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Joel Landau isn’t a political newcomer — he missed advancing beyond the 2007 at-large city council primary by about 100 votes.
In smaller field, Landau hopes to advance past this year’s District 4 primary.

“A lot of people in the district know me through my last two jobs,” said Landau, manager of Deep Roots Market, and manager of his own grocery before that.

People may also know him as a planning board member, co-chair of the Community Sustainabiltiy Council, through Greensboro
Neighborhood Congress or other community-oriented groups he has worked with.

“I’m somebody who is known for working with people,” Landau said, emphasizing a collaborative spirit.

Landau wants to educate residents and foster a healthy living environment that’s sustainable for the city. He opposes opening the White Street Landfill and hopes to find other ways of dealing with the city’s waste.

Operating a small business would make him familiar with the intricacies of making finances meet, he said, which would be valuable on a city budget review.

The 59-year-old said he wants to be more clear with constituents on what their taxes pay for. He’s working on finding efficiency measures through the sustainability council and questions whether the city needs a paid lobbyist in Raleigh.

“Our locally elected state representatives and senators can do our lobbying work,” he said.

-- Staff Writer Gerald Witt