially for seniors. 

7. The county board of commissioners voted this year to increase the Wake County Public School System budget by $40 million, which fell short of the school system’s stated need by about $20 million. Was this the right move? What is the county’s responsibility to public schools in an increasingly tight budget environment? 

Only if the other priorities were more important. 

8. At 41¢ per capita arts funding, Wake County spends much less than peer counties in North Carolina and regionally. A new arts spending plan lays out some ways to bridge those funding gaps, but many arts leaders believe the county should spend more. Do you agree Wake County should spend more on the arts? If so, what are some ways you think the county could finance that spending?

Yes and they should go to the underserved communities 

9. North Carolina is a “Dillon Rule” state, meaning that the only powers municipal and county governments have are the ones granted to them by the legislature. Would you like to see this changed? How would you work with state legislators from Wake County, as well as mayors and council members from the city’s municipalities, to ensure that Wake County, its municipalities, and the state are on the same page regarding policies that affect residents of Wake?

Yes so they won’t be so limited. 

10. Is the county doing enough to protect, preserve, and maintain its natural resources, including parks, waterways, and green spaces?

Yes haven’t heard no issues in this area 

11. Give an example of an opinion, policy, vote, or action you changed based on constituent feedback. If you have not yet held elected office, describe a time when you changed your position on an issue after listening to those affected by it.

In my youth program I only at first accepted in my youth program good grades but then changed decision to accepting under performing students 

12. If there is anything else you would like to address, please do so here.