When people ask what this yearâs election is really about, I tell them itâs simple: growth â and how we handle it.
For all the talk about national politics, most of what shapes our daily lives happens right here in town â the roads we drive, the water we drink, the neighborhoods we live in, and the taxes that keep it all going.
Our next Board of Commissioners will face the defining question for Wake Forestâs future: how do we grow, how do we pay for it, and how do we take care of what weâve already built?
That isnât just a planning issue. Itâs the most critical local policy question in front of us, and it affects every voter in this yearâs municipal and upcoming elections.
I wrote this because I want people to see whatâs really at stake. âGrowthâ isnât just about new houses or traffic â itâs about the long-term cost of everything that connects us: roads, pipes, schools, parks, and water.
Handled with stewardship and common sense, growth can make our town stronger and more sustainable.
Handled poorly, it leaves us paying more for less.
Growing up here
I grew up off Ligon Mill Road, back when part of it was still dirt and gravel.
Mr. Canipe would come through with his tractor after a significant rain to smooth it out. I fished and played in the creeks and ponds that many of our neighbors now live near. Back then, the woods and fields seemed endless. Now theyâre neighborhoods. Wake Forest has changed â and thatâs not a bad thing.
But it means we have to take care of it as it grows.
Lessons from our past
We canât count on recruiting more industry to our town alone to save us.
Weâve already lived through what happens when the factories close.
Over the decades, manufacturers like Athey, Schneider, and Weavexx left, people lost jobs, the town lost revenue, and the big plants sat empty for years.
When Athey closed right before Christmas in 2000, more than a hundred workers were laid off. It was devastating, especially during the holidays. I had friends whose parents had lost jobs, had to move, shattering long-held ties that bound our community together. The impact tore through our town, but we came together to support one another.
We learned then that our strength isnât in factories; itâs in people and planning for a changing economy.
The truth about growth
You canât grow and freeze taxes at the same time.
Every new street, sidewalk, or pipe is something we have to maintain forever.
If we donât plan, the costs pile up and the fixes get more expensive.
The choice isnât whether we grow â thatâs already happening. The choice is how we grow, and whether we make it easier or harder to afford what we build.
What âfreezing the lookâ really means
When people say they want Wake Forest to stay the same, they usually mean the expansive lots, quiet streets, and the space between houses. Thatâs understandable; it feels like home. But if we keep stretching that same pattern across all our remaining land, we also stretch the townâs budget thin â longer roads to pave, more pipes to maintain, more distance for fire and police to cover.
The state gives us a small amount of money for every mile of street, but it doesnât come close to covering the cost of maintaining them. So we either raise more locally or fall behind on upkeep.
Thereâs no secret third option that I know of.
A smarter way forward
Smart growth isnât about making Wake Forest a big city.
Itâs about putting new homes and businesses where services already exist and connecting neighborhoods so itâs easier to get around. That way, more people share the cost of the same streets and infrastructure. It also means shorter trips and fewer long drives: a grocery store down the road instead of across town, a park or school you can walk to, and streets we can actually afford to keep up with.
This approach keeps our taxes steadier by lowering the per-household cost.
Why it matters now
Wake Forest has been growing faster than almost anywhere nearby. That success is something to celebrate â but it also brings responsibility. If we keep building farther out in the same way, maintenance costs will rise faster than the money coming in.
Weâll face higher taxes later, or things will wear down.
If we grow closer to whatâs already here and stay connected, we can handle that growth without swinging the tax rate like a hammer.
Thatâs not ideology â itâs just good management.
Remembering what made this place special
Those creeks and fields where we used to play are still here, just framed by backyards and sidewalks instead of pines and pasture. We owe it to the next generation to care for them as our parents and neighbors cared for this town.
Thatâs stewardship. Thatâs what this moment calls for.
Tom Baker IV is the publisher of Wake Forest Matters, Wake Forest’s only independent local newsroom. A Wake Forest native, Navy veteran, and intelligence professional, Tom launched Wake Forest Matters to bring serious accountability journalism to his hometown. Tips and story ideas: publisher@wakeforestmatters.com