John Locke Foundation: Charlotte

Charlotte
Headlines

Perdue’s decision could set up mayoral face-off

CHARLOTTE — Could two Charlotte mayors face off for N.C. governor? That possibility emerged Thursday when Democrat Anthony Foxx said he’s considering a race that suddenly opened up with Gov. Bev Perdue’s decision not to seek re-election. Foxx’s predecessor, Republican Pat McCrory, plans to launch his own long-anticipated campaign Tuesday, but in a landscape dramatically different from the one he expected.

Newer Taser model joins CMPD arsenal

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police began putting Tasers back into officers’ hands on Wednesday, a $1.83 million effort the department says will make the electric stun guns safer for officers and residents. Police took the devices off the streets six months ago, during a week when one suspect died after being shocked with a Taser and another suspect’s family won a $10 million lawsuit for his Taser-related death.

Advocacy group calls for BofA breakup

CHARLOTTE — Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen filed a petition with federal regulators Wednesday urging the government to break Bank of America Corp. into smaller companies, saying the Charlotte bank poses a “grave threat” to the financial system. In the petition to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, the group said the Dodd-Frank financial reform law passed in 2010 gives regulators the authority to do so.

Uptown Charlotte building's saga: Boom to busted

CHARLOTTE — Commercial real estate was booming in Charlotte when a group of New York investors closed on the 12-story Cameron Brown Building in uptown nearly six years ago. The new landlord, which also owns the former Sears Tower in Chicago, told tenants improvements were on the way. They pledged to spend money on everything from fresh paint jobs to elevator upgrades. Instead of being improved, however, the 40-year-old building and lot are falling into disrepair.

Charlotte's Greatest Hits

Black got sweetheart deal

As jailed former state House Speaker Jim Black mounts a campaign for early release, critics contend that the state justice system did favors for Black regarding the settlement of his $1 million fine.

Questions about Black settlement

Wake County officials say imprisoned former House Speaker Jim Black satisfied a $1 million fine by surrendering some Mecklenburg County real estate, but questions remain about the real market value of the property.

Black settlement may not add up

Imprisoned former House Speaker Jim Black used undeveloped land with a tax value of less than $150,000 to pay off an outstanding $500,000 state fine.

Fat CATS

Colleen Calvani writes that the Charlotte Area Transit system will scale back some routes in an attempt to counter three major decreases in funding.

McCrory’s failure

Jeff Taylor argues that Pat McCrory failed to carry Mecklenburg County because he failed to move its conservatives.

Lynx And Exploding Pipes

Jeff Taylor says there may be another factor to blame for CMUD’s recent series of water leaks.

Research

First Annual North Carolina County Privatization Survey

County governments all over North Carolina are saving money by privatizing services. In an effort to assist in the exchange of information about these activities, the John Locke Foundation conducted a survey of all 100 counties asking county managers to tell us about governmental activities that they currently supply privately. We also asked them if they had problems in the past with a privatized activity that had caused them to return the activity to government provision.

A Quarter-Million More for Montgomery? Secretive county seeks a third tax increase in three years

Montgomery County commissioners have raised the property tax by nine cents over the last three years, from 58 cents to 67 cents per $100 valuation — a 15.5 percent increase. Now the commissioners want voters to approve a quarter-cent sales-tax increase worth an estimated $250,000.

A Blank Check for Buncombe: County commissioners ask voters for a sales-tax increase

Buncombe County commissioners seek voter approval of a sales-tax hike, promising that the $7 million that would be raised would be given to AB Tech for a new building and renovations,. The funds would go into the county’s general fund, however and could be spent on any legal purpose.

Taxers’ Choice in Cabarrus: If the sales-tax increase fails, county threatens to hike property taxes

Commissioners of debt-ridden Cabarrus County want taxpayers to bail them out by approving a quarter-cent sales tax increase on May 17. If the voters do not approve the tax increase, commissioners threaten to hit them with a 2.2-cent property tax increase.