Jobs, transit among Raleigh mayor's priorities

McFarlane delivered her annual State of the City address during a Raleigh Rotary Club meeting at the Raleigh Convention Center.

She credited the vision of city leaders over the years for laying the groundwork for Raleigh's success and said plans must be crafted to ensure the city's growth and prosperity continue.

Her top priority is keeping Raleigh a safe, healthy and vibrant community, but she said that calls for offering access to food and health care to all city residents.

"We still have children that are hungry, and that is not acceptable,” she said, adding that job growth employment is paramount to a healthy community.

For continued economic development, she said, Raleigh must become the type of place where businesses want to be. That includes nurturing the area's natural resources and emphasizing arts and cultural resources.

McFarlane recently led a Raleigh contingent to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, to pick up ideas on boosting local arts culture.

Transportation and transit is another priority for Raleigh, she said.

“In order for us to remain competitive, we must address the fact that we need a robust public transportation system,” she said. “One that connects us with the Triangle, which is vital for the university systems, our large hospital systems and our regional employers.”

Development of a transit system is not only key for economic development but for environmental health as well, McFarlane said.

“Without it, we will be overcome with our success and choke ourselves off with congestion,” she said.

The mayor also called for "organizational excellence," saying the city must orchestrate meaningful partnerships to maximize Raleigh’s potential.