The Platform
Five Issues. Real Solutions.
District 49 has been overlooked for too long. Here's exactly what Daran Thomas will fight for in Raleigh.
Daran Thomas on Wade Avenue — looking up at the low-hanging wires that have gone unaddressed for years.
Infrastructure & Safety
Fix Wade Avenue
The I-440 to Oberlin Road corridor is a daily reminder of state neglect. Daran lives three blocks away and experiences it firsthand — and he's done waiting.
The I-40/Wade Avenue extension is the key artery connecting RDU International Airport and Research Triangle Park to the state capital. It is one of the most economically significant corridors in North Carolina — and it looks like it hasn't been maintained in decades.
Low-hanging power lines. Broken telephone poles. Overgrown trees encroaching on the roadway. Chaotic traffic patterns that back up for miles during peak hours. Incomplete sidewalks that make pedestrian travel dangerous. This is what District 49 residents deal with every single day.
As a frequent driver and pedestrian who sees the neglect right outside his door, Daran Thomas is ready for action — coordinating with NCDOT, the City of Raleigh, and utility providers to deliver a corridor that reflects the economic importance of the region it serves.
Sign the Petition
Join Raleigh residents calling on the city to require utility lines be moved underground.
Sign on Change.orgDaran's Action Plan
- Coordinate with NCDOT to prioritize Wade Avenue in the state transportation improvement program
- Require utility companies to address low-hanging lines and broken infrastructure along the corridor
- Complete missing sidewalk segments to make pedestrian travel safe
- Improve traffic signal timing and lane configuration to reduce peak-hour backups
Environmental Hazard
Phone Line Lead Wire Cleanup
Telecom companies are retiring their copper networks, leaving behind 90,000 miles of lead-sheathed cable. These lines connected our communities for generations — now it's time to work together to clean them up before the problem gets worse.
Telecom companies are in the middle of the largest copper network retirement in American history. By 2029, virtually all remaining copper lines are set to be retired — and the question of what happens to the infrastructure left behind must be answered now, not later.
An estimated 90,000 miles of lead-sheathed cables remain hanging from utility poles and buried in the ground across the country. Lead is a potent neurotoxin. When these cables degrade, they can leach lead into soil and groundwater — posing serious health risks to families, children, and pets in neighborhoods just like ours.
These lines connected our communities, our businesses, and our families for over a century. We all benefited from them. Now, as they reach the end of their life, the responsible path forward is collaboration — not conflict. Daran believes in working with telecom providers to develop a practical, funded cleanup plan that protects public health and puts the high value of the recovered copper to work offsetting remediation costs. There is too much fighting in this world. Let's just fix the problem before it gets worse.
Daran's Action Plan
- Partner with telecom providers on a funded, cooperative cleanup plan for all lead-sheathed cable in NC by 2029
- Apply the high value of recovered copper scrap toward remediation costs before any public funds are used
- Require soil and groundwater testing along retired cable routes
- Establish a clear timeline and accountability measures to ensure the work gets done
Already on the Ballot — Vote November 3rd
Lower Property Taxes
Property values across Raleigh have surged — and tax bills have followed. Relief is already on the ballot this November 3rd. Show up and vote for it.
Raleigh's rapid growth has been a blessing — but it has come with a cost. Soaring property values mean soaring tax bills, and the burden falls on everyone. Retirees on fixed incomes are being priced out of homes they've owned for decades. Working families are squeezed every revaluation cycle. Small business owners face higher overhead. And when landlords' costs rise, renters feel it too — higher property taxes ripple through the entire local economy.
The good news: you don't have to wait for Raleigh to act. Property tax relief is already on the ballot for November 3rd — and all it takes is your vote.
Daran supports this measure and will continue fighting in the legislature for additional long-term protections — including expanded relief for retirees and homestead exemptions that keep working families in their homes.
Daran's Action Plan
- Vote YES on property tax relief — it's on the ballot November 3rd
- Expand relief for retirees and residents on fixed incomes
- Push for homestead exemptions that keep working families in their homes
- Ensure Raleigh tax revenues are reinvested back into the communities that generate them
End Student Debt
Free Tuition at NC State University
NC high school graduates who attended a North Carolina public high school for at least two years should be able to attend NC State University tuition-free. Full proposal details coming soon.
North Carolina students who grew up here, went to school here, and want to build their futures here deserve a shot at a world-class university education without a lifetime of debt.
The full legislative proposal is being finalized and will be posted here shortly.
Sign the Petition
Support free college education at state universities in North Carolina.
Sign on Change.orgDaran's Action Plan
- Free tuition at NC State University for qualifying NC public high school graduates
- Eligibility: graduated from an NC public high school with at least 2 years attended in-state
- Full legislative proposal coming soon — check back for details
- Keep NC talent in North Carolina — invest in the students who grew up here
Public Safety & Quality of Life
Clean Up Downtown Raleigh
Downtown Raleigh should be a place families want to visit, businesses want to invest in, and residents are proud of. Right now, crime and disorder are driving people away.
Downtown Raleigh has enormous potential — great restaurants, cultural institutions, and a growing economy. But rising crime, visible disorder, and a lack of accountability are undermining that potential and making residents and visitors feel unsafe.
Daran proposes smarter spending focused on better coordination between law enforcement, social services, and community organizations to address the root causes of crime and hold bad actors accountable.
A clean, safe downtown is good for everyone — residents, small business owners, workers, and visitors. Daran will fight for the resources and policies needed to make downtown Raleigh a place the whole city is proud of again.
The incidents speak for themselves. On January 18, 2026 at 2:19 a.m., a shooting broke out on Glenwood Avenue. On April 10, 2026, six people were stabbed near Blount Street in the heart of downtown. And in August, a shooting on Martin Street added another alarming reminder that public safety cannot wait. These are not isolated incidents. They are a pattern — and they demand a real response.
Follow Daran Thomas for NC House: campaign links and updates
Daran's Action Plan
- Increase accountability and coordination between law enforcement and city services
- Support small businesses impacted by crime and disorder in the downtown corridor
- Address root causes of crime through targeted social services and intervention programs
- Restore downtown Raleigh as a destination families and businesses are proud to call home
Ready to Make It Happen?
These aren't talking points — they're a plan. Help Daran get to Raleigh and deliver.