Kasey will seek first seat on council
By Staff Reports
Published in News on April 18, 2012 1:46 PM
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Fran Kasey
A newcomer to politics, but longtime Goldsboro resident, Fran Kasey is running for the District 6 seat of the Goldsboro City Council.
Mrs. Kasey, a civil service retiree, will seek to replace incumbent Jackie Warrick who will not seek re-election.
A resident of the district for 42 years, Mrs. Kasey, 76, said she had been thinking of running for office for a couple of years and when the filing deadline approached with no candidates for Warrick's seat, she decided it was time.
"I said, 'I need to get my foot out there,'" she said.
Her passion to get involved was bolstered by what she sees as a poor use of public funds.
"People's tax dollars are being spent on things that don't benefit everybody," she said. "I want to make sure we (District 6 residents) get our fair shake."
Although Mrs. Kasey said in a statement that she agrees downtown deserves some upgrades, she does not agree with the cost figures associated with the Center Street Streetscape plan and instead said she would like to see investments into a community center and, most of all, roads.
She said residents in her district often feel left out of the discussion of projects and initiatives, although she also promised not to cater only to her district.
"I want to be open to all," she said.
She also said she would like to see a mechanism put into place to assist young people to find jobs.
Mrs. Kasey's husband, Jim, retired from the Air Force while he was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the couple decided to remain in Goldsboro, where they have lived since 1970.
Since then, Mrs. Kasey has been active with the Wayne County Community Activities Committee for Rest Homes, the Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities and the Wayne County Community Concert Committee. She has also volunteered with Seymour Johnson's VITA program helping to prepare tax returns for military personnel and retirees.
Most recently she has been seeking to educate seniors on a state tax relief program whereby those aged 65 and older or disabled who make less than $27,100 annually can have their property taxes cut in half.
Mrs. Kasey faces Gene Aycock in the election, which will be held this summer.