Foxx: No property tax hike for streetcar
Democratic mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx said Thursday he wouldn't raise property taxes to pay for a streetcar, despite his vote to move ahead with the project and suggestions from city staff that a hike may be needed.
"We aren't proposing or considering any increase in property taxes, and now would be a terrible time to think of that," he told the Observer. "I will not raise property taxes for the streetcar."
The streetcar and property tax issues came up when Foxx and Republican John Lassiter spoke to a luncheon of the Charlotte Regional Mortgage Lenders Association at the Myers Park Country Club.
Lassiter has also opposed property tax increases.
The rivals, both at-large city council members, were on opposite sides last month when council Democrats overrode Mayor Pat McCrory's veto of $4.5 million to start design work on the line.
The project, which would run from Johnson C. Smith University through uptown to Eastland Mall, would cost over $450 million. It's unclear where the money would come from.
"I could not promise to build something I didn't know how to pay for," Lassiter told the mortgage group.
Foxx defended his vote. He said the line would bring economic development to neighborhoods that need it. One study showed new development could generate $112million in new property taxes over 20 years.
"The future of our city is dependent on making every part ... a great place to live in," he told the group.
On Monday the city staff outlined ways to pay for the line to the council's Transportation Committee, which Foxx chairs. One option called for creating a special taxing district along the line and enacting a 4-cent tax hike for every $100 of taxable value. Another called for a citywide tax increase of 2 cents.
The city's current tax rate is 45.86cents.
"By supporting the streetcar, I'm not committing myself to a property tax increase," Foxx said later.
During the meeting, he defended his vote for a 2006 city budget that raised property taxes 9 percent - the first increase in at least a decade. Lassiter voted against the budget.
Foxx said the tax hike helped pay for the 70 new officers the police chief requested, more than in the no-new-tax budget supported by Lassiter and McCrory. It also brought in money for new roads and neighborhood improvements.
He suggested that without the tax hike, Charlotte's crime rate might not have gone down. Police say it's down 20percent from a year ago.
"You can't out a price on (a) family's sense of safety, put a value on the life saved because we had the additional police officers," he told the group.
Lassiter has criticized "unnecessary and unmanaged government spending" that he says had nothing to do with police, roads or neighborhoods.
Thursday he alluded to this year's General Assembly actions that raised the state sales tax by a penny and enacted surcharges of 2 percent or 3percent on some taxpayers. He told the mortgage lenders that he'll keep taxes down.
"We're in a high-taxed city in a high-taxed state," he said. "We've got to right the ship."
Charlotte City Council seeks to raise Taxes again for more experiments: Streetcar & Eastland Mall...Vote Responsibly
WARNING: The contents of this post may cause you to THINK carefully before visiting the polls in November.
Here we go again people.
Why is it that whenever Charlotte's middle class and low income communities ask for better city/ county services, better Public Transportation, adequate Public Safety or more Economic Development opportunities Charlotte's leaders seek to raise taxes in those communities? (Charlotte hunts way to pay for streetcar)
This appears to be especially so within the city's 4 forgotten, badly neglected corridors. (East, West, Southwest, Northwest)
Its as if our so-called Leaders are sending this message to citizens who reside in those areas "if you want Neighborhood Revitalization or Gentrification we're going to make you pay for it". (City considers buying Eastland Mall site; cost could be $50 million)
Well what about South Charlotte and Uptown Charlotte? Or should I say Charlotte's most Wealthiest communities?
Why is it that whenever constituents who reside in South Charlotte or Uptown Charlotte want something all they have to do is snap their fingers and shabam! Their wishes are granted!...At the expense of constituents who reside in Charlotte's 4 forgotten corridors.
Let's see the constituents who reside in South Charlotte or Uptown Charlotte haven't had a Tax increase in 6 years.
While constituents who reside in East, West, Southwest and Northwest Charlotte (4 forgotten corridors) most of whom live in homes that are now "underwater" due to a troubled Economy, have become victims of frequent tax increases.
I know, I know. Everyone has to pay taxes, this is true. But it should be Fair Taxation. Not the type of Taxation that's Unconstitutional.
If a governing body of Elected Officials continues to tax a "certain" group of people (Minorities, Low Income) more so than another group of people (Caucasian, Wealthy) or choose to never increase taxes for the latter group versus frequent increases for people in the first group, that is clearly a form of Discrimination.
Thus its Unconstitutional!! That's why its time for a Federal Probe into Charlotte-Mecklenburg's Tax Assessment/ Taxation system. I'm speaking of a real probe from the GAO.
In addition (as I mentioned above) whenever constituents who reside in East, West, Southwest and Northwest Charlotte ask for anything decent in those communities, Charlotte-Meck. "Leaders"/ Officials raise their taxes, as if the people in those communities aren't good enough or entitled to a better quality of life.
Ironically the constituents of East, West, Southwest and Northwest Charlotte rarely benefit from those frequent tax increases because Charlotte's leaders more often than not use that money to ONLY improve South Charlotte or Uptown Charlotte.
In case your wondering this expressed concern also applies to Black Leaders.
Since we're on the subject of Charlotte's Black Leadership please allow me to elaborate.
Many Minority citizens who've re-located to Charlotte discover after living here for at least six months to a year, that the majority of Charlotte's Black Leaders are Selfish, Manipulative, Liars, Conceited, Complacent, Stagnant and Elite-minded.
When seeking Unity what do so many Newcomers often find? Division! In other words, the "Haves" vs the "Have nots".
You know sort of like Fraternities, Sororities or Social Clubs where anyone unlike themselves is excluded.
More often than not they (Black Leaders) forget where God has brought them from. Instead of reaching back to help pull up others, they step on them.
Why? Too often their (Charlotte's Black Leaders) judgment becomes impaired by arrogance.
Its no secret that sadly enough most of Charlotte's Black Leaders have sold out their Black Constituents by looking down on them or allowing them to be treated like Third World citizens except....when its time for Re-Election.
Here's how the "system" works.
During Re-Election time those same tired, Black Leaders make a bunch of empty promises they often fail to keep just to get elected or re-elected.
When their empty promises (lies) don't pan out, they then play the Race Card game against their Caucasian Opponents.
Please!!
If you say that you are a Black Leader but your Public Office record doesn't reflect anything you've actually done for the Black community or reflects very, very little especially for Middle Class or Low Income Black communities, why should I vote for a Black Leader?
For example recently an African-American teen (Tiffany Wright) living in a Foster Care home was raped and murdered by her Foster Care guardian.
NOT one of Charlotte's so-called Black Leaders spoke up for her! Not one!
It doesn't matter if your running for Mayor. It doesn't matter if your wife is employed with the agency that is partially Legally Negligent and Responsible for her death.
This was an innocent, African-American Child who died due to NO fault of her own!
Just thinking about her life and how she died brings tears to my eyes. How can any of you so-called "Black Leaders" sleep at night?
Listen I'm not against Black Leaders or White Leaders per se.
I'm only against lying, selfish leaders who use their constituents to achieve personal, political goals.
Then when they're elected or re-elected their constituents mean absolutely NOTHING to them.
As Charlotte faces the election of a new Mayor (first new mayor in 14 years) its imperative that all constituents regardless of Race, Religion, Political Affiliation do their research on both candidates.
Don't just vote according to Race or Political Party. Instead vote according to your convictions and intelligence.
Don't be fooled by gimmicks or showmanship. Anyone can give a good speech.
No Politician is perfect because their just Human Beings but look carefully at their Public Office Service Record and listen to their true motives for running.
Are they running because their trying to eventually get to Capitol Hill in DC to rub elbows with "Political Stars"? or.....are they running because Charlotte has their heart?
People please get out and vote in November for the candidate of your choice.
However please also vote responsibly and intelligently.
Its more important to vote for the right candidate than to be loyal to your party if you know what I mean.
Remember this Election is NOT about Race or Political Affiliation.
Its about Charlotte's Future during a critical time in our city's history.
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Sources: Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, Real Pundits, Youtube, Google Maps
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