The Meck Deck
Comment and analysis on all things Charlotte
Tuesday, July, 29 2014
Posted July 29th, 2014 at 12:22 AM by Michael Lowrey
Not sure which is more bizarre: • The Panthers’ decision to draft running back Tyler Gaffney in the sixth round this year, given that the Panthers already had DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert, and Kenjon Barner on their roster. • The process by which the Panthers lost Gaffney to the New York Giants after, […]
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Posted July 28th, 2014 at 11:53 PM by Michael Lowrey
Soccer is increasingly popular — and increasingly, top U.S. soccer prospects are being told not to play college soccer. Which is a big problem if you’re the NCAA. So now in a bid to remain the minor league of choice for American soccer players, the organization is considering changing its men’s soccer season, going from […]
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Posted at 11:21 PM by Michael Lowrey
And to mark the occasion, the Charlotte Observer offers up an informative look at the outlet mall business model. A highlight: “Off-price … is growing much faster than the rest of the retail industry,” Saks’ owner, Hudson Bay Co., wrote in its annual report to investors. The company also noted there’s “very little overlap” between […]
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Posted at 11:10 PM by Michael Lowrey
Last week, the Carolina Panthers said that they weren’t asking for an addition in $50 million in money from the city. While this sounds like it’s a significant development development, in reality it’s a non-event. As Erik Spanberg of the Charlotte Business Journal reports, the team never had any intention of actually asking for the […]
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Posted at 10:24 PM by Michael Lowrey
To NPR and religious broadcasters. The Wall Street Journal provides the details here. H/t: CJ.
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Charlotte's Greatest Hits
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.
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.
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.
Colleen Calvani writes that the Charlotte Area Transit system will scale back some routes in an attempt to counter three major decreases in funding.
Jeff Taylor argues that Pat McCrory failed to carry Mecklenburg County because he failed to move its conservatives.
Jeff Taylor says there may be another factor to blame for CMUD’s recent series of water leaks.
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Research
The economic recession that hit full force in 2008 was declared officially over in June 2009 when the country experienced two quarters of very slow growth. But a troubled housing sector and a still-sluggish economy with high unemployment have contributed to the fiscal crises facing many cities and counties in North Carolina. As always, this edition of By the Numbers is must reading for government officials and taxpayers alike. It highlights what kinds of fiscal problems face local governments in an economy that grows only very slowly. With the facts given here, county commissioners and city council members can easily compare their area’s tax burden to similarly situated cities or counties. For taxpayers, BTN is a starting point for questions about taxes and spending, enabling them to hold their elected and appointed officials accountable.
Every two years since 1996, coinciding with North Carolina's races for the General Assembly, the John Locke Foundation has published a revised edition of Agenda, our public policy guide for candidates and voters. Typically as we enter the campaign season, candidates for public office in North Carolina are faced with a daunting task: to develop informed positions on dozens of public policy issues. In the pages of Agenda 2014 we provide a concise and easily digestible guide covering a wide range of specific issues, from taxes and spending to energy policy and education.
Policymakers in the many local governments of North Carolina face a host of important challenges. This issue guide offers solutions to problems that confront North Carolinians at municipal and county levels. The common thread in these recommendations is freedom. By increasing individual freedom, local governments can foster the prosperity of all North Carolinians and keep open avenues to innovative solutions from enterprising citizens.
Cronyism is an umbrella term covering a host of government activities by which an industry or even a single firm or speculator is given favors and support that they could not attain in market competition. This report explains what opens government to cronyism, gives a brief rundown of recent examples of cronyism in North Carolina, and offers several possible reforms.
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