This is the first article on candidates for the Board of County Commissioners in Wake County.  Wake is a large and diverse county and District 3, where Steve Rao, who is covered in this story lives, is also large and diverse.  District 3 includes Western Wake County and parts of the municipalities of Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, and Wake Forest.

It also still includes many acres of undeveloped land and parts of the Falls Lake reservoir area, which includes the primary water source for Raleigh.  I-40 runs right down the middle, crowded each day with commuters. 

[Update:  a report released this week named the Triangle as having one of the five most lengthy commute times in the country for its motorists.]

This District used to be strongly GOP country.  It now leans Republican, but has many more non-affiliated voters and newcomers not tied to either party’s traditions. This can produce wide swings in voters' allegiance from election to election.

REMEMBER:  If you vote in Wake in November, you can vote for four candidates, one from each district on the ballot this year.  County Commission races are “at-large,” even though each candidate must run in his district.

There are eight candidates running in 2010 for election in November including the four incumbents, Lindy Brown, a first term Democrat, and Republicans Paul Coble, Tony Gurley and Joe Bryan.  The challengers for this election are Phil Matthews, a Republican from Garner, and Democrats Don Mial, Jackson Nichols, and Steve Rao.

Steve Rao, the Candidate for District 3, is a business man who lives in Morrisville with his wife, who is a physician in Raleigh, and their two small children.  His father's family moved to the United States from India, and he has ties to the business community abroad, especially in India.

Rao is challenging the incumbent and the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, Republican Tony Gurley.  Rao only recently became a registered Democrat, and he considers himself a fiscal conservative, but considers himself more liberal on social issues than his opponent.

This is a synopsis of a telephone interview with the candidate today:

Rao'sTop Priority:  job creation and bringing in innovative industries—making his experience as a businessman of use in making the region great, as it has been--must have world class educational facilities and allow access to them for all members and segments of our county’s citizens.

Q.  Bringing businesses to Wake –incentives—specifically?  How?

A.   We need to make sure we can create jobs—once again bring in or develop innovators like [Jim] Goodnight [of SAS in Cary]—need new leadership to come in and provide leadership with school Board.

2.  Q.  Taxes?

A. Rao said "the good environment, good schools, and other amenities drew his parents family and his family here—Wake needs to do more of the same to keep drawing good industries and talented employees to the region."

"The County needs to modify tax incentives to provide incentives other than what is allowed by the laws now—Rao needs to study further and would coordinate with legislators.  Currently outside industries get the benefit to the exclusion of existing and good industries.  E. g.: Red Hat and their consideration of moving out."

"Keep property tax $ in the schools—Need to take a hard look at the changes proposed by the school board and the costs to implement those changes."

3.  Q.  Other issues?

"We have to provide basic social services;  these times are tough and people need help that the county needs to continue to provide despite cuts in funds from the state."

And on the environment:  "Keep Falls Lake clean and safe; the region needs to improve mass transit to decrease reliance on private vehicles and reduce harmful emissions into the air we breathe."

What I want every citizen to know is "what it was like here 30 or more years ago before  Magnet schools creation and RTP creation—I’m about bringing people together to make the right decisions.  We have to tackle tough issues."

"Revenues are down, but expenses for the county are rising—there are no easy answers.   How will the county fund all the changes being discussed by the school Board that will cost millions?"

According to Rao, "When elected, I will take the lead and see if the county is using the most effective technology to hopefully, find savings to fund the priorities I just mentioned.  I can do that based on my experience and knowledge gained in the private sector as a businessman."

Mr. Rao ended with this statement:  “I don’t have all the answers, but I can learn.   I will try to remember my base of support and those who voted for me, but I can reach across party lines to find solutions.  That’s what I want to find—real solutions to the problems we face.”

This is the first time Rao has run for election.  He is a 2009 graduate of the Institute for Political Leadership (IOPL) based in Greensboro, NC.  He is has a law degree, but he no longer practices law.  He has served on a State Board that advises on techniology issues.

Rao is a former college tennis player at Emory University, who runs to stay in shape.  He has  done "runs" in several towns and races across Wake County, most recently in Apex.  Check out his run in Cary on October 10th.  For more information see the campaign website here