A week after Elaine O’Neal announced not running for a second term as Durham Mayor, Ken Spaulding is the first to officially declare for the seat.
Spaulding ran for the Democratic nomination in the 2016 North Carolina gubernatorial election, losing to Roy Cooper. In 1984, he challenged incumbent Tim Valentine for the North Carolina 2nd congressional district. He lost, receiving 47.88 percent of votes compared to Valentine’s 52.12 percent. Spaulding served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1978 to 1984.
Former Governor Mike Easley appointed Spaulding to serve on the North Carolina Board of Transportation where he represented Wake, Durham, Person, Granville, Vance, Warren and Frankin Counties.
Spaulding recently retired after more than 40 years of practicing law in North Carolina. He’s a graduate of Howard University and the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Spaulding provided a statement to Rev-elution
Durham and its image are at a crossroads. The infighting and tomfoolishness, at the City Council level, are ruining the City of Durham’s first-class status.
A great example is the recent budget battle. The City Council in 2021 voted
itself a 40% salary increase effective last year. Yet this year, when police
officers, firefighters and first responders sought reasonable and fair salary
increases, the Council refused their effort and approved very modest raises
compared to the Council’s own previous 40% salary increase. Some of the same
Council members who had voted to approve their own large salary increases,
voted against the requested raises for the “protectors of our lives and safety”
In regard to our law enforcement officers, Police Chief after Police Chief have
asked for increased compensation to attract new officers and retain current
officers. Budgets after budgets have not reflected the true needs of the
Durham City Police Department.
No police officer in Durham should be paid less than $60,000 per year. At
a starting salary of $60,000 per year, the increased pay for the remaining
officers should follow a well thought out plan with increases that recognize
tenure and rank.
Firefighters and first responders should have their pay schedules totally
re-evaluated for significant and substantial salary increases based on the
perilous gravity of their work.
Along with tackling crime and safety with police salary increases, among other
innovative actions, recreation centers throughout Durham should be constructed
or renovated so that our young people can have a structured place to compete,
disagree and settle their differences or aggression through vigilant
supervision and mentorship in a safe city structure and not in the streets.
These centers should be open and fully staffed from daybreak past midnight as
was done in larger cities in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s when crime became
overwhelming and these actions helped to lower the crime rate.
The City Manager needs to hear out “all” Council members regarding effectuating
these policies without an increase in taxes. That is the City Manager’s job. If
a tax increase is absolutely required, then a series of options should be laid
out by the City Manager for the public’s input and the Council’s review.
However, accompanying the options, a parallel analysis should also show where
the City Manager has laid out all unnecessary expenditure along with waste and
inefficiencies that will be cut from the budget. Yet, we should recognize that
the first tendency for some is to cry “tax increase” without using their best
efforts with the same creativity that the Council used in raising their own
salaries by $10,000 per year effective last year.
All city employees are essential workers for the residents of Durham. All city
employees deserve a substantial pay increase based on the extremely high
inflation brought about as a result of the crippling pandemic. Public sector
raises should keep up with the 8% to 10% inflation rate increase and be given
the same consideration as given in the private sector.
For these reasons and more, I have given serious consideration to running for
Mayor, win or lose. However, “if” we have good candidates running for Mayor who
are “not current” sitting members of the current Council, and if they will give
these aforementioned stated policies their earnest and sincere consideration,
then I will happily not run for Mayor. I know it’s not politically correct to
say, but quite frankly, I am enjoying my retirement and I would prefer to
remain happily retired.
It is necessary that things change in Durham for the better. It’s time for a
change at our City Council.
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