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An article of interest from the INDY's weekend newsletter for your consideration and participation. We can make a difference in the focus and priorities for our City's investments in our community.<div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:0px;text-align:center;margin:0px auto;max-width:600px"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:390px"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;direction:ltr;font-size:0px;padding:0px;text-align:center"><div style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;width:390px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;vertical-align:top;padding:12px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-size:0px;padding:0px"><div style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><p style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important">"Budget season is underway in Durham. <span dir="ltr" style="text-decoration:underline;font-size:inherit">On Monday, March 18</span>, the city council will host the first of two budget public hearings <span dir="ltr" style="text-decoration:underline;font-size:inherit">at 7 p.m.</span> during regular meeting hours, where residents can share their own budget priorities for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:0px;text-align:center;margin:0px auto;max-width:600px"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:390px"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;direction:ltr;font-size:0px;padding:0px;text-align:center"><div style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;width:390px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;vertical-align:top;padding:12px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-size:0px;padding:0px"><div style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><p style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important">One of the motivating issues for voters during <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://indyweek.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2825b1f0846a6217ed507d447&id=a1a3ec258d&e=58172b148a" style="text-decoration:underline;color:inherit!important" target="_blank">elections in Durham</a> last fall centered on higher wages for public employees. Many employees did receive one-time bonuses at the end of last year, but a permanent wage increase is likely to return to the forefront as a key item for the next budget.</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:0px;text-align:center;margin:0px auto;max-width:600px"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:390px"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;direction:ltr;font-size:0px;padding:0px;text-align:center"><div style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;width:390px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;vertical-align:top;padding:12px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-size:0px;padding:0px"><div style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><p style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important">Transit, affordable housing, and public safety also remain important issues for residents. <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://indyweek.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2825b1f0846a6217ed507d447&id=6f313a2a8f&e=58172b148a" style="text-decoration:underline;color:inherit!important" target="_blank">The <em>INDY</em>reported on Thursday</a> about an open house for the public to weigh in on the potential redesign of Roxboro Street and Mangum Street, two main corridors in downtown Durham that residents in the neighborhood say are built for speed and not safety. Reimagining those roads and potentially others won’t be cheap for the city’s transportation department, but some residents say it’s a necessary cost to protect pedestrians on Durham’s streets.</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:0px;text-align:center;margin:0px auto;max-width:600px"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:390px"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;direction:ltr;font-size:0px;padding:0px;text-align:center"><div style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;width:390px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;vertical-align:top;padding:12px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-size:0px;padding:0px"><div style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><p style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important">Last month, the city council <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://indyweek.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2825b1f0846a6217ed507d447&id=5f273e5824&e=58172b148a" style="text-decoration:underline;color:inherit!important" target="_blank">voted not to</a> enter into another contract with SoundThinking, the company behind gunfire detection technology ShotSpotter. How will the city council choose to reallocate more than $200,000 that was budgeted for the program? Residents opposed to ShotSpotter called for investment in other public safety and public health programs to help reduce the effects of gun violence. What specific programs will residents suggest?</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:0px;text-align:center;margin:0px auto;max-width:600px"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:390px"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;direction:ltr;font-size:0px;padding:0px;text-align:center"><div style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;width:390px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td style="border-collapse:collapse;vertical-align:top;padding:12px"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-size:0px;padding:0px"><div style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><p style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important">Last year, residents rallied around two issues: <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://indyweek.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2825b1f0846a6217ed507d447&id=4d66f4a906&e=58172b148a" style="text-decoration:underline;color:inherit!important" target="_blank">expanding</a> the HEART program and funding a full-time Vision Zero coordinator. Both items were included in the current budget for 2023-2024. While it’s not guaranteed that every outcry from the community will become a line item, getting those items being included in the budget does show that a coordinated community effort is hard to ignore."</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br><br><div><br></div></div>


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