Gentrification and Historic Preservation

I've made it clear in my campaign and on my other website that I see gentrification as an important problem that must be addressed if Durham is to keep its unique character. To that end, I favor a means-tested abatement of property taxes on contributing properties in a national historic district.

Durham's preservationists must stand up to the NIS and the forces that would kick people out of their homes due to the highest property tax rates in the Triangle. I welcome discussion on this issue because it is one of the ways in which we can fight urban sprawl and the subsidization of the car culture that is claiming Cary and suburban Wake County. Keep Durham Different!

Candidate forum

The Herald-Sun has a short article (registration required) on last night's candidate forum.

WNCN spot

I filmed a message last week at the Raleigh studios of the NBC affiliate WNCN. Because it will not air until mid-October I am providing the text of my remarks below.

My name is David Rollins and I’m running for the General Assembly because I want to bring a new vision for Durham and all of North Carolina in the state senate.

For too long the progressive agenda in our city has been hamstrung by the cowardice of our representatives in Raleigh. My opponent doesn’t have the guts to stand up for the poor, but I do – I propose a “third way”…in the spirit of Bill Clinton and the southern Democrats.

If you’re a Republican, you should vote for me because I support the principles of the party such as the rights of ordinary americans to determine their own lives through lower taxes and a balanced budget. If you’re a Democrat, you should vote for me because I support the ideals of Barack Obama and the vision of a country with health care for everyone and energy independence.

You might ask yourself how this is possible. It’s because I’m a community organizer who has fought tirelessly for the rights of the underprivileged, through my work in Durham soup kitchens and my animal rescue efforts during Hurricane Katrina. It’s because I’m a hunter, who teaches gun safety to the Boy Scouts and the minority members of our community.

I guess you could say I’m a “Waffle House Democrat”, or perhaps a “South Park Republican”.

Durham needs smart growth, not more highways and corporate welfare. We have an opportunity to preserve the historic buildings and homes that give Durham that gritty urbanism that we all know and love – one look at the Durham Bulls Stadium proves my point! We must stop urban sprawl and provide for mass transit by eliminating the gas tax and providing free bus service in the inner city. No one should be unable to get to their job or school because they can’t afford a car.

The Rollins family founded the Herald-Sun in our city, and my great uncle treated the sick and the poor as the public health director of Vance and Granville counties until the day he died. As your state senator, I promise to fight for the rights of the poor, the sick, the needy, AND the wealthy. I am the candidate for change this fall. Let’s Keep Durham Different!

Learn more about my campaign at keepdurhamdifferent.com.

Education

Providing choice in public education is an issue that crosses party lines, as evidenced by the remarkable success of The Harlem Children's Zone. Listen to today's interview with the founder on NPR .

I realize that it is not the party line to call for more spending on education, but putting pediatricians, social workers, and psychiatrists in the public schools is a no-brainer. The teacher's union should welcome this opportunity to revolutionize the way we teach our kids.

Press

I got a nice mention in the Raleigh paper last month. Several of my colleagues were kind enough to clip the paper version for me (I thought it was only in the online edition).

I'll have a roundup of campaign coverage later in the week. Keep your calendars clear for the Green Party's candidate forum in late September, as it will be my first opportunity to debate my Democratic opponent (I was not invited to the People's Alliance forum last week, and the Republican candidate has yet to launch his campaign as near as I can tell).

Donations

Credit card donations may be made at the link above.

Checks should be made payable to "David Rollins" or "The Committee to Elect David Rollins" and sent by postal mail to the following address:

SunTrust Bank, ATTN: Special Handling
1516 North Gregson Street
Durham NC 27704

Wire transfers should be sent to ABA 053100465, Account 1000036062262. International wire transfers will require the SWIFT / BIC code for SunTrust Banks, Inc. Donors in Switzerland should transfer funds to my PostFinance account, IBAN CH3109000000870694965, BIC POFICHBEXXX:

Swiss Post
PostFinance
Nordring 8
3030 Berne

You must list your employer and occupation in the "memo" field of the check or the "notes" field of your wire transfer. Please note the following:

-donations may only be made by citizens of the United States. Foreign donors should email me for the details of my political action committee.
-donations to the campaign are not tax-deductible. Donors needing a tax-deductible donation should email for details (these funds may not be used for political activity).
-donors must be at least 18 years of age.
-donors must not be employed as a government contractor for the state of North Carolina.

Donations not meeting this criteria will be returned.

Official Bio

Biography (from the LPNC website):

David Rollins was born in Highland Park, Texas and grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Duke University in 1991 with a degree in economics, where he co-founded the libertarian-conservative newspaper "The Duke Review". He interned in the White House as a speech writer for Vice President Dan Quayle, at the Department of Commerce as a speechwriter for Secretary Robert Mosbacher, at the Cato Institute in Washington, and at the Institute for Humane Studies as George Mason University. He worked as a management consultant for Arthur Andersen / Accenture in Charlotte, where his first job was at Central Carolina Bank in Durham (now SunTrust). He later moved to New York to pursue a career in investment banking; he has held positions at Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, JP Morgan/Chase, Fidelity Investments, and Credit Suisse First Boston. In 2004 he was chosen by Credit Suisse to help found their new Global Business Center in Research Triangle Park, which has grown to a staff of 1000 personnel. David is on temporary assignment in Zürich Switzerland until August 2008.

David is active in many community organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America (Troop 440, Durham), Preservation Durham, and Bayou Rescue (an animal welfare organization). He is a former board member of the Durham County Wildlife Club, and a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. Other philanthropic activities include the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and The Institute for Justice. David has been a member of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina since returning to the state in 2005.

David is married to Allison Kort, an attorney who teaches law at Duke. They have one daughter and are lovingly restoring the Cole-Couch House (1905), a contributing property in the Trinity Park Historic District north of Duke's East Campus.

My platform:

I am primarily concerned with helping the poor through the use of tax incentives. I would like to reduce the state income tax and eliminate the gas tax in NC. I am also concerned with suburban sprawl and the gentrification of the inner city, which I would rectify by ending corporate welfare for the road construction and real estate development interests. North Carolina needs more choice in education, including more charter schools and the use of vouchers in public education. We must stop annexation to fund the ever-thirsty coffers of local government.

I would like to reduce the state corporate income tax, and reduce fees for the registration of out-of-state vehicles to welcome those who have discovered what a great state this is for starting a business or retirement.

Contact information:

David C. Rollins

911 West Club Boulevard

Durham, NC 27701

dcrollins@gmail.com

(919) 994-4858