Charlotte-Meck. Streetcar Saga Continues...Still Buying Eastside Votes

Charlotte Observer----

Streetcar's fate put to vote tonight


A proposed streetcar through central Charlotte faces a crucial test tonight.

Charlotte City Council Democrats will attempt to override Republican Mayor Pat McCrory's veto of a $4.5 million design contract for the streetcar, which would run from Beatties Ford Road to Eastland Mall, via uptown.

McCrory said he vetoed the contract because the city hasn't yet found the money to build the 10-mile streetcar line, which could cost $450 million. Because of the recession, he said it's not smart to spend the money when there's no guarantee the line can be funded.

The Democrats have said it's important to begin design work to put the city in better position for possible federal funds.

Democrats appeared to have the seven votes needed to override the veto. But Tuesday, council member Warren Turner said he was conflicted. Turner had already voted for the streetcar funding as part of the city's overall budget, but said last week he was concerned about the economy. A primer on what's at stake:

What is the streetcar?

The project is different from the Lynx Blue Line. While the Lynx, a light-rail train,operates in its own right-of-way, the streetcar would run in the middle of the streets. It would stop at red lights, and be subject to congestion like cars. It would likely have dedicated stops. Proponents say the streetcar would attract new transit riders. They also say it would spark economic development because people would want to live near a stop.

The streetcar wasn't part of the transit plan laid out in 1998, when Mecklenburg voters approved the half-cent sales tax for mass transit. But former Charlotte Area Transit System executive director Ron Tober added the streetcar to the plan earlier this decade, believing it would provide a needed east-west transit link.

The 2006 transit plan called for the first phase of the streetcar to open in 2018. In the run-up to the 2007 vote on whether to keep or repeal the half-cent sales tax, some streetcar supporters – including council member James Mitchell – said construction could begin early next decade. That pledge helped secure some African-American support for keeping the tax.

After the 2007 vote, the city of Charlotte took the lead in designing the streetcar. In taking responsibility from CATS, the city said it was doing so to speed the project up. But as the economy has weakened – and sales-tax revenue has declined – it's unlikely that CATS would have enough money to build the streetcar in 2018.

What about engineering?

The $4.5 million for URS Corp. would include locating utilities under the street. Laying the rails is relatively simple, but the city wants to make sure it wouldn't have to tear up new track to fix a broken pipe.

The $4.5 million won't pay for the line's entire design. But it will give the city a better look at how much the line will cost. City Manager Curt Walton set aside $8 million for the streetcar engineering work in the current budget.

How will the city pay for it?

CATS already faces a challenge to pay for its share of the 11-mile light-rail extension from uptown northeast to the UNCC area, so it's unlikely to have much, if any, money to pay for streetcar construction.

A city study found that new property taxes from development along the streetcar line could pay for 25 percent of construction costs. Some council members are concerned that might be too optimistic. If the city were able to use the so-called tax-increment financing, that would leave a shortfall of about $330 million.

The Federal Transit Administration, which helped pay for the Lynx Blue Line, is unlikely to pay for the streetcar under its current guidelines. The FTA today places a premium on time savings when evaluating rail projects; because the streetcar is similar to a bus, it would struggle to qualify for funding.

But the Obama administration has signaled it wants to loosen that criteria, and possibly place more emphasis on economic development and improving mobility.

Democrats argue that's important to begin engineering work now, to get in the front of the line. At least a dozen cities that have discussed streetcars.

Must it be built all at once?

The plan calls for the streetcar to begin at the Rosa Parks Transit Center on Beatties Ford Road and end at Eastland Mall.

But the city could choose a less ambitious project, and build a shorter line from Presbyterian Hospital to just north of Johnson C. Smith University.

Council member and mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx, a Democrat, has talked about breaking the streetcar into segments, though he hasn't offered any specifics. Foxx held a press conference Friday, urging his colleagues to support the contract.

The streetcar is one of the few issues in which Foxx differs from Republican mayoral candidate John Lassiter, who is likely to win Tuesday's Republican primary. Lassiter supports building the streetcar, but is against spending the $4.5 million.



Foxx blasts critics of streetcar

Democratic Mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx on Friday defended a controversial measure to spend $4.5 million to design a streetcar, saying critics have distorted the cost of the project.

In a speech from a proposed streetcar stop at Eastland Mall, Foxx laid out arguments for Charlotte City Council to override Mayor Pat McCrory's recent veto and tried to reassure wavering Democrats.

The issue has emerged in the mayoral campaign as one of the most distinct differences between Foxx and City Councilman John Lassiter, his chief election rival. Lassiter and other Republicans have said they do not want to spend the money now because there is no plan for how to pay to build a streetcar line from Beatties Ford in west Charlotte to Eastland Mall.

In perhaps his sharpest criticism, Foxx said opponents have not been honest about the project's price tag. The 9.6-mile line has been estimated to cost $450 million, but Foxx said no one is certain about the final tab.

“They're just throwing a number out there,” said Foxx, who is also a council member.

He said building the streetcar line in phases and engineering adjustments could help reduce the overall cost and buy time for the city to lure more federal and state money.

A 2006 transit plan calls for the first phase of the streetcar to open in 2018. Prior to a 2007 vote on whether to keep or repeal the half-cent sales transit tax, some streetcar supporters said construction could begin early next decade. The promise helped secure African American support to keep the tax, which remains in place.

City Manager Curt Walton included $8 million in the budget to design the streetcar and the council has voted to pay URS. corp. $4.5 million to help with the work. But last month McCrory vetoed the measure.

Council members will decide Monday whether to override the veto. Democrats have a seven to four majority – enough to override the veto – but councilman Warren Turner said this week he is unsure about spending the money during an economic downturn.

Democratic Councilman Michael Barnes also said this week he is uncertain.

In what was designed as a show of support for the streetcar project, about 20 elected officials, council candidates and party loyalists gathered in front of Eastland Mall on Friday.

Foxx noted that much of the roughly 1 million-square-foot shopping center is vacant. He argued that the streetcar could lift Eastland Mall and other areas with economic development, expand the city's tax base, bolster and help the environment by reducing reliance on buses.

Foxx warned supporters building the streetcar line would be difficult, but said “it is worth it.”



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Sources: Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, Wikipedia, Google Maps

Charlotte City Council Still Trying To Use Eastside Street Car To Buy Votes

Charlotte Observer----

Support fading in funds for Streetcar


Democratic opposition may be weakening to Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory's veto of spending $4.5 million to help design a streetcar.

The Charlotte City Council voted Tuesday night to postpone a decision on whether to override McCrory's Aug. 24 veto. If Democrats vote together, they would have enough votes – seven – to overturn his veto.

But in discussion Tuesday night, Council member Warren Turner said he was conflicted about the streetcar, which would run from the Rosa Parks Transit Center on Beatties Ford Road to Eastland Mall, via uptown.

“We are in tough financial times,” said Turner, who is running for reelection unopposed. He said he had gotten e-mails for and against spending the $4.5 million from his west Charlotte constituents.

City Manager Curt Walton's budget contains $8 million to help design the streetcar, and council members had approved spending $4.5 million with URS Corp. to help design it. The 10-mile line has been estimated to cost $450 million.

The council will consider overturning McCrory's veto at its Sept. 14 meeting.

The streetcar would run on city streets and would stop at traffic lights. But boosters believe it will spark economic development and better serve some of the Charlotte Area Transit System's most heavily used bus routes.

Council Republicans are against spending the money now, because they are concerned there is no plan yet to pay for the line. Democrats have said the money is needed to determine how complex the streetcar will be to build, and how much it will cost. They also said it will give the city a leg up in securing federal construction grants, if the Federal Transit Administration makes more money available for streetcars.

“We'll lose a slot that's open to us,” said Council member Nancy Carter, who represents east Charlotte, which would be served by the streetcar. “I am a passionate, passionate supporter.” Carter is running for reelection in the Sept. 15 Democratic primary.

“We are in the deepest recession of our lifetimes,” McCrory said. “We can't afford it right now.”

McCrory said the Metropolitan Transit Commission, which oversees how the half-cent transit sales tax is spent, won't vote to spend those funds on the streetcar. He also questioned whether the state or federal government would help pay for it.

The debate also put mayoral candidates Anthony Foxx, a Democrat, and John Lassiter, a Republican, on opposite sides.

Foxx said spending the money was essential to moving the project forward: “I know the answer (from the federal government) if we don't move forward: No.”

Lassiter has said he wants the city to put the money in reserves. He said Tuesday that if the state and federal government paid for 75 percent of construction costs – as they did for the Lynx Blue Line – the city still couldn't pay for its share.




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Sources: Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, Wikipedia, Google Maps

Pat McCrory For NC Governor In 2012?....Let's Hope So

Charlotte Observer----

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory is eyeing a re-match in 2012


Days after denying interest in a congressional run, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory has opened the door to a rematch with Democratic Gov. Bev. Perdue.

In a Q&A with Raleigh's WRAL, McCrory, a Republican, was asked whether he would consider running for governor again or even the Senate.

"Yes," he replied. "Running a state-wide race was a great experience (except for election night!!!) and I am proud of the campaign we ran. We participated in (and most believe we won) every debate and proved that a candidate can run an effective, positive campaign. We lived within our fundraising means, didn’t take any loans, and ended the campaign without any debt, just in the same manner I promised I would govern."

McCrory never addressed a possible Senate run, presumably against Democrat Kay Hagan in 2014. But he was critical of Perdue who, he said, "has done an about face on about everything she promised during our campaign."

"I definitely haven't closed the door on any future political options up to and including governor," McCrory told me this morning. "I think I'd be foolish to close doors."

Last week, after opting not to run for Congress from the 8th District, McCrory didn't want to talk about his political future. "Right now my total focus is on completing my term," he said.


10 questions with Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory

1) Are you going to consider running for governor again or maybe even running for Senate?

Yes. Running a state-wide race was a great experience (except for election night!!!) and I am proud of the campaign we ran. We participated in (and most believe we won) every debate and proved that a candidate can run an effective, positive campaign. We lived within our fundraising means, didn’t take any loans, and ended the campaign without any debt, just in the same manner I promised I would govern.


2) Dear Mayor McCrory, first I hope that you take another run at the governor’s race in about three years. What do you think of the term so far of the current administration?

I believe the appointments for Secretary of Commerce (J. Keith Crisco) and Secretary of Transportation (Gene Conti) were actually quite good. However, the current administration has done an about face on about everything she promised during our campaign. Our new Governor has raised taxes, reduced mental health care, laid off teachers, and closed much needed prisons. There has been no effort to change the culture of how state government decisions are discussed behind closed doors. Campaign violations by the past and current Administration continue to be exposed well after the election.


3) How would you have handled the budget differently than our current governor? What would be your top three priorities at this time?

Before ever considering tax increases, I would have initiated major reforms of state government. I would have first made the budget process more transparent and open to scrutiny by both the public and media before the budget was adopted. My major priorities would have been:

1) Not to not raise taxes in order to maintain private sector jobs

2) Education reform

3) Strengthen public safety.


4) The new N.C. budget unfortunately has a tax increase and you vowed not to raise taxes in your race versus Perdue. What specifically would you have cut from the budget to prevent a tax increase?

I would have reduced bureaucracy and duplication in the University system, eliminated perks, such as state airplanes, and begun selling assets to reduce operating costs, in areas in which the state government does not need to be directly involved. For example, I would have transferred retail operation of the ABC liquor store system to the existing private sector stores, yet retained the much-needed revenue from those sales. The operation savings and the sale of assets would have been transferred to the budget deficit and to help retain teachers. I would have vetoed any effort to continue to subsidize out-of-state athletes with in-state tuition. I would have also started the process to allow offshore oil drilling to create much needed jobs and generate new revenue for the State.


5) Mayor McCrory: I am a life-long Democrat who seldom votes for a Republican because I ordinarily find my opinions to be diametrically opposed to the GOP's. You are different from most Republicans and I voted for you. I probably would vote for you again if I agree or see that your philosophy concerning health care reform is that it has to be changed. Therefore, my question is: What is your position concerning policy that N.C. can institute that will make health care universally accessible to all citizens, affordable and better than our current system which I see as a failure?

We need healthcare reform at both the federal and state level. However, many of the solutions coming out of Washington, D.C, would cause an even greater deficit and could actually rob the Medicare system of already limited revenue. I would propose major tort reform, especially to assist emergency room doctors in rural areas, reduce the number of state-required mandates so young people can afford to buy insurance in N.C., and I would look for more competition among insurance companies.


6) Mr. McCrory, how would you handle the Gas tax situation? Would you have done what Gov. Perdue did? I now wish you would have won the election.

I was a proponent of capping the gas tax, especially during these tough economic times. I would make sure our transportation expenditures are based upon four major factors:

1) Safety

2) Traffic congestion

3) Environment, and

4) Economic development, which is presently not the case.

I am an advocate for the State planning and partnering with local communities in developing a transportation plan with many choices, including roads, greenways, bikeways, and sidewalks to complement the needs of both small towns and large cities. Unfortunately, our State DOT is not as flexible as it needs to be and we still have a political formula of where and how we build and maintain roads in N.C. This must change.


7) PLEASE run again for governor in the next election. You came so close last time and I think you could win next time. I voted for you the first time, but many of my fellow educators thought Perdue was better for education. Could you please briefly explain what you would do for education? Thanks!

Education runs deep in my family. I obtained my N.C. teaching certificate after college and my sister was a teacher with Wake County schools until the latest round of budget cuts. My vision for the K-12 level is to decentralize the decision making and bureaucracy to allow principals and teachers more flexibility in teaching the basics, instead of just tests. I want to ensure teachers are backed up when addressing discipline problems in the classroom. I support immediately lifting the cap on charter schools to allow more choice for parents and students.

I believe the community college system needs to return to putting more emphasis on trade and technical education, as opposed to junior college curriculum. At the university level, we first must remove the politics and the culture of creating numerous levels of management outside of the classroom. I would also look at a process to eliminate duplication, course work among schools and introducing shared curriculum through more efficient, long-distance technology.


8) To what extent do you think that the major political parties are marginalizing their candidates and nominees by requiring them to march in lockstep with party lines rather than allowing them to speak/vote with their own conscience/values? If you do not, please explain.

The major problem with political parties is that they continue to gerrymander districts to guarantee elections at the local, state and federal level. This gives limited choices to voters at election time and also discourages any bipartisan cooperation. Most elections for state legislators are determined in the primary because of this political scheme. I believe party affiliation does give voters information as they go into the voting booth, but I hope people are also evaluating candidates based on past performance and the values they espouse and live up to.


9) What do you think was your biggest mistake in your campaign?

We thought our opponent was Beverly Perdue, when in fact, we underestimated the role and impact of the Obama organization and their ability to impact the Governor’s race by encouraging straight ticket voting. We didn’t know at the time that the Obama campaign had more than 300 paid staff members spread throughout the state and were pouring literally millions of dollars to make North Carolina competitive with a message to vote a straight-party ticket. We simply didn’t have the money to overcome those resources.


10) To what do you attribute your loss in the governor's election of November 2008? I thought you won the debates, and your experience topped Perdue's. Was your loss attributable to Obama's coat tails?

Most political experts would say that we won the debates and ran an effective and positive campaign – all without incurring any debt while being outspent by 3 to 1. Most political pundits would agree that we lost for four primary reasons:

1) First and most important was the Obama campaign and their unlimited resources to make North Carolina a contested state and encourage straight-ticket voting

2) The third party, libertarian candidate taking limited, but very important and valuable votes from our efforts

3) Weaker Republican national ticket which had little or no coattails

4) The economic meltdown in September and October while President Bush was in office no doubt also impacted the election.

Unfortunately, some voters believed the Perdue campaign’s shameless, inaccurate, and negative ads on radio and TV stations during the last four weeks. Despite these factors, I am very proud we received over 60 percent of the vote among those who voted specifically on election day. No matter the outcome, I am proud that our integrity and reputation are intact after the campaign. Overall, it was a wonderful, yet heartbreaking, experience.



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Sources: Charlotte Observer, WRAL, Google Maps

Charlotte City Council Plans To Override Mayor's Veto For Street Car To Buy Votes....Where's The Money To Build It?

Charlotte Observer----


A plan to build a streetcar line through central Charlotte suffered a setback Monday night, when Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory vetoed a decision to spend $4.5 million to design the line.

McCrory said he supports the streetcar, which would run from Beatties Ford Road to Eastland Mall, via uptown. But he wants the city to hold the $4.5 million in reserve until there is a plan to pay for it.

There is no money budgeted to build the line, which could cost as much as $500 million. The federal government is unlikely to pay for construction.

“We have to be pragmatic,” said McCrory, a Republican.

The veto may not last, however. Before the veto, Charlotte City Council members voted 7-4 Monday to spend the money, and seven votes are enough to override McCrory's veto.

The Republican minority on the council all voted against spending the $4.5 million.

Council member Nancy Carter, a Democrat and streetcar supporter, said the mayor's veto was “futile.”

The council could vote to overturn the veto at its next meeting in September.

The Charlotte Area Transit System originally said it could build the streetcar, along with a commuter rail line to Lake Norman and an 11-mile Lynx Blue Line extension. But rising construction costs, along with the recession, have made it difficult for CATS to fulfill those promises.

Last year, the city agreed to take the lead in building the streetcar. A city study found that new property tax revenue could only pay for 25 percent of construction costs.

Carter said other funding sources could come available, and that the $4.5 million is important to get the project moving. Council member Patsy Kinsey, also a Democrat, agreed with Carter, and said: “You have to start somewhere.”

The $4.5 million would go to URS Corp., which had planned to start designing the line this fall.

The streetcar would be different from the Lynx Blue Line, which opened nearly two years ago. The streetcar would be similar to a bus, operating in the same lanes as other traffic and stopping at red lights.

Boosters say a streetcar would spark economic development along the line.



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Sources: Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, Wikipedia, Google Maps

Charlotte City Council Member John Lassiter Officially Files For 2009 Mayoral Race Today....Charlotte Needs New, Sincere, Effective Leadership

Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Business Journal----

This morning At-Large Charlotte City Council Member John Lassiter will officially file for the Mayor's seat.

As I've stated in previous posts, I still believe he would be the best leadership choice for Charlotte's future however....

If Lassiter expects to win he needs to gird up his loins in these 5 vital areas:

1) Please hire a NEW Campaign Manager for heaven's sake! One who possesses a Strong Drive for Victory. One who REALLY knows and Understands the world of Big City Politics.

No offense but whomever has been advising him thus far must surely be in secret alliance with his opponent At-Large Charlotte City Council Member Anthony Foxx, because for the most part they've been guiding Lassiter straight to the Loser's Corner.


2) Stop letting his opponent At-Large City Council Member Anthony Foxx outshine him at speaking events.

We know that in the past the Media has painted a picture of Lassiter being a "know-it-all".

However when your running for Mayor and you've earned enough grassroots experience to prove your the best choice, YES! the voters actually prefer you speak up, because that's the correct platform for doing so.


3) Is there anything wrong with Lassiter appearing at Events by himself?

There will be time for Debates with Foxx later.

How do you expect Charlotte's Regular Middle Class, Low-Income, Black and Hispanic Communities to learn who the REAL John Lassiter is if you doesn't get out by yourself and actually WORK those communities?

Just because Foxx is African-American and a Democrat, doesn't mean he owns Charlotte's Black and Hispanic Votes.

Not every Black and Hispanic Democrat is going to vote for Foxx.

Just as Lassiter should not assume that because he's Republican and Caucasian, every Republican, Caucasian constituent is going to automatically vote for him.

Foxx may own Charlotte's Elite Black Vote but the rest of us don't know him.

It appears as if Foxx has proven himself to be a Politician for the Cameras, who enjoys rubbing elbows with the Elite because doing so benefits HIM on a personal level. Not because it benefits Charlotte's Black Community, Middle Class or Low-Income community on a personal level.

The days of Politicians and Leaders feeling as though they are ENTITLED to certain things just because they have a good education, went to a certain school, joined certain organizations or contributed to another Politician's campaign coffers are OVER!

Of course we expect our Political Leaders to be Well-qualified and Intelligent! But there is more to being an Effective Leader than just having a couple of College Degrees.

Before Harvard-Educated President Barack Obama became U.S. Senator Obama, he was rubbing elbows with many of Chicago's Middle Income and Poorest citizens. Most of whom were Low-Income African-American and Hispanic.

Which is why when he ran for U.S. Senator, those SAME people remembered what he did for them when he was just a lowly Community Organizer and showed their appreciation at the polls.

Foxx can't truthfully stand up and prove anything he has actually done on a Grassroots Level to help Charlotte's Regular Black Community.

Ex: Education, Small Business, Housing, Fighting Homelessness, Jobs for Youth, Fighting Crime, etc.,

If I am wrong than prove it!

In the mean time when he gets on the campaign trail Foxx needs to show voters what he's actually done in four years while serving on the Charlotte City Council.

(NOTE: Confuscious say, "Its hard to build a house in the storm.")

Just sitting around a City Council Dais casting a few votes here and there, or having the ability to raise large sums of money doesn't mean a Candidate possesses the Sincere Human Interest Experience necessary to know what's best for Charlotte's future or Charlotte's citizens. ALL of them!

Talk is Cheap!

Lassiter, Foxx show Charlotte Voters line by line what you've both done for this Community during your years in Public Office.

NOT just for the Charlotte Uptown crowd but for ALL Charlotteans regardless of their Race, Creed, Income Status, Education, Housing, etc.,

This includes how many e-mails you've actually answered to constituents. ALL Constituents!

Come On! Get Up! Relate to your Constituents. Find Common ground with them.

Gentlemen show us what you've got!


4) Lassiter also needs to utilize Social Networking tools (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Blogs,) more and please keep his website updated more frequently.

I have to be Fair and give Foxx Kudos for having accomplished this goal several months ago.


5) When running for Mayor of Charlotte in this Recession there is NO such thing as spreading yourself too thin.

Both Lassiter and Foxx are going to have to reach Charlotte's Wealthiest Citizens, the Middle Class and Charlotte's poorest.

He and Foxx both are going to have to actually earn EVERY vote just as President Obama did.

No Election Board tricks! No Encouraging Straight Ticket Voting! But Honestly Earn EVERY vote.

This means breaking bread with constituents. Not just in some of Charlotte's nicest Restaurants but also at the "Chicken Shacks" in the city's Low-Income areas too.

Charlotteans are tired of Politicians being nothing more than Lying "Seat Warmers".

Using our Tax Dollars to go on Special "Job-Related" Trips, taking care of friends and families and building their Professional/ Political resumes.

We want Community Action!

We need Jobs. Green Jobs, etc.,

We need Homeowner Association Regulation as mandated by North Carolina General Statute 47-F.

We need better, Equal Public Safety.

Equal, Quality Education for ALL of Charlotte's students. In every neighborhood.

We need Neighborhood/ Community Stabilization. What about all those Foreclosed homes attracting vagrants and Gangs? Who's going to address this issue?

We need Economic Development City wide. NOT just Uptown or in the Wealthy areas of Charlotte.

Equal modes of Mass Public Transportation. Ex: Clean, properly functioning City buses for ALL Charlotteans to ride, expanded Light Rail and Street Cars.

We need nice places for ALL of Charlotte's Children to play for Creative, Constructive outlet, versus just wanting to throw the African-American and Hispanic Youth in jail.

We need Equal Taxation in the areas of Business Licenses, Property Taxes, Storm Water Rates, etc.,

We want Real Representation!

We want Our Political Leaders to demonstrate that they Care about ALL of Charlotte-Mecklenburg's citizens, NOT just those individuals within their Socio-Economic groups or within their Fraternities and Sororities.

If Lassiter expects to wins he needs to rebuild his entire campaign and include some of the suggestions mentioned above.

Despite some of the negative criticism, Mayor Pat McCrory (R) was an Effective Political Leader because prior to his being in Public Office, Charlotte was a city going no where.

Now Charlotte's on the tip of every one's tongue.

However a New Legacy must begin.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg needs an Effective, Qualified Mayor who isn't CORRUPT and has the chops to lead our Community out of this Recession mess successfully as possible.

The $64 Million Dollar question remains is can we trust you?

If we can't TRUST you, then we certainly don't want you running our city.

Foxx plans to officially file tomorrow.

May the Best Mayoral Candidate for Charlotte win but only if he wants it bad enough!


LASSITER'S OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:


CHARLOTTE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN LASSITER

TO FILE FOR MAYORAL BID:

Small business owner and Attorney John Lassiter, currently serving in his third term as an at-large member of the Charlotte City Council, will take his record of experience and proven leadership in both the public and private sectors to Charlotte voters this fall. Mr. Lassiter will hold a press conference tomorrow as he files for the City of Charlotte Mayoral race.


Tuesday, July 14, 2009

11:00AM

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Elections

741 Kenilworth Ave # 202
Charlotte, NC 28204-2897

Thank you for your support!

www.votelassiter.com

Paid for by the John Lassiter for Mayor Committee



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Sources: votelassiter.com, anthonyfoxx.com , Charlotte Business Journal, Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, Google Maps

450 Charlotte Youth Hired For Summer Jobs With Stimulus Funds (Stimulus Watch)

Federal money could put 450 teens in jobs



Federal stimulus money could help about 450 Charlotte teenagers get summer jobs – and provide free labor for local companies.

The City of Charlotte, NC has received about $1.5 million to employ disadvantaged young people between the ages of 16 and 24, said Brad Richardson, the city's business retention manager.

The money will help train the temporary young workers and pay their salaries – about $8 an hour. It's a good deal for businesses suffering in the recession, Richardson said.

“Employers can get free workers through the stimulus,” he said.

Leola Smith, director of an academic summer camp off Statesville Avenue, has taken on seven stimulus-funded workers. She says they're workers she couldn't have afforded, and they provide more one-on-one attention for the children at camp. The local Goodwill Industries center, which found her the workers, also does background checks on them and screens them for child-care suitability.

“The youth that we have coming in are doing a wonderful job,” she said.

The stimulus money is also helping teenagers find jobs in a particularly tough job market. As the national unemployment rate hits 9.5 percent – a high not seen in 26 years – young people are being pushed out of the job market. Richardson said some area companies that normally hire teenagers for the summer, such as Carowinds, have seen a lot of adult applicants this year.

“You've got adults out there competing for teenage jobs,” he said.

Victoria Patton, 22, had difficulty finding work because of a shoplifting arrest when she was 16. She had recently left a late-night shift at Wendy's after going through two robberies.

“I was working until 3 o'clock in the morning and it was kind of dangerous,” she said.

Then she found out about the stimulus program and got a position at Smith's camp. She hopes her hard work and the references she gets will boost her job prospects later. She plans to go back to school for early childhood education, she said.

The city is not spending the Federal money directly.

Instead, it is distributing the money through the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Board to four area agencies that have experience training workers and placing them with employers: Goodwill Industries, Urban League Central Carolinas, Arbor Education and Training, and Friendship Community Development Corp.

Those agencies also make sure the young workers fit the stimulus program's qualifications. To participate, the workers must meet federal poverty standards or receive government assistance, and have one of the following barriers to employment: be in or aging out of the foster care system, be homeless or a runaway, be a high school dropout, be an ex-offender, be pregnant or a parent or be deficient in basic math or literacy skills.

Susan Furtney, local director of career development services for Goodwill, said the program essentially gives employers an eight-week “paid interview” with the young people. She said she's confident many employers ultimately will decide to hire them on.

“They'll make a strong connection and want to hire these youth,” she said.



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Sources: The Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, Google Maps

Are Governors Giving Large Metro Cities A Fair Share Of Stimulus Funds?...State Budget Fillers? (Stimulus Watch)

MSNBC, NY Times----

(As the effectiveness of the economic stimulus package is being scrutinized, questions swirled Wednesday around whether the Obama administration will propose another one. NBC's Lisa Myers reports.)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Two-thirds of the country lives in large metropolitan areas, home to the nation’s worst traffic jams and some of its oldest roads and bridges. But cities and their surrounding regions are getting far less than two-thirds of federal transportation stimulus money.

According to an analysis by The New York Times of 5,274 transportation projects approved so far — the most complete look yet at how states plan to spend their stimulus money — the 100 largest metropolitan areas are getting less than half the money from the biggest pot of transportation stimulus money. In many cases, they have lost a tug of war with state lawmakers that urban advocates say could hurt the nation’s economic engines.

The stimulus law provided $26.6 billion for highways, bridges and other transportation projects, but left the decision on how to spend most of it to the states, which have a long history of giving short shrift to major metropolitan areas when it comes to dividing federal transportation money. Now that all 50 states have beat a June 30 deadline by winning approval for projects that will use more than half of that transportation money, worth $16.4 billion, it is clear that the stimulus program will continue that pattern of spending disproportionately on rural areas.

“If we’re trying to recover the nation’s economy, we should be focusing where the economy is, which is in these large areas,” said Robert Puentes, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, which advocates more targeted spending. “But states take this peanut-butter approach, taking the dollars and spreading them around very thinly, rather than taking the dollars and concentrating them where the most complex transportation problems are.”

The 100 largest metropolitan areas also contribute three-quarters of the nation’s economic activity, and one consequence of that is monumental traffic jams. A study of congestion in urban areas released Wednesday by the Texas Transportation Institute found that traffic jams in 2007 cost urban Americans 2.8 billion gallons of wasted gas and 4.2 billion hours of lost time.

The Times analysis shows that a little more than half of the stimulus money will be spent on “pavement improvement” projects, mostly repaving rutted and potholed roads. Nearly one-tenth of it will be spent to fix or replace bridges. More than a quarter of the money will be spent to widen roads or build new roads or bridges.

But the projects also offered vivid evidence that metropolitan areas are losing the struggle for stimulus money. Seattle found itself shut out when lawmakers in the State of Washington divided the first pot of stimulus money. Missouri has directed nearly half its money to 89 small counties which, together, make up only a quarter of the state’s population. The United States Conference of Mayors, which did its own analysis of different data last month, concluded that the nation’s metropolitan areas were being “shortchanged.”

Pat McCrory, the mayor of Charlotte, N.C., said his city “did pretty terrible” when it came to getting money. Of the $423 million in projects approved so far in North Carolina, only $7.8 million is going to Mecklenburg County, the state’s most populous county and the home of Charlotte.

Cleveland was initially promised $200 million of Ohio’s stimulus money to help build a five-lane bridge to replace the 50-year-old Innerbelt Bridge, which is so deteriorated that officials banned heavy truck traffic on it last fall. But state officials, worried about meeting federal deadlines, took back $115 million in stimulus money and decided to use it on shovel-ready projects elsewhere.

The state promised to find another source of money for the bridge project, but now Ohio’s largest stimulus project is the $150 million it is spending to build the Nelsonville Bypass in southeastern Ohio, which officials say will alleviate a bottleneck and improve transportation to Appalachia.

Transportation experts said the stimulus was drawing attention to a longstanding trend.

“We have a long history of shortchanging cities and metropolitan areas and allocating transportation money to places where few people live,” said Owen D. Gutfreund, an assistant professor of urban planning at the City University of New York who wrote “20th Century Sprawl: Highways and the Reshaping of the American Landscape” (Oxford University Press, 2004).

Professor Gutfreund said that in some states the distribution was driven by statehouse politics, with money spread to the districts of as many lawmakers as possible, or given out as political favors. In others, he said, the money is distributed by formulas that favor rural areas or that give priority to state-owned roads, often found far outside of urban areas.

Mayors had lobbied Congress to send the money directly to cities, but in the end, 70 percent of the money was sent to the states to be divided, and 30 percent was sent to metropolitan planning organizations, which represent the local governments in many metropolitan areas.

Those organizations were not bound by the June 30 deadline for getting their projects approved, so metropolitan areas could eventually see their share of the transportation money go up. Other pots of money in the transportation bill stand to benefit metropolitan areas more, including the $8.4 billion for mass transit and the $1.5 billion that the federal Department of Transportation can award to projects of national or regional importance.

Some cities have been delayed in winning approval for their projects. New York City is expecting $261 million of the highway stimulus money. It had hoped to start work in May on its biggest project, a $175 million rehabilitation of the St. George Ferry Terminal in Staten Island, but the project has yet to win approval.

Transportation is currently a hot topic in Washington, where Congress plans to pass a new six-year transportation law within the next year and a half. Washington’s difficulty in directing its transportation aid has led to calls for a national infrastructure bank, which would rank projects and help them get financed.

Obama Administration officials, who have called for ending sprawl and making sure that Federal Transportation spending is cost-effective, say they are looking at how states are spending the money from the stimulus law, officially called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the current system.

“The transparency that comes with Recovery Act funds is letting us see what’s happening in real time, and that’s a good thing,” said Roy Kienitz, an under secretary of transportation for policy. “Understanding where recovery dollars go and why will help us determine how to shape long-term transportation policies with the goal of getting the most benefit for every dollar.”



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Sources: MSNBC, NY Times, Wikipedia, Charmeck.org, Carolina Politics Online, U.S. Conference of Mayors, Google Maps

12 Greenest U.S. Cities (Ideas For Green Jobs)...Not Yet Charlotte, NC...Good Work Speaker Pelosi!

Green Tech Media----

All Politics are local. So is the Progress in Greentech.

Federal and state Renewable Portfolio Standards, federal loans and stimulus packages are vitally important programs.

But progress in greening our cities is going to come from local efforts as much as from on high. We take a quick look at some City-based Green Initiatives.

San Jose, CA

San Jose, Calif. considers itself the capital of Silicon Valley, and wants to be the global center of greentech innovation. The city and its Mayor, Chuck Reed, have initiated one of the nation's most aggressive green initiatives – the Green Vision program with a 15-year goal that includes:

1. Creating 25,000 cleantech jobs

2. Reducing per capita energy use by 50 percent

3. Receiving 100 percent of its electrical power from clean renewable sources

4. Building or retrofitting 50 million square feet of green buildings

5. Diverting 100 percent of waste from landfills

6. Recycling or reusing 100 percent of its wastewater (100 million gallons per day)

7. Ensuring that 100 percent of its public fleet vehicles run on alternative fuels

8. Planting 100,000 new trees

9. Replacing 100 percent of its streetlights with smart, zero emission lighting.


Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto can also lay claim to be one of the nation's greenest cities.

In June 2008, Palo Alto adopted mandatory green-building requirements for residential and commercial development -- one of the most stringent green building ordinances in the nation.

New buildings and remodels in Palo Alto must meet standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council or the Build It Green organization. Expect some public pushback since the green requirements can add from $2,000 to $10,000 to the cost of a home and 2 percent to 5 percent to the cost of a commercial project, according to a city report.

Palo Alto also has

* A climate protection plan addressing CO2 emissions and water
* A program for less-toxic pest control
* Proposed stringent ordinances on construction and demolition debris, a major source of landfill material, waste, and toxics.
* The "greenest" congressional office. Anna Eshoo, a high-powered Congressperson, recently unveiled the very first congressional office in the nation to go maximum green. Eshoo's office has installed a 1.6 kilowatts photovoltaic system and 100 percent of the electricity used by the office is obtained from renewable sources. The office has made profound green modifications to its' lighting, water, heating, cooling, materials, waste stream and the transit habits of its' employees.


Berkeley, CA

Late last year, Berkeley's city council approved a plan to offer city-backed loans to building owners who install PV systems. The loans, up to $20,000 each, would be paid off as part of the owners' property-tax bills. This type of program could eliminate the biggest obstacle to solar deployments – the large upfront cost.

If this program succeeds, it could be expanded to finance other energy-efficiency efforts such as installing double-glazed windows or thermal insulation.

Greensburg, Kan.

How about tiny Greensburg, Kan.? After being decimated by an F-5 tornado that leveled the city and left few homes standing, the survivors launched a plan to resurrect their town as the greenest city in America. All public buildings are to conform to LEED platinum standards.

Now, two years after the disaster, Greensburg's new homes are almost 50 percent more energy-efficient due to energy-saving windows, improved insulation, efficient heating, etc.

The people of Greensburg are pioneering the greening of a municipality, in one of the reddest states, no less.

Gainesville, Fla. is the first U.S. city with Feed-in-Tariffs.

In the first such program in the country, The Gainesville City Commission has approved a solar feed-in tariff for residential and business customers served by the Gainesville Regional Utilities in Florida. Wrote Ucilia Wang:

Under the program, owners of solar energy systems would sell the electricity to the utilities at $0.32 per kilowatt-hour under a 20-year contract. The rate, which is higher than the price for conventional power, will remain for the first two years of the program. ... The program is modeled after the successful one in Germany, which has become the largest solar market in the world."

Other cities with claims on "the greenest" include:

Gainesville, Fla

Austin, Texas: Austin Energy, the city's municipally owned utility, plans to grow the renewables' portion of Austin's energy portfolio to 30 percent by 2020 and to build solar power's share to 100MW by 2020.

Boulder, Colo.: The city has resolved to become a zero-waste community.

Burlington, Vt.: More than one-third of energy used in the city comes from renewable resources, an impressive figure for the frosty Northeast.

Madison, Wis.: A bike-friendly city with an extensive recycling program that claims more than 90 percent participation.

New York City: High-density populations like NYC use fewer resources per capita. New Yorkers use of public transport dwarfs that of any other city.

Portland, Ore.: Portland is bike friendly, has set an urban growth limit to protect 25 million acres of open space, and recycles more than half of the city's trash.

San Francisco, CA: More than half the city's residents use public or alternative transportation to get to work.



The Charlotte Observer

Queen City: a green city?

Charlotte will become a national leader in environmental initiatives to preserve our natural resources while balancing growth with sound fiscal policy.

– Mission statement of Charlotte's Environment Focus Area Plan

When we think of a “green city,” Charlotte's not on many folks' radar screen. However, I believe that's quickly changing. I've experienced a grounds well of interest in our community that gives me hope that our city will fulfill its mission statement above.

I've recently returned from Portland, Ore., and the Green Cities Conference. I evaluated the best practices of Portland, a city similar in population to Charlotte, and came away with new perspectives and ideas about our area.

We planned, it worked:

Portland boasts a simple motto: “We planned, it worked!” Its long-range strategy to deal with growth began with a belief that it should “grow up, not out.”

This included a multi-modal transportation system of cars, buses, light rail, streetcars, commuter rail, bicycles, even an aerial tram. Seeing all this gave me confidence in our planning and the direction we're going. Are we done? No. Are we making progress? Yes. Proof is found in the successful launch of our light rail line, the massive increase in that corridor's tax base and a good dilemma we now face: increased citizen demand for mass transit projects in other corridors that need facelifts (examples: Eastland Mall area, North Tryon Street, Beatties Ford Road).

Those who critique Charlotte's efforts need to realize Portland's planning began almost 40 years ago. The struggle we face today is how to maintain our services, balance the need for better roads and expand our transportation network in a struggling economy. We need to exercise patience moving forward.

The original green job: Markets

Having trouble figuring out exactly what a “green job” is? I've yet to hear a definitive definition. However, I witnessed what I feel is the original “green job”: a farmer's market.

With a $17.1 million regional economic impact, Portland Farmer's Market got my attention. This nonprofit gets no funding from the city or county. More than 250 vendors, including farms, nurseries, bakeries, specialty foods, flowers, seafood, cheese and meat producers adorn a park near Portland State University in the heart of the city. Most of the dollars spent in these markets are recycled into the local economy. The success of their center city market spun off other markets, one serving a minority neighborhood. Previously known as a “food desert,” this depressed area lacked grocery stores because large grocers would not locate in such a high crime area.

Charlotte has a potpourri of good farmer's markets, but we need a collective strategy. City Council's environmental committee is studying the subject. County government has taken it on, too. Perhaps we'll someday see an iconic market at Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson & Wales or in the new First Ward park overlooking UNC Charlotte's new uptown building.

Energy Alley:

Charlotte is blessed with three deeply rooted industries that could hold the keys to its next great economic chapter: energy, NASCAR and banking. For some, our region is known as “NASCAR valley.” I'd like us also to be known as “energy alley.” Duke Energy has the resources to lead in solar, wind and nuclear technologies. Imagine if the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis and all the NASCAR engineers worked to develop alternative fuel innovations. Charlotte's got all the right ingredients and the financial infrastructure to support unlimited economic possibilities.

Greenpreneurs:

As New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman predicts, the next economic revolution will be when internet technology (IT) meets energy technology (ET). I was pleased to see innovation and enthusiasm in abundance recently at the Charlotte Business Journal's Green Awards. As never before, I see a meaningful convergence of Birkenstocks meeting wingtips to innovate, improve and establish a foundation for an economic resurgence in our region.

Our city, county, the Charlotte Chamber and Charlotte Regional Partnership must continue their good efforts in attracting “greenpreneurs” to keep diversifying our economy.

Special thanks to Observer columnist Mary Newsom for her recent challenges to Charlotte to go green. It's the perfect lead-in for me to publicize a public town hall meeting on the environment on Thursday night. Our city is applying for $6.7 million in a federal energy efficiency block grant. The first part in the grant process is for Charlotte to write a community plan. We need the public's feedback on this subject.

Who knows, maybe you'll play a part in making the Queen City into the Green City.

Edwin Peacock III is a Republican at-large member of the Charlotte City Council who chairs its Environmental Committee. Reach him at edwin@edwinpeacock.com


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Sources: Green Tech Media, The Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, Wikipedia, Google Maps

NACA Brings 1000+ Jobs To Charlotte, NC's Struggling Economy....More Jobs Needed

MSN Money----

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A housing assistance nonprofit wants to add more than 1,000 jobs in Charlotte over the next five years, and the organization said Thursday it plans to immediately hold a jobs fair to fill half those positions.

Gov. Beverly Perdue said the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America would invest $4.5 million to expand its Charlotte operation, which currently employs about 100 people. The 1,014 jobs will pay an average annual wage of $35,982, and the state will provide $1 million in incentives to bring the jobs to North Carolina.

NACA Chief Executive Bruce Marks said the nonprofit plans a jobs fair Friday to immediately hire 500 people.

"These jobs are crucial as NACA leads the campaign nationwide to make mortgages affordable for homeowners at risk of losing their homes," Marks said in a statement.

The Boston-based nonprofit provides counseling and lending assistance to those with poor credit. It offers loans with no down payments or closing costs and has held events around the nation to find ways to help at-risk homeowners lower their mortgage payments.

"North Carolina remains a strong presence in the U.S. finance sector and this is a tremendous opportunity for the Charlotte area," Perdue said.


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Sources: MSN Money, NACA, Flickr, Google Maps

Charlotte's 2009 Mayoral Race Politricks Runs CATS Chief Out Of Town!

The Charlotte Observer recently reports Charlotte's Public Mass Transportation Chief (CATS) Keith Parker is leaving for another job.

Let's face it Keith Parker isn't just leaving for professional purposes, he's actually being run out of town by drama and backlash stemming from Charlotte's upcoming Mayoral race.

If you recall I published a post roughly one month ago titled "Charlotte's 2009 Mayoral Race Is On!".

In that post I mentioned the declared candidates, At-Large Charlotte City Councilman John Lassiter (R) and At-Large Charlotte City Councilman Anthony Foxx (D).

Lassiter currently carries the most experience (16 years) both on a grassroots level as it relates to reaching constituents and in understanding how effective government works.

Foxx (4 years) appears to be sincere in his efforts to become Charlotte's next Mayor, however with the exception of working to get more Stimulus money, he hasn't laid out a clear vision for Charlotte's future.

Both candidates have expressed a keen desire to ensure Charlotte's Public Transportation system especially in the area of Light Rail, will continue to meet the needs of a large growing Metropolitan city.

However communicating those desires to Charlotte voters is where the two candidates' leadership styles differ.

For years due to regional jealousy and lack of understanding how a Metropolitan city is supposed to properly handle growth, North Carolina's Dept of Transportation has short-changed Charlotte when it comes providing funds for Roads, Highways and Light Rail.

Charlotte is currently the ONLY city in North Carolina with a Light Rail System.

Yet that municipality receives basically very little money from Raleigh to help maintain or further develop this mode of Modern Transportation.

Two years ago Charlotte citizens voted for a half-cents Transit Tax largely advertised by our local media (the Charlotte Observer, Radio, etc.,).

Since our country was not experiencing a Recession at that time, a half-cents tax seemed to be enough revenue required to fully develop and build a state-of-the-art, expanded Light Rail system.

No one was paying attention to the Economic "elephant in the room", Charlotte's failing Banking Industry (Wachovia, now BOFA).

No one especially not the country bumpkin local Charlotte media, had the foresight to prepare residents for a possible stock market crash.

Fast forward to 2009, as it stands the half-cents tax can't provide enough money to help pay for Light Rail expansion.

Even if Charlotte receives more Stimulus money, the city stills fall short of what it needs to fund such a vital Transportation project.

Democrat Mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx didn't think it was prudent to ask Raleigh why our state's DOT Equity formula was so screwed up.

For some reason Foxx thought questioning DOT officials would anger a few of the Legislators he was perhaps trying to impress, even if it meant that by not questioning them he would place Charlotte's voters at a greater disadvantage...for Transportation.

Republican candidate Lassiter expressed that we should in fact question state DOT officials about the unfair Equity Formula.

As a result of FINALLY questioning state officials, NC Secretary of Transportation Conti shared with reporters that the state's Transportation Equity Formula is indeed extremely flawed.

Maybe this explains why Charlotte a city of more than 1 million residents often receives less funding for roads, highways, buses, trains, etc., than a NC city with about 100,000 citizens.

So much for not inquiring about the state's DOT Equity formula right?

Fast forward once again...

Foxx who now sits on the MUMPO committee (Mecklenburg Union Planning Organization) which helps make all major Transportation decisions for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region, appears to be attempting to sway the committee's decision-making process regarding more funding for Light Rail, roads, highways, etc., in his favor to win Charlotte's Mayoral race.

How so?

First it seems he tried to block anyone (including Mayor Pat McCrory a Republican) from going over his head to question state DOT officials about the Equity Formula.

You see Foxx initially strongly discouraged Mayor McCrory from questioning NC state DOT officials, however later he grabbed that opportunity and received Talking Points for doing so.

Second he appears to be preventing any future plans for additional Light Rail expansion in Charlotte-Mecklenburg while on McCrory's watch.

Its as if he is trying to wait until he becomes Mayor to really push for more funding to expand Charlotte's Light Rail system, properly provide funding the City Buses and complete local highway projects.

Recently the opportunity arose for both candidates to express whether or not another half-cents tax should be imposed upon constituents to help fund and complete Charlotte's Transportation projects.

Both Lassiter and Foxx sat quiet for a while on this issue. Each waiting on the other to make the first move.

Finally after keeping Charlotte's constituents on the edge of their seats Lassiter succumbs to pressure and speaks up first, foolishly suggesting that local leaders ask voters for another tax increase.

Now he's being labeled as a candidate who just wants to Tax Charlotteans to death, in a Recession no doubt!

Meanwhile Foxx looks like a hero who really cares about the financial welfare of ALL Charlotteans. (Don't count on it!)

Boy how did Lassiter fall for that old trick?? Foxx appears to be a master at the "Bait and Switch" game. Perhaps that's how he plans to whip Lassiter.

Sidebar: While we're on the subject, is it me or has anyone else noticed that Lassiter appears to have lost focus about the Mayoral race?

CATS Chief Keith Parker apparently tired of being tossed back and forth between Foxx and Lassiter or tired of having his office used for personal political gain, decided to bounce!

He took a job as the new Transportation Chief in San Antonio, Tx.

Let's see Parker is leaving a city where Light Rail exists to work in one where it doesn't?

Can you blame him?? (Hint, Hint to Charlotte's Political leaders)

The Charlotte City Council including candidates Anthony Foxx and John Lassiter, are left with no plans, no money and a lot of angry constituents who want answers.

Politics is a dirty business. Many clueless people will vote for Foxx because they think he is a Barack Obama heir apparent. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

I suggest that each and every Charlottean regardless of their ethnicity, which community they live in or socio-economic status, carefully do a lot of research on each candidate prior to casting their ballots this Fall.

Charlotte's 2009 Mayoral race has just begun and its going to be a long, hot mudslinging Summer.

May the most qualified Candidate/ Leader win. Though hopefully not at the expense of Charlotte's future and best interest.



View Uptown Charlotte in a larger map

Sources: Charlotte Observer, Newsobserver, John Locke.org, WCNC, WBTV, Paper Trail, Charmeck.org, My San Antonio News, Charlotte Biz Journal, Google Maps