Economic Development… Should We?

Dear Charlotte,

We agree on one thing: giving tax dollars in economic development subsidies smell bad. You’re right. So let’s use it to fix it.

This one project I’m proposing will fix this gap that’s killing the American Dream because… (follow link)

• If you’re speak in spreadsheet, economic or finance terms, Republican, right-leaning, or fiscally conservative go to The Economics.

Restoring the American Dream and Addressing Charlotte’s 2016 Protests

Proposal to Mayor Lyles and Charlotte City Council (June 2018)

Proposal presented to the Mayor and City Council at the June 25, 2018 City Council Public Forum. Response to Charlotte’s Opportunity Task Force Report “Leading on Opportunity” used as the core strategy of the City’s budget.

City Council Public Forum Comments 

• 25-Jun-18 Proposed project is the only way to target investment needed to address the 2016 Protests and begin closing the redlining gap. 0:59:30 http://charlottenc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=3065

• 16-Jul-18 The RNC is another project that makes the redlining gap worse. This project outperforms the modeled outcomes. It's not about Us. 0:23:15 http://charlottenc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=3067

• 23-Jul-18 Special taxes create a system based on the assumption that we have the same problems now that we had when they were established 25 years ago. No one is negotiating for us. 1:36:00 http://charlottenc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=3070

• 22-Oct-18 I accept responsibility. This is a lack of Economics of the Public Sector. This system is making our problems worse. Using the task force report as the basis for the budget after if missed the cause of systemic racism is a problem for the City. It’s not staff it’s the lack of leadership from the Mayor. 1:10:00 http://charlottenc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=3095

• 14-Jan-19 The Upward Mobility Report was the verdict that the economic development being pursued by the City is causing income disparity. It is captures the long term use of that data. This was not Mr. McColl's intention. I was there. 1:38:30 http://charlottenc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=3109

• 22-Apr-19 Since the Council members have been too busy to discuss the role of economic development causing systemic racism, I offered to explain this to constituents. Having served as a municipal financial advisor to the taxing jurisdiction that financed Milwaukee Brewers Miller Park, I was hired by the MLB’s bank, then-NationsBank/now-Bank of America to join negotiate for the other side of the Table. I challenged the 1,696 NFL players to support the project. 1:31:00 http://charlottenc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=3134

Additional Testimony Related to Stadium Finance (“MLS4CLT”)

• July 2017 Opposition to draining the Tourism tax dollars for MLS Stadium and risk to the General Fund. I testified that I am not opposed to MLS or soccer but challenged the stadium financing. It shows the lack of leadership in economic development in Charlotte since the retirement of Mr. Hugh McColl, Jr. Covered by Charlotte Magazine’s Greg Lacour.