Council’s decision to invest in downtown by approving the streetscape project and old Cary Elementary renovations in our town’s FY2009 budget is a wise one.

A healthy and vibrant town core is crucial to maintaining a healthy and vibrant town for all Cary citizens. Neighborhoods downtown that were once well kept, owner occupied communities are declining and becoming increasingly rental. Businesses are leaving and crime is on the rise. To think this happens in a vacuum and will not continue to spread outward to other areas of town is unrealistic.

Over the last 10 years Cary has spent $312 million on parks, recreation or transportation projects throughout town. Of that $312 million, only $12 million has been spent downtown. For too long the nice and new has only gone to the nice and new. The folks who have dealt with the effects and impact of growth the longest are the ones who have benefited the least from it. It’s long past time “old Cary” received its fair share.

The downtown streetscape project and Cary Elementary renovations will help spur significant economic investment from the private sector that will, over time, help revitalize the downtown area and surrounding communities. Cary must invest in downtown — we can’t afford not to.

In hindsight the “streetscape project” was probably the wrong title to give this project. The name leads one to believe it’s solely a beautification effort. That simply isn’t the case at all. The project spends millions on much-needed road improvements, drainage and storm water control measures, traffic control measures, upgrading and relocating utilities, parking and increased lighting for greater public safety downtown.

Cary has been planning these improvements since our adoption of the Town Center Area Plan back in 2001, and Cary has already invested millions in its planning, design and engineering. To not move forward with these projects now would essentially be throwing away millions of taxpayer dollars already spent.

Over $30 million in cuts were made from this year’s budget to “trim the fat.” Other notables in this year’s budget include a significant investment in transportation improvements — including $8 million for the Cary Parkway improvements alone. This year’s budget also lowers Cary’s tax rate to a revenue-neutral rate of 33 cents after the recent property revaluation — the lowest tax rate of any municipality in Wake County.

And through the hard work of our town staff at council direction, Cary’s proposed operating budget increase of 7.8 percent was reduced to 4 percent.

In closing, I would like to invite anyone who wishes to learn more about me, my service on the council or my reasoning for voting for this year’s budget to please visit my blog at donfrantz.blogspot.com. I started this blog shortly after joining the council because I believe in greater

transparency in government. I also believe it is my duty to inform you, the citizens of Cary, what I actually do as a member of the town council and why I vote the way I vote. You may not always agree with my position but you will always know where I stand.