NEWS COVERAGE OF THOMAS

10.04.09     NewRaleigh.com Endorses Thomas

"The easiest choice of all is in District D.  Thomas Crowder has served with valiant dedication to his constituents and Raleigh’s interests as a whole. His total commitment to public service was especially evident over the last ten months, during the creation of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan.  Thomas worked with 27 neighborhoods and every Citizens Advisory Council in his district to involve hundreds of people in directly shaping the 2030 Plan. . . Crowder is the driving force behind the City’s sustainability initiative, and thanks to his presence on Council, “people power” is stronger than ever in Raleigh."

-- NewRaleigh.com Editorial Endorsement (Read more)

09.27.09     The News & Observer Endorses Thomas

"At the end of the day, Crowder is usually on the positive side of issues, particularly regarding responsible development, preservation of neighborhoods, public safety and downtown revitalization, all of them pertinent to District D"

-- News & Observer Editorial Endorsements (Read more)

09.17.09     The Triangle Tribune Endorses Thomas

"Thomas Crowder pushed to hold absentee landlords accountability, and he helped jump-start the reconstruction of Hillsborough Street."

-- Triangle Tribune Editorial Endorsements (Read more)

09.16.09     The Independent Weekly Endorses Thomas

"...THOMAS CROWDER... is the clear choice in this Southwest Raleigh district. Crowder is the neighborhoods' champion and the driving force behind the council's pro-sustainability moves. Before anyone else was talking urban form, Crowder was. ...He was the most effective force in reshaping and improving the new comprehensive plan."

-- Indy Week Editorial Endorsements (Read more)

09.08.09     Thomas & District D Strengthen the 2030 Comp Plan

"The City Council voted unanimously today to adopt a new long-term planning document that will shape future development in Raleigh for the next two decades.  The vote means that the document, called the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, will officially go into effect Nov 1...

Much of today’s City Council meeting focused on revising policy language in the plan and discussing possible changes to the land use map.

Councilman Thomas Crowder had put forward 53 land-use map revisions that had been recommended by a group of his West Raleigh constituents who had studied the plan closely.  Most of those changes were approved by the council."

-- News & Observer Article (Read more)

08.27.09     Sierra Club Endorses Thomas

"The Sierra Club’s endorsements are out in the Raleigh and Cary elections.  In Raleigh, no surprise that the environmental group is backing ...Thomas Crowder in District D..."

-- Indy Week Blog (Read more)

06.10.09     Thomas Keeps Athens Drive Library Open

"The inconvenience, not to say absence, of alternatives is one point City Councilor Thomas Crowder made when he led a contingent from Avent West to the Wake commissioners' budget hearing last week.  Another: The community's been "rejuvenated" of late by an influx of young families with small children—but the children need a library."

-- Indy Week Article (Read more)

05.27.09     The Only Vote for Restraint on City Manager's Raise

"Public anger over Allen's 4.76 percent raise, which brought his salary from $210,000 to $220,000, increased last week after the city manager released his proposed budget. If adopted, it would deny city employees the chance to receive the same percentage raise Allen got.

The council spent 95 minutes in closed session May 2 discussing Allen's performance. Only Councilman Thomas Crowder voted against the raise... 'I just thought in this economic environment that was not the right message to send to the employees or the taxpayers,' Crowder said."

-- News & Observer Article (Read more)

04.20.09     Coverage of Thomas' 2009 Campaign Kick Off Event

"For his part, Crowder yesterday held a campaign kickoff at The Pit, the barbeque joint across from the Amtrak Station, and drew a crowd of more than 100 neighborhood leaders and activists. Downtown developer and restauranteur Greg Hatem, who hosted, hailed Crowder’s vision and passion for making Raleigh a great city. Nina Szlosberg, the University Park leader who sits on both the TTA and DOT boards, spoke and called Crowder him a fierce advocate for strong planning who 'does ruffle some feathers — but that’s what leadership is.' "

-- Indy Week Blog (Read more)

04.20.09     More Coverage of Thomas' 2009 Campaign Kick Off Event

Photos of the 2009 Campaign Kickoff event held at the Pit in downtown Raleigh on Sunday, April 19th are now available on Thomas' Facebook page.  Click here to see album and while you're there, become a fan of Thomas on Facebook to receive the latest campaign updates!

04.15.09     Thomas Promotes Innovation on CAT Buses

"The city announced Tuesday that it has partnered with WRAL and its parent company, Capitol Broadcasting, to install flat-screen televisions in a handful of Raleigh buses. The televisions will broadcast WRAL programming, public safety and health announcements, real-time weather and paid advertisements.

The pilot program is thought to be the first of its kind in the nation.

The pilot program is the brainchild of City Councilman Thomas Crowder, who was first introduced to the receiver technology, made by LG Electronics Inc., about a year ago. Crowder said the program will burnish Raleigh's reputation as a city of innovation.

He also hopes it will eventually generate revenue for Capital Area Transit that can be used to install much-needed bus shelters across the city."

-- News & Observer Article (Read more)

01.22.09     Thomas Defends Public Input on the Comp Plan

"It debuted in draft form on December 1 — online — which was at least a month behind schedule and hard against the holiday season. Printed copies of it are scarce to this day... Nor have any of the city’s 18 Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs) taken up the comp-plan draft to this point — though in theory the CACs are the principal avenue for citizen participation in city government, especially planning.

So at this afternoon’s meeting, Councilors Thomas Crowder, Rodger Koopman, Nancy McFarlane and Russ Stephenson voted in favor of Crowder’s motion to extend the official comment period to the end of February."

-- Indy Week Blog (Read more)

07.14.08     Thomas Leads Tour of Blighted Neighborhoods

"During City Council meetings, Councilman Thomas Crowder frequently talks about the need for Raleigh to better protect what he refers to as its "challenged neighborhoods.  This evening, Crowder took his colleagues on a 90-minute bus tour of areas in Southeast and Southwest Raleigh that he believes are in need of immediate help.

He says such developments are exploiting vulnerable low-income neighborhoods and leading to instant blight and higher crime."

-- News & Observer Article (Read more)