A Safer Greensboro Starts with Strong Leadership
Greensboro’s crime rate is nearly double the national average—families face a 1 in 120 chance of being a victim of violent crime and a 1 in 26 chance of property crime. Nicky Smith knows we can do better. As a proven business and community leader, he will back our police with the resources they need, strengthen neighborhood partnerships, and bring data-driven solutions that deliver real results. His goal is simple: safer streets, stronger neighborhoods, and a Greensboro where every family feels secure.
Protecting Greensboro: Leadership That Puts Families First
As Greensboro grapples with a staggering rise in crime, our City Council’s failure to address public safety is more evident than ever. With 26 homicides reported this year and a police department operating 90 officers short, the urgency for real leadership is clear. Our brave officers are leaving for better opportunities, leaving our community vulnerable. It’s time for a change—time to create an environment that attracts and retains the best law enforcement talent. Join me in demanding accountability and action for a safer Greensboro. The time for excuses has passed; the time for real leadership is now.
When Safety Becomes a Luxury We Can’t Afford
In Greensboro, safety should never feel like a luxury—it should be part of everyday life. Families deserve neighborhoods where children can play freely, where parents can relax over a backyard cookout with friends, and where trust in our police is built on presence and partnership. When communities feel safe, they thrive. Strong relationships between neighbors and law enforcement, combined with consistent attention to public safety, create the kind of environment where families want to stay, grow, and invest in their future.
Greensboro’s Public Safety Crisis: Time for Real Leadership
As Greensboro grapples with a staggering rise in crime, our City Council’s failure to address public safety is more evident than ever. With 26 homicides reported this year and a police department operating 90 officers short, the urgency for real leadership is clear. Our brave officers are leaving for better opportunities, leaving our community vulnerable. It’s time for a change—time to create an environment that attracts and retains the best law enforcement talent. Join me in demanding accountability and action for a safer Greensboro. The time for excuses has passed; the time for real leadership is now.
The American Dream is Under Attack in Greensboro – And I Have a Plan to Save It
When I bought my first home here in Greensboro thirty-five years ago, I never imagined I’d be writing about how property taxes are crushing families’ dreams of homeownership. Last month, I sat across from a young couple who’d been saving for three years to buy their first home. When their lender ran the numbers including projected property taxes, they realized they couldn’t afford it. ‘We might have to move to High Point or Winston,’ she told me, tears in her eyes. That conversation haunts me because I know they’re not alone. Runaway property taxes don’t just hurt current homeowners – they’re destroying the pathway to homeownership for an entire generation.
Remembering Jim Melvin: A Wonderful Man and Visionary Leader
Reflecting on the passing of former Greensboro Mayor Jim Melvin, who devoted over five decades to transforming our city through visionary leadership and unwavering service. Just weeks ago, I had the privilege of sharing lunch with this remarkable 90-year-old at Bryan Park, where his passion for Greensboro’s future remained as strong as ever. From his humble beginnings in Warnersville to championing the Toyota megasite project, Jim’s legacy reminds us what true servant leadership looks like—and why his optimistic vision for our community’s next decade will continue inspiring long after his passing.
Finally, Some Common Sense: North Carolina’s New Cellphone Law is Just the Beginning
After more than 45 years in the technology industry, I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible evolution of digital communication—but I’ve also watched with growing concern as social media and constant connectivity have fundamentally altered how our children learn, interact, and develop. North Carolina’s new law requiring public schools to restrict cellphone use is a crucial first step, but it’s just the beginning of what needs to be a much more comprehensive approach to protecting our youth’s cognitive development and social skills. Having been in the tech industry since before the internet was widely accessible, I’ve had a front-row seat to the unintended consequences of our digital revolution. The data is now overwhelming: social media use among children has been proven to negatively impact their attention spans and their capacity for meaningful human-to-human interaction—fundamental skills required to be productive contributors to both the workplace and society at large.
A Reflection on Servant Leadership in Divided Times
After 47 years as a business owner, I’ve learned that true leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room or pushing your own agenda. It’s about listening, serving others, and building bridges. Pastor Brown’s message today reminded me why these principles matter even more in public service. When he shared the story of Nurse Edith Cavell, who cared for soldiers from every nation because ‘Christ has called me to care for ALL people regardless of their nationality,’ I found myself leaning forward in my pew. That’s what servant leadership looks like. It’s about serving every person who needs our help, whether they voted for me or against me, whether they’re conservative or liberal.
Breaking the Housing Bottleneck: A Vision for Greensboro’s Future
Greensboro stands at a critical crossroads. With 65,000 to 70,000 new jobs coming to our city, we have an unprecedented opportunity for growth and prosperity. Yet we face a fundamental challenge that threatens to derail this economic boom: our inability to build housing fast enough to accommodate the workers who will fill these positions.
The numbers tell a sobering story: a single-family housing community in Guilford County takes two full years just to get approved—two years before a single shovel hits the ground. Meanwhile, starter homes now cost $400,000, and excessive regulations are adding an estimated $25,000 to each new home. We’re not just failing to build the 10,000 new homes our community desperately needs; we’re pricing out the very families we claim to want to help.
The solution isn’t a mystery—it’s sitting right in front of us, buried under layers of bureaucratic red tape. While other cities embrace 45-day permitting timelines and innovative solutions like third-party inspections, Greensboro’s Planning and Zoning committee and city staff have become the primary bottleneck preventing our growth. With my business experience in streamlining operations and eliminating inefficiencies, I know exactly how to fix this broken system and unlock Greensboro’s housing potential.
A Historic Day for North Carolina: JetZero’s Commitment Changes Everything
Today marks a watershed moment for North Carolina and the Greensboro community. JetZero has officially chosen Piedmont Triad International Airport as the location for a factory that is expected to generate 14,500 jobs — making this the largest single-employer announcement in the Triad’s history and the largest job commitment in North Carolina history.
I had the incredible privilege of witnessing this historic announcement firsthand at PTI today, and I can tell you that the energy in the room was absolutely electric. Governor Josh Stein declared that there could be an economic impact of $250 billion for the state, and as he put it so perfectly: “North Carolina was first in flight, we are also the future in flight.”
The scale of this commitment is breathtaking. The average wage of a job with JetZero will be $89,341, and no new job will pay less than $18.75 an hour. This isn’t just about quantity — it’s about quality jobs that will support families and build generational wealth in our community.
But here’s what today’s success really tells us: North Carolina can compete with anyone when we have the right leadership and business-friendly policies in place. After 47 years as a successful business entrepreneur and leader in this community, I know what it takes to attract and retain companies like JetZero.
JetZero, PTI, and a New Era of Economic Growth for Greensboro
Big news is officially on the horizon for Greensboro — and it has the potential to completely reshape our economic future.
This Thursday, June 12th, critical meetings at both the Greensboro City Council and Guilford County Board of Commissioners could help bring JetZero — the innovative aerospace company behind the world’s first blended wing body commercial aircraft — to Piedmont Triad International Airport. JetZero has narrowed its list of potential locations for its new factory to three finalists, with PTI Airport in Greensboro confirmed as one of them. The factory would create as many as 10,000 jobs.
The company is requesting performance-based economic incentives of up to $75.93 million over 20 years, representing one of the largest economic development opportunities our region has ever seen. JetZero officials said an announcement could be made before or at the high-profile Paris Air Show that runs June 16-22.
As someone who has spent the last 45 years building successful businesses from the ground up, I know what it takes to create jobs, attract investment, and lead with vision. Economic development doesn’t just happen — it takes leadership, strategy, and the ability to close deals when opportunity knocks.
Supersonic Flight Boosts Greensboro’s Economy
Greensboro is ready for takeoff. With Boom Supersonic investing in next-generation aircraft manufacturing at PTI and new federal support lifting decades-old restrictions on supersonic flight, our city is positioned to lead the future of aerospace innovation. In this article, Nicky Smith—Greensboro City Council candidate with 45+ years of business leadership—explains how this momentum can drive local job growth, economic expansion, and why strong, experienced leadership is key to making it happen.
How Greensboro Can Tackle Homelessness with the Healthy Opportunities Model
Homelessness in Greensboro is more than a housing issue — it’s a health crisis. In this blog, Nicky Smith explores how the Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program (HOPP) offers a smart, compassionate model to address homelessness by connecting people to housing, food, transportation, and medical respite care. With the right leadership, Greensboro can adopt these proven strategies to create real, lasting change.
Bringing Back the Heart of Greensboro
I still remember being a kid in Winston-Salem when my mother would take me to the department stores downtown – those trips weren’t just errands, they were social events where we’d run into family friends and feel the pulse of a thriving community. That experience drives my vision for Greensboro today. As a business leader running for City Council District 4, I’ve seen what cities like Greenville, South Carolina have accomplished, and I know we can bring that same vibrant energy to downtown Greensboro. With strategic development, community engagement, and proven leadership, we can transform our downtown into the beating heart of our city once again.
Breaking the Housing Crisis: Smart Solutions for Working Families
The Reality on the Ground. Grace Clifford, a local real estate broker, captures the urgency perfectly: homes under $300,000 are disappearing within hours of hitting the market. Families are making offers sight unseen, with inspectors walking through homes because buyers have less than 24 hours to decide. This isn’t a healthy market—it’s a crisis that demands immediate action. As someone who has spent 45 years building businesses and solving complex problems, I understand that effective solutions require leadership that can work with all stakeholders—developers, builders, city planners, and residents—to create real pathways to homeownership.
Greensboro Needs New Leadership — And Here’s Why
Greensboro has been named one of the best places to live in America — but rising property taxes and poor fiscal management are putting that status at risk. In “Fixing Greensboro: Real Leadership, Lower Taxes, Better Results,” City Council candidate Nicky Smith calls for common-sense leadership that prioritizes citizens over politics. With over 45 years of business experience, Smith lays out a plan to lower taxes, control spending, and bring real accountability to City Hall.