E-NEWS UPDATE #2
Dear Friends,
Join hosts Christine Baukus and Irv Coates
to help Janet formally kick-off her campaign for NC Senate!
The event will be held in the heart of
the 16th Senate District in historic Westover (just west
of the NC State Fairgrounds).
When: Thursday, April 29, 5:30-7:30
Where: 300 Gary Street
Beverages and hors d'oeuvres will be
served. Donations are welcome but not necessary -- the
most important thing is that you come share in the fellowship
of the occasion. You do not need to RSVP.
We look forward to seeing you on April
29th!
Sincerely,
The Committee to Elect Janet Cowell,
NC Senate
Directions From Cary and Durham:
Take I-40 East towards Raleigh. Follow signs to Wade Avenue
and the Arena. Take the Edwards Mill Road Exit. At the
bottom of the ramp, take a right on Edward's Mill Road
heading south. At the light, take a left on Trinity Road.
Take a right on Youth Center Road (by the James B. Hunt
Horse Complex and Carter-Finley Stadium). Take a right
onto Merritt Street. Pass two stop signs till Merritt
intersects with Gary Street. 300 Gary Street is on the
right hand side.
From Raleigh: Take Hillsborough
Road West towards Cary. Pass the Fairground. Take a right
on Youth Center Road (western perimeter of the Fair grounds).
Pass two stop signs till Merritt intersects with Gary
Street. 300 Gary Street is on the right hand side. Parking
Note: Westover is an old neighborhood with narrow streets
and restricted parking (except during the fair when much
of the neighborhood turns into a parking lot!). Please
park on one side of the road only to ensure continued
street access.
E-NEWS UPDATE #1
Dear Friends,
I am writing
to thank you for your past support and friendship and
let you know that I have decided to offer myself as a
Candidate for the North Carolina Senate. We will make
a formal announcement and host a kickoff event in the
near future, but I wanted to make you aware of my decision.
As you all know
by now, Senator Eric Reeves, who had served in that seat
since 1996, announced on Monday that he will not be seeking
re-election. I'm grateful to Eric for his service over
the past eight years in the North Carolina Senate and
his three years of service prior to that as a Raleigh
City Councillor. He has fought hard on issues such as
Dorothea Dix, economic development and keeping the Triangle
a leader in 21st century industries such as biotechnology.
Thank you, Eric for all you have done.
My decision
to run for the NC State Senate has not been undertaken
lightly. There are a number of factors that I took into
consideration:
Raleigh City
Council Duties: Let me start by saying that I am honored
to serve as your City Councilor and I am passionate about
urban issues. I will retain my council seat and will continue
serving my neighbors across the city this year. Were I
to be elected to the Senate, the remaining councilors
and Mayor would nominate an individual to take my seat.
A simple majority vote would determine the outcome. This
has happened twice in recent years on council: Ralph Campbell
ran for and was elected to the office of State Auditor
in 1992. The council appointed Charles Francis to fill
his seat. Eric Reeves ran for and was elected to the State
Senate in 1996. The council appointed Stacey Miller. In
the event of my winning election to the State Senate,
there would be four Democratic and three Republican members
of council to vote for my successor.
Your Feedback:
I have not made this decision on my own. Without you,
we wouldn't have been able to change the direction of
Raleigh and your input has been an equally critical part
of my decision to seek a Senate Seat. I have sought council
from many of you over the past week. You response has
been enthusiastic and encouraging. I am grateful for your
support and friendship.
Impact: Certainly,
one can argue that results at the local level are (I hesitate
to say) easier to achieve and more readily evident than
those at the state level. In the past few years on council,
we've seen bricks and mortar projects rising in the downtown
area, redevelopments such as North Hills Mall, and trees
planted as part of the 'Neighborwoods' program. We will
soon see the results of enhanced stormwater protection
and traffic calming. That said, almost everything that
we do at the city-level occurs within the context of state
policy. The state deals with a broader range of issues
with more far-reaching impact. To control our destiny,
cities and towns need strong state representation on issues
such as economic development, education, transportation,
growth and the environment. Ultimately, my impact will
depend on how well I work with Senate leadership, the
Party and which Party is in control. I have had discussions
with Senator Basnight and Senator Rand, who will remain
neutral in the primary, and already have working relationships
with many legislators.
Issues:
I would like to focus more on the issues of jobs and economic
development, education, and growth strategies. As many
of you know, I work for SJF Ventures, a venture capital
firm that invests in companies that provide good jobs.
I'd like to use my business background to improve the
climate for entrepreneurs and small businesses in this
state and make economic development more sustainable.
Education is critical for the future of this state. I
want to apply entrepreneurial innovation to the public
schools by encouraging projects such as the recently announced
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded medical and public
health high school targeted for Southeast Raleigh. We
also need to focus on teacher recruitment and retention.
Finally, cities need more control over their ability to
make decisions about growth, transportation and the environment.
I'd like to work with other legislators to address the
unique needs of North Carolina's metropolitan areas.
The District:
I feel an affinity for the people and issues of the 16th
District of Wake County. I live in the heart of the District
just west of the NC State Fairgrounds on the border between
Raleigh and Cary. Sixty percent of the district is composed
of neighborhoods that I've run in twice in the last three
years - neighborhoods like Biltmore Hills, Meredith Woods,
and University Park. I know the people and issues in these
neighborhoods well. I worked in Cary for a number of years
as a business consultant at Sibson & Company. As ex-political
chair for the Sierra Club, I got to know many of Cary's
leaders and gained a familiarity with issues specific
to that community. I have worked with Morrisville representatives
on regional transportation and planning initiatives and
will continue to work hard to understand their needs .
Progressive
Leadership: We need progressive leadership in the
Senate. Senator Eric Reeves departure comes at a time
when we have lost many progressive state senators: Senator
Wib Gulley of Durham announced his resignation last week,
Senator Metcalf of Asheville resigned a few weeks ago,
and Senator Howard Lee of Chapel Hill lost his seat to
redistricting in the last election. I can help fill the
void.
The Primary:
This will be an energetic and positive campaign with a
forward thinking vision. We will work to offer pragmatic
solutions to the complex issues confronting us. I am prepared
for this challenge, and confident that we are well positioned
for success. Again, let me thank you for your past support
and involvement in the community. I hope I can count on
you for your support.
Cowell for Senate 
