The System
“There is no reason to believe that bureaucrats and politicians, no matter how well meaning, are better at solving problems than the people on the spot, who have the strongest incentive to get the solution right.”
The Advantage
Partners unite for infrastructure, transportation, and tax abatement that profit professional sports and projects in Center City, South Charlotte and the University area.
Those profit the commercial property-owners as they increase the property values and decrease the operating cost (rent) to its commercial tenants.
City and County budgets have limited tax dollars for those investments. Since the current Mecklenburg County Manager created its economic development department, it has given 99.99% of its investment of our human services tax dollars in projects have been with those partners. In 2021, it “found” $3 million to support its Restorative Justice Initiative after the 2021 Black Lives Matter protests. In 2018, it gave $3 million to the City for economic development marketing (“i.e. Amazon, etc.”) (Those and the City’s to be posted.)
It’s a choice.
Now that you’re that far…
Charlotte’s Opportunity Task Force blames the lack of upward mobility on redlining by the banks before the Civil Rights Act. Now it’s being done by politicians and bureaucrats. That lack of investment was a lack of equity for property-owners in Charlotte’s historically and predominantly Black neighborhoods.
The impact of that lack of equity is laid out in the Task Force Report. It left families with no equity for student and home improvement loans.
The partners have had decades to indoctrinate the politicians, political parties, and voters that this “works.” They teach this to newly-elected officials the week after they take office.
I helped create fiscal impact models in the 1990s (that data is 1990 - 2010.) The model says “but some will lose.”
Now we know who.Families in the Crescent LOST. That’s not “failed.”
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If you just learned what we’re doing now from a different perspective, please join Buying It Back. It’s a lot to learn. Links to my attempts to present this perspective can be found on my About page.
Also, please consider a contribution to my Venmo account. Unlike the partners, task forces, foundations, and staff, I have not been paid for this work.
Leslie Dwyer
The Golden Rule in Politics: Never Lose a Team. “Or”? “And.” Laws profit the wealthy.
The Anti-System
The Equity
Public investment in the private sector increases profit and makes the ladder steeper. For every off-budget tax dollar invested in the top of the ladder, invest a dollar in the bottom.
Level the playing field.
Leverage. Ask our NFL team owner for leverage. It’s a 50/50 split. If we mean what we say, that we want a level playing field, the only people who lose are racists.
The Pitch
Whether you believe in systemic racism or colorblindness, the solution is the same.
Teamwork.
All graphics created by Leslie Dwyer.