A couple of articles in Tuesday's Observer leaves little room for misinterpretation that all three local mayors have been working against the will of the people when it come to implementing HOT lanes.
Not that there ever was really much doubt. We've covered there antics over the past few years in pieces like this, this, and this.
Today, first there is this piece recounting outgoing Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain's unequivacle support for the HOT Lanes project saying to the Observer...
“What we need to do now is we need to move forward. We need to let this happen.”
During the campaign all we ever heard was that saying Swain supported tolls was somehow spreading misinformation. It appears those who defended her on this point were the ones being less than truthful.
In the second article in the Observer, it was revealed North Meck Mayors Travis and Woods have apparently been planning a boondoggle to Texas for "months" now to see Cintra's tolling operation.
“This is a fact-finding mission for information sharing and forecasting that we can report back to our community."
They better hurry.
Somewhat ironically, on the same day that story hit the news, this one out of Texas also broke. It looks like the legislative tide has turned in the Lone Star State against managed lanes projects like the I77 HOT lanes.
In Texas...
"House Transportation Committee Chair Joe Pickett signaled he’s on a war path to end toll managed lanes at a hearing of the Select Committee on Transportation Planning last week."
Those are the current facts on the ground in Texas.
How much do you want to bet we don't hear anything about that from the Travis-Woods fact finding tour?
Bonus Observation: The Observer made a big point of saying Travis and Woods are paying their own way to Texas and Cintra/NCDOT aren't covering the bill.
That being the case, paying their own way is the only way they could go. After last week's pasting at the polls in Huntersville, does anyone see the Cornelius or Huntersville Boards paying for it?
Showing posts with label Jill Swain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jill Swain. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Mayor Jill Swain's Mythical Popularity
The wailing and gnashing of teeth has been intense over at Jill Swain's Facebook page since Election Day.
One would think that Huntersville was about to fall into the abyss after Tuesday's drubbing at the polls. One also would likely think the relentless mocking of other electeds and the future mayor shows a staggering amount of "sore loserism".
Reading it, gives the impression a supremely popular politician had just been bushwhacked by some unruly upstarts and the town would hardly be able to limp along without her.
However, a quick look at the historical numbers tells a somewhat different and more realistic story. The below chart compiled from data available at MeckBOE.org shows Swains numbers in each of her mayoral campaigns.
In her first successful campaign in 2007, Swain won with less than half of the vote in a 4-way contest. 2009 was a very tight contest. In 2011, she won big but turnout was way down. In 2013, she barely squeaked out the win against Commissioner Jim Puckett. In 2015 she lost big as her support collapsed.
Here is what one sees in the numbers.
Based on her vote total in the lowest turnout election, it looks like Swain had roughly 2150 loyal voters through her first 4 mayoral contests. As turnout went up from that floor she got a few more votes, but she never really gained a larger loyal following. Her relative popularity among actual voters never really increased.
All things being equal, in 2015 she should have gotten about 2450 votes based on turnout instead if the 1947 she received. Not only did she not get the extra votes based on the higher turnout from the 2011 floor, but she saw significant erosion in her 2150 voter base.
Mayor Swain lost in 2015 not because she was bushwhacked. She lost because she was not overwhelmingly popular among the actual voting public to begin with and a significant chunk of even her most loyal base abandoned her.
One would think that Huntersville was about to fall into the abyss after Tuesday's drubbing at the polls. One also would likely think the relentless mocking of other electeds and the future mayor shows a staggering amount of "sore loserism".
Reading it, gives the impression a supremely popular politician had just been bushwhacked by some unruly upstarts and the town would hardly be able to limp along without her.
However, a quick look at the historical numbers tells a somewhat different and more realistic story. The below chart compiled from data available at MeckBOE.org shows Swains numbers in each of her mayoral campaigns.
In her first successful campaign in 2007, Swain won with less than half of the vote in a 4-way contest. 2009 was a very tight contest. In 2011, she won big but turnout was way down. In 2013, she barely squeaked out the win against Commissioner Jim Puckett. In 2015 she lost big as her support collapsed.
Here is what one sees in the numbers.
Based on her vote total in the lowest turnout election, it looks like Swain had roughly 2150 loyal voters through her first 4 mayoral contests. As turnout went up from that floor she got a few more votes, but she never really gained a larger loyal following. Her relative popularity among actual voters never really increased.
All things being equal, in 2015 she should have gotten about 2450 votes based on turnout instead if the 1947 she received. Not only did she not get the extra votes based on the higher turnout from the 2011 floor, but she saw significant erosion in her 2150 voter base.
Mayor Swain lost in 2015 not because she was bushwhacked. She lost because she was not overwhelmingly popular among the actual voting public to begin with and a significant chunk of even her most loyal base abandoned her.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Post Election Finger Pointing Begins in Huntersville
Well, it hasn't taken long for some in the Team Swain camp to express their dismay and disappointment at their candidate's defeat at the polls on Tuesday.
This post from Huntersville Commissioner, Ron Julian, has been making the rounds on Facebook. It exemplifies the extent of that disappointment.
Some in the media have also joined in to start subtly spinning a meme to explain away what happened to Mayor Jill Swain. That would be the idea that Swain was not strongly pro-toll and that she was unfairly targeted by non-Huntersville residents.
The Charlotte Observer had this gem in its recent coverage...
"Swain has not been a vocal supporter of the I-77 project but has previously apologized for anti-toll rhetoric by others on the town board."
The Observer totally minimizes how Swain handled this so-called "apology". You can see the rest of that story here.
As for Swain not being a "vocal supporter" of the HOT lanes project, well, just because she hasn't been out their saying "tolls are great" doesn't mean she has not been consistently working behind the scenes to push this project forward.
If Swain did not support the HOT plan, then how does one explain this move after the 2013 election where she sidelined the anti-toll commissioners as much as possible while sending Sarah McAulay back to the CRTPO where McAulay did everything she could to push the project forward.
If Swain did not support the HOT plan, then how does one explain her efforts as part of the HOT Lanes Bucket Brigade to stop area commissioners from asking Gov McCrory to delay the original contract signing.
And finally, if Mayor Swain was not a HOT lanes project supporter, then why did she send the below email just this past June attempting to coordinate an information campaign between I77 Mobility Partners, NCDOT and the Lake Norman Citizen?
As interestingly as Mayor Swain sending this email, why did she think the Citizen would be open to the idea? For some reason she did.
The Citizen has made multiple references in recent coverage furthering the second part of the post election meme that is was non-Huntersvillians who were out to get the Mayor and caused the her defeat. In its post election coverage the Citizen says "Swain and McAulay were unable, or unwilling, to counter a robust campaign mounted against them in no small part by a group of activists comprised largely of non-Huntersville residents."
How the Citizen knows the detailed breakdown of activists and members of Facebook pages focused on the toll issue is unclear. However, they sure seem focused on the fact that there are members of these groups who don't live in Huntersville. They also clearly ignore the fact that these groups have thousands of members and very likely have more than enough from Huntersville to easily cover Tuesday's margin of victory and probably much more than that.
Then again, the Citizen has a long history of this kind of coverage on this issue.
One of the first pieces on the I77 HOT lanes saga at aShortChronicle was a critique of local media way back in January of 2013.
"Media Watch: Is LKN Media in the Tank for the HOT Lanes?"
Word got back a few days later, that the folks at the Citizen didn't like it very much.
Doubt they will like this one any better.
The truth is this.
The incumbents in Huntersville who lost on Tuesday night lost because they were on the wrong side of the biggest issue in the Lake Norman region since the creation of Lake Norman itself.
It really is as simple as that.
This post from Huntersville Commissioner, Ron Julian, has been making the rounds on Facebook. It exemplifies the extent of that disappointment.
Some in the media have also joined in to start subtly spinning a meme to explain away what happened to Mayor Jill Swain. That would be the idea that Swain was not strongly pro-toll and that she was unfairly targeted by non-Huntersville residents.
The Charlotte Observer had this gem in its recent coverage...
"Swain has not been a vocal supporter of the I-77 project but has previously apologized for anti-toll rhetoric by others on the town board."
The Observer totally minimizes how Swain handled this so-called "apology". You can see the rest of that story here.
As for Swain not being a "vocal supporter" of the HOT lanes project, well, just because she hasn't been out their saying "tolls are great" doesn't mean she has not been consistently working behind the scenes to push this project forward.
If Swain did not support the HOT plan, then how does one explain this move after the 2013 election where she sidelined the anti-toll commissioners as much as possible while sending Sarah McAulay back to the CRTPO where McAulay did everything she could to push the project forward.
If Swain did not support the HOT plan, then how does one explain her efforts as part of the HOT Lanes Bucket Brigade to stop area commissioners from asking Gov McCrory to delay the original contract signing.
And finally, if Mayor Swain was not a HOT lanes project supporter, then why did she send the below email just this past June attempting to coordinate an information campaign between I77 Mobility Partners, NCDOT and the Lake Norman Citizen?
As interestingly as Mayor Swain sending this email, why did she think the Citizen would be open to the idea? For some reason she did.
The Citizen has made multiple references in recent coverage furthering the second part of the post election meme that is was non-Huntersvillians who were out to get the Mayor and caused the her defeat. In its post election coverage the Citizen says "Swain and McAulay were unable, or unwilling, to counter a robust campaign mounted against them in no small part by a group of activists comprised largely of non-Huntersville residents."
How the Citizen knows the detailed breakdown of activists and members of Facebook pages focused on the toll issue is unclear. However, they sure seem focused on the fact that there are members of these groups who don't live in Huntersville. They also clearly ignore the fact that these groups have thousands of members and very likely have more than enough from Huntersville to easily cover Tuesday's margin of victory and probably much more than that.
Then again, the Citizen has a long history of this kind of coverage on this issue.
One of the first pieces on the I77 HOT lanes saga at aShortChronicle was a critique of local media way back in January of 2013.
"Media Watch: Is LKN Media in the Tank for the HOT Lanes?"
Word got back a few days later, that the folks at the Citizen didn't like it very much.
Doubt they will like this one any better.
The truth is this.
The incumbents in Huntersville who lost on Tuesday night lost because they were on the wrong side of the biggest issue in the Lake Norman region since the creation of Lake Norman itself.
It really is as simple as that.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Election 2015 Huntersville recommendations...
Election Day is upon us and it is time to head to the polls. Here are some suggestions for Huntersville based on the methodology outlined in my upcomong column from this week's Herald Weekly. Be sure to check that out on Thursday.
This election cycle, Huntersville is where most of the big action takes place. With over a dozen candidates for the Town Board and the area's only contested mayoral election, there is more to choose from here than anywhere else.
For Town Board you can't go wrong with incumbents Rob Kidwell and Danny Phillips along with newcomer Mark Gibbons.
Commissioners Kidwell and Phillips have proven themselves to be independent voices on the board rather than always walking in lockstep with the leadership on the dias. They deserve reelection. Challenger Mark Gibbons also has proven his commitment and willingness to fight for what is best for Huntersville and this region, serving as a prominent leader in the effort to stop the I77 HOT lanes project.
Together, these three gentlemen can ensure Huntersville's best interests are protected as the larger region grows. They will not reflexively cave to the constant drum beat of "regionalism" coming out of Charlotte. North Mecklenburg needs its largest municipality to have that kind of backbone if we are to prevent being constantly pummelled by the 800lb gorilla to our south.
On the mayoral side, the choice is also clear.
While I do not know Mayor Swain personally, people who do seem to think she is a very nice person. HOWEVER, this is not a high school popularity contest.
Huntersville needs a leader willing to go to the mat for the town on large regional issues and Mayor Swain simply is not that person. Maybe Mayor Swain has gotten too comfortable at Huntersville town hall having been there for a long, looong time. Her lack of much of a visible campaign effort this cycle also gives the impression of a sense of entitlement that should never be apparent in an elected official.
Regardless, it is time for new blood.
Fortunately for Huntersville, challenger John Aneralla can provide the leadership that has been missing.
Aneralla is no stranger to the political process having run for office at the state level previously. He also serves on the boards overseeing the State's retirement system which is one of the largest in the country.
Aneralla is on record opposing the I77 HOT lanes from his previous runs for office, so he is not a "jonny come lately" to the anti-toll effort.
In the role of Mayor, voters want someone who will break ties the right way - giving thoughtful consideration to all sides of an issue and not just doing what is popular to a select few.
Electing John Aneralla gives that to Huntersville.
Just my 2 cents...
This election cycle, Huntersville is where most of the big action takes place. With over a dozen candidates for the Town Board and the area's only contested mayoral election, there is more to choose from here than anywhere else.
For Town Board you can't go wrong with incumbents Rob Kidwell and Danny Phillips along with newcomer Mark Gibbons.
Commissioners Kidwell and Phillips have proven themselves to be independent voices on the board rather than always walking in lockstep with the leadership on the dias. They deserve reelection. Challenger Mark Gibbons also has proven his commitment and willingness to fight for what is best for Huntersville and this region, serving as a prominent leader in the effort to stop the I77 HOT lanes project.
Together, these three gentlemen can ensure Huntersville's best interests are protected as the larger region grows. They will not reflexively cave to the constant drum beat of "regionalism" coming out of Charlotte. North Mecklenburg needs its largest municipality to have that kind of backbone if we are to prevent being constantly pummelled by the 800lb gorilla to our south.
On the mayoral side, the choice is also clear.
While I do not know Mayor Swain personally, people who do seem to think she is a very nice person. HOWEVER, this is not a high school popularity contest.
Huntersville needs a leader willing to go to the mat for the town on large regional issues and Mayor Swain simply is not that person. Maybe Mayor Swain has gotten too comfortable at Huntersville town hall having been there for a long, looong time. Her lack of much of a visible campaign effort this cycle also gives the impression of a sense of entitlement that should never be apparent in an elected official.
Regardless, it is time for new blood.
Fortunately for Huntersville, challenger John Aneralla can provide the leadership that has been missing.
Aneralla is no stranger to the political process having run for office at the state level previously. He also serves on the boards overseeing the State's retirement system which is one of the largest in the country.
Aneralla is on record opposing the I77 HOT lanes from his previous runs for office, so he is not a "jonny come lately" to the anti-toll effort.
In the role of Mayor, voters want someone who will break ties the right way - giving thoughtful consideration to all sides of an issue and not just doing what is popular to a select few.
Electing John Aneralla gives that to Huntersville.
Just my 2 cents...
Saturday, October 17, 2015
"96% of Mayor Swain's support from outside Huntersville!"
That would be the logical headline if one local weekly publication was to write a story about Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain's 35-day campaign finance report filed a couple weeks ago.
At least that is what one would think after reading the publication's most recent anonymous commentary lamenting non-Huntersville residents expressing interest in the town's mayoral race.
When the anonymous columnist took potshots at citizens, he/she described them as people "who don’t live in the town they are targeting, meddling in an election with which they have no claim to stake and are clearly actively engaged in attempting to influence."
Ironically, while this local paper seemingly wrote the piece in defense of Mayor Swain, one could certainly say the same about the vast majority of the money donated to Mayor Swain's campaign a little more than a month out from Election Day. This election cycle, $2700 out of $2800 donated to the campaign has come from people who don't live in Huntersville.
I guess those donors are trying to unduly influence the Huntersville race, right?!?!?
In truth, saying that would be about as silly as the comments coming from that local publication.
Of course almost all politicians and campaigns have supporters and opponents coming from outside their jurisdictions. Of course those people have a right to their opinions.
That is doubly true in the North Mecklenburg area where our multiple municipalities have overlapping interests, share state legislative districts, participate in numerous regional bodies together, and regularly strive to act as a cohesive unit to counter the influence of the Big City to our south.
The Citizens of all Lake Norman area towns certainly do have an interest in who is elected in all of our towns. That's because the decisions made by those officials impact all of us.
There is another headline one could also use after looking at the Mayor's campaign report. "Is Mayor Swain mailing it in this election cycle?" would also be appropriate. That's because her report shows a whopping 3 donors and zero expenditures.
That's a shockingly small number when compared to Swain's previous runs. Certainly, the mayor has more than a few supporters left, but one has to wonder at that low number.
As we head into the final stretch of this campaign season, we can expect a few more surprises. Activists from across the region working to impact the top spot in the region's biggest town shouldn't be one of them.
Bonus Observation: The local paper also scoffed at those outsiders meddling in the Huntersville election as members of a closed "echo chamber" on Facebook so they were preaching to the choir - implying they were somewhat irrelevant. As a frame of reference, the Exit 28 Ridiculousness Facebook group has over 4500 members. Only a little over 9400 votes were cast in the Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson mayoral races combined in 2013. Considering that the vast majority of this group lives in one of these three towns, rather than being irrelevant it may very well be the deciding factor this time around.
At least that is what one would think after reading the publication's most recent anonymous commentary lamenting non-Huntersville residents expressing interest in the town's mayoral race.
When the anonymous columnist took potshots at citizens, he/she described them as people "who don’t live in the town they are targeting, meddling in an election with which they have no claim to stake and are clearly actively engaged in attempting to influence."
Ironically, while this local paper seemingly wrote the piece in defense of Mayor Swain, one could certainly say the same about the vast majority of the money donated to Mayor Swain's campaign a little more than a month out from Election Day. This election cycle, $2700 out of $2800 donated to the campaign has come from people who don't live in Huntersville.
I guess those donors are trying to unduly influence the Huntersville race, right?!?!?
In truth, saying that would be about as silly as the comments coming from that local publication.
Of course almost all politicians and campaigns have supporters and opponents coming from outside their jurisdictions. Of course those people have a right to their opinions.
That is doubly true in the North Mecklenburg area where our multiple municipalities have overlapping interests, share state legislative districts, participate in numerous regional bodies together, and regularly strive to act as a cohesive unit to counter the influence of the Big City to our south.
The Citizens of all Lake Norman area towns certainly do have an interest in who is elected in all of our towns. That's because the decisions made by those officials impact all of us.
There is another headline one could also use after looking at the Mayor's campaign report. "Is Mayor Swain mailing it in this election cycle?" would also be appropriate. That's because her report shows a whopping 3 donors and zero expenditures.
That's a shockingly small number when compared to Swain's previous runs. Certainly, the mayor has more than a few supporters left, but one has to wonder at that low number.
As we head into the final stretch of this campaign season, we can expect a few more surprises. Activists from across the region working to impact the top spot in the region's biggest town shouldn't be one of them.
Bonus Observation: The local paper also scoffed at those outsiders meddling in the Huntersville election as members of a closed "echo chamber" on Facebook so they were preaching to the choir - implying they were somewhat irrelevant. As a frame of reference, the Exit 28 Ridiculousness Facebook group has over 4500 members. Only a little over 9400 votes were cast in the Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson mayoral races combined in 2013. Considering that the vast majority of this group lives in one of these three towns, rather than being irrelevant it may very well be the deciding factor this time around.
Monday, October 12, 2015
UPDATE: Church removes controversial tweet "endorsing" Jill Swain
This is a breaking news update on the previous post.
Calvary Chapel replied to our inquiry this morning regarding its tweet supporting Mayor Jill Swain's reelection this election cycle.
Here is what we received.
"The Twitter post was done unintentionally. It was supposed to be posted to our Pastors account. It was taken down as soon as we realized the error. Simple human error, nothing more. Have a great day."
In answer to a follow-up question we received this from Pastor Mike Burner.
"The post was taken down on Sunday, by me, after our last church service. We (I) did not repost it elsewhere. It was a simple logon mistake of my own doing."
While we will take the church at its word that this was an innocent "mistake", it is worth pointing out that it seems odd the original tweet that came from the church account but also referenced the pastor's account (@mikeburner). If the tweet was supposed to be coming from the pastor's personal account, also referencing that same account in the tweet seems redundant.
I guess we'll just have to chalk that up to an inefficient use of the 140 character Twitter format.
Also, as of this writing, Mayor Swain still has the content of the original tweet up on her campaign Facebook site. One would think he appropriate thing for the good Mayor to do would be to pull that down as well.
Calvary Chapel replied to our inquiry this morning regarding its tweet supporting Mayor Jill Swain's reelection this election cycle.
Here is what we received.
"The Twitter post was done unintentionally. It was supposed to be posted to our Pastors account. It was taken down as soon as we realized the error. Simple human error, nothing more. Have a great day."
The first response came from "Team Calvary".
In answer to a follow-up question we received this from Pastor Mike Burner.
"The post was taken down on Sunday, by me, after our last church service. We (I) did not repost it elsewhere. It was a simple logon mistake of my own doing."
While we will take the church at its word that this was an innocent "mistake", it is worth pointing out that it seems odd the original tweet that came from the church account but also referenced the pastor's account (@mikeburner). If the tweet was supposed to be coming from the pastor's personal account, also referencing that same account in the tweet seems redundant.
I guess we'll just have to chalk that up to an inefficient use of the 140 character Twitter format.
Also, as of this writing, Mayor Swain still has the content of the original tweet up on her campaign Facebook site. One would think he appropriate thing for the good Mayor to do would be to pull that down as well.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Mayor Jill Swain swoons over church's questionable "endorsement"
With less than a month until election day, it is now the "silly season" in our local elections - the time when the odd and outrageous tend to happen.
Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain kicked off the season with a swooning response to a questionable endorsement from a local church for her reelection.
The endorsement from Calvary Chapel in Huntersville appeared on the church's Twitter feed on Saturday just after noon. Saturday evening Swain responded from her @SwainsWorld account.
An email to the church office requesting confirmation on who exactly posted the tweet was not returned on Sunday, and the tweet was still up on the church's site Sunday evening as well as on Jill Swain's Facebook page. However, the content of the message coming from an official church account and including the church pastor Mike Burner would most certainly seem to cross the line regarding the prohibition on tax exempt organizations engaging in political activity.
Even the most ardent supporters of churches getting involved in politics would likely raise eyebrows at this tweet under current law.
Check out the below excerpt from an open letter to pastors from just this past April. It is from an organization called the Alliance Defending Freedom for Faith and Justice. The letter was posted at NCFamily.org.
Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain kicked off the season with a swooning response to a questionable endorsement from a local church for her reelection.
The endorsement from Calvary Chapel in Huntersville appeared on the church's Twitter feed on Saturday just after noon. Saturday evening Swain responded from her @SwainsWorld account.
Even the most ardent supporters of churches getting involved in politics would likely raise eyebrows at this tweet under current law.
Check out the below excerpt from an open letter to pastors from just this past April. It is from an organization called the Alliance Defending Freedom for Faith and Justice. The letter was posted at NCFamily.org.
Churches are recognized as exempt from federal income tax under 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code so long as they do not “intervene” in political campaigns. Political
intervention, essentially, is advocating for or against candidates for political office. This means
that the IRS prohibits churches from activities such as:
-
endorsing or opposing political candidates,
- making financial contributions to political candidates, and
- distributing political campaign literature.
There are two important points to keep in mind regarding the candidate prohibition. First,
the candidate prohibition applies to churches and to pastors in their official capacities as church representatives. Pastors acting individually, and not as official church representatives, enjoy the
same right to speak out as any other citizen. They may freely support or oppose political
candidates without violating the candidate prohibition, or implicating their church’s 501(c)(3) tax
status.
Second, the candidate prohibition bans a narrow category of political activity. Churches
and their pastors can still discuss candidates’ positions on various issues without violating the
candidate prohibition. Churches and their pastors can still distribute non-partisan voter guides,
urge their congregants to get out and vote, or even rent out their facilities to candidates on the
same terms as any other public group. Only advocating for or against a candidate is prohibited.
The content of the tweet from Calvary Chapel would certainly seem to cross that line.
The fact that it doesn't seem to bother Mayor Jill Swain at all certainly should bother voters.
UPDATE: See the current post for an update on this story. The tweet has been removed.
The content of the tweet from Calvary Chapel would certainly seem to cross that line.
The fact that it doesn't seem to bother Mayor Jill Swain at all certainly should bother voters.
UPDATE: See the current post for an update on this story. The tweet has been removed.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Ron Julian loves HOT lanes! Where is Jill Swain's outrage?!?!
Well, late on the eve of a critical vote at the CRTPO fellow H'ville Commish, Ron Julian, did something similar.
In an email to CRTPO reps, Charlotte City Council, the MeckBOCC, and several members of the NCGA, Julian had this to say.
" Ladies and Gentle, As a Representative of the constituents in Huntersville, I ask that you APPROVE the TIP ( Vote Yes ). The vast majority of constituents want road improvements now and the TIP keeps this promise with dollars for local road improvements and additional lanes, yes managed lanes on I-77.
thanks for your public service,
Ron Julian
Huntersville Town Commissioner"
My guess is you'll hear crickets from Mayor Swain on this one. She agrees after all.
She's part of the HOT Lanes Bucket Brigade that has pulled this monstrosity out of the fire more than once already.
Sending Ron Julian to carry a little water since he's not running for reelection is just what a good brigade commander does.
Bonus Observation: What caused Ron Julian to change his mind since this video in 2013?
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Pressure amps up for Huntersville HOT lanes resolution
The Huntersville Board meets Monday, and some sort of anti-HOT lanes resolution will most likely be on the agenda unless some serious shenanigans occur.
The biggest question is will it be a strong resolution like the one Cornelius passed that explicitly asks NCDOT to negate the contact with Cintra/I77 Mobility Partners OR will it be a watered down resolution like the one passed by Davidson which only asked for "fair" alternatives.
There could also be some drama as the pressure amps up a bit over the whole idea of a resolution being needed in the first place - at least that's the perspective of Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain.
In some recent Facebook back-and-forth on the issue, Swain has been questioning why Senator Jeff Tarte is asking for resolutions from local municipalities prior to filing any legislation to stop the toll project. Swain points out that Tarte has submitted dozens of other bills without requiring resolutions - including sometimes things the towns actively oppose. Tarte's response is that going to the General Assembly and asking the legislators to undo a proposal that has gotten to this point realistically requires obvious support from local elected officials. Otherwise, the bill would not go anywhere.
Tarte is right in this instance. If he walked into the General Assembly without a stack of resolutions, any bill very likely would not go forward. That would most likely be true even if he has a few resolutions, but not a complete set. That's just reality.
That's also why the Huntersville resolution is so important and why Swain's opposition to the idea could be so damaging. In Davidson and Cornelius, there are odd numbers of commissioners. In Huntersville, there is an even number and thus the Mayor is more likely to vote in the event of a tie.
What Swain does Monday will matter.
If a strong resolution is presented, Swain's recent comments indicate she might vote against it in a tie situation. If a weak resolution is presented and that were to end in tie, she might also vote against it because she thinks it is not needed.
Swain's former opponent for Huntersville Mayor, County Commissioner Jim Puckett, had this to say on Facebook in recent days regarding the upcoming Huntersville vote on a resolution...
"We need to make sure the folks in Huntersville know this is NOT just a resolution asking for an alternative to tolls IT IS MUCH BROADER. This is a referendum on the future of the moderate to large business community in our region. Either our boards stand with us (Cornelius and Davidson Commissioners do) or they stand against this community. If our elected officials will not at the LEAST take a stand to send the message we want an alternative, then we cannot trust that they will stand for us the next time needed. I for one will not support anyone who will simply roll over or give up because the odds are against them. Real leaders do not take the temperature, they determine the temperature. As for me I want to be known not as a thermometer, a thin fragile instrument shoved up a posterior to gauge what's going on, but a thermostat that makes the machine give me the environment the people want."
Which is it gonna be - thermometer or thermostat?
The biggest question is will it be a strong resolution like the one Cornelius passed that explicitly asks NCDOT to negate the contact with Cintra/I77 Mobility Partners OR will it be a watered down resolution like the one passed by Davidson which only asked for "fair" alternatives.
There could also be some drama as the pressure amps up a bit over the whole idea of a resolution being needed in the first place - at least that's the perspective of Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain.
In some recent Facebook back-and-forth on the issue, Swain has been questioning why Senator Jeff Tarte is asking for resolutions from local municipalities prior to filing any legislation to stop the toll project. Swain points out that Tarte has submitted dozens of other bills without requiring resolutions - including sometimes things the towns actively oppose. Tarte's response is that going to the General Assembly and asking the legislators to undo a proposal that has gotten to this point realistically requires obvious support from local elected officials. Otherwise, the bill would not go anywhere.
Tarte is right in this instance. If he walked into the General Assembly without a stack of resolutions, any bill very likely would not go forward. That would most likely be true even if he has a few resolutions, but not a complete set. That's just reality.
That's also why the Huntersville resolution is so important and why Swain's opposition to the idea could be so damaging. In Davidson and Cornelius, there are odd numbers of commissioners. In Huntersville, there is an even number and thus the Mayor is more likely to vote in the event of a tie.
What Swain does Monday will matter.
If a strong resolution is presented, Swain's recent comments indicate she might vote against it in a tie situation. If a weak resolution is presented and that were to end in tie, she might also vote against it because she thinks it is not needed.
Swain's former opponent for Huntersville Mayor, County Commissioner Jim Puckett, had this to say on Facebook in recent days regarding the upcoming Huntersville vote on a resolution...
"We need to make sure the folks in Huntersville know this is NOT just a resolution asking for an alternative to tolls IT IS MUCH BROADER. This is a referendum on the future of the moderate to large business community in our region. Either our boards stand with us (Cornelius and Davidson Commissioners do) or they stand against this community. If our elected officials will not at the LEAST take a stand to send the message we want an alternative, then we cannot trust that they will stand for us the next time needed. I for one will not support anyone who will simply roll over or give up because the odds are against them. Real leaders do not take the temperature, they determine the temperature. As for me I want to be known not as a thermometer, a thin fragile instrument shoved up a posterior to gauge what's going on, but a thermostat that makes the machine give me the environment the people want."
Which is it gonna be - thermometer or thermostat?
Friday, May 1, 2015
A rough, but telling stretch, for toll road opposition
Since starting this column,, a concerted effort has been made to not write about the same topic two weeks in a row. But for every rule, there is an exception.
This week is one of those exceptions.
The last column told you about a long-shot opportunity to stop the tolling of I77 with HOT lanes through a bill submitted at the General Assembly by local Senator Jeff Tarte.
Well, since writing that piece the project to build toll lanes has gained some momentum in its trek towards financial close of the deal between I77 Mobility Partners – the local offshoot of Spanish contractor, Cintra – and the NCDOT.
The first big piece of the financing puzzle that appears to have fallen in place is the apparent approval of $189 million in Federal loans to I77 Mobility Partners from the TIFIA Credit Council within the US Department of Transportation.
WidenI77.org – the group that has been fighting the toll project - actually broke the story on their website on Friday, April 17th. Members were holding out some hope that their source had “jumped the gun” in providing that information, but it now appears that is only thing left to do is get the signature of the Secretary of Transportation. That just happens to also be from former Charlotte Mayor, Anthony Foxx.
A second major financing event also occurring over the past two weeks. This time the action took place at the state level in the office of the Local Government Commission which is part of the NC Department of State Treasurer.
After two “special meetings” called on the subject of I77 financing, this Tuesday the LGC approved an additional $105 million in bonds to be sponsored by the NCDOT on behalf of I77 Mobility Partners.
So, after multiple delays, special meetings, excused penalties, and more state money being thrown at the project it does now look like the toll road contractor is limping towards financial close on May 17th.
With all of that as backdrop, a few other events occurred over the past two weeks – both locally and nationally - which serve to rub salt in the wound for toll road opponents. They provide a glimpse of the possible future as well as insight in how we got here in the first place.
The first event occurred in Atlanta on the I85 HOT lanes.
On a Monday, 4/21, the road hit a new record high for tolls – $10.50 for a one way trip on the 16 mile stretch of road. That record lasted a single day. On Tuesday the toll hit $11.
Readers may remember when WidenI77.org helped break the news that NCDOT’s own consultants predicted $11 tolls for the I77 project. They helped pry that information from the state with repeated public records requests. Project supporters and some local media decried publicizing those numbers as nothing short of scare tactics. In one email between local mayors, Mayor Swain of Huntersville called the consultants’ report “old news”.
Tolls that high certainly aren't “old news” for those in Atlanta. They are a current and very real hit to the pocketbook.
The second event that could foreshadow the local experience with HOT lanes took place in the Washington, DC area. There, local HOT lanes users are suing toll rode operator, Transurban, for illegally gouging users. In some cases, missed tolls of a few dollars have turned into fines of several thousand dollars once penalties are applied.
Are these events that occurred elsewhere in the country, the kinds of things I77 HOT lanes users can expect over the next 50 years if this project goes forward? Maybe.
The final event getting attention over the past two weeks occurred locally and seems likely to generate more activity.
Last Wednesday, Rep John Bradford of Cornelius announced via his Facebook page that Mayor Chuck Travis of Cornelius had been appointed to the board of the North Carolina Turnpike Authority – the body responsible for rolling out toll roads across the state.
Cornelius has been a hotbed of opposition to the HOT lanes. The irony of the town’s mayor being placed on a board to promote toll roads was not lost on members of another Facebook page – the 2400 member and aptly named “Exit 28 Ridiculousness” page which sees frequent posts about local roads.
Kurt Naas of WidenI77.org posted to the site calling the appointment a “Slap. In. The. Face.”
The appointment seems to have spawned a renewed outpouring of opposition to the project among the “Exit 28 Ridiculousness” community and some WidenI77.org activists. This Friday, 5/1, they are organizing a protest from 430pm – 630pm at Exit 28 itself.
If you are interested in going, it promises to get interesting
This week is one of those exceptions.
The last column told you about a long-shot opportunity to stop the tolling of I77 with HOT lanes through a bill submitted at the General Assembly by local Senator Jeff Tarte.
Well, since writing that piece the project to build toll lanes has gained some momentum in its trek towards financial close of the deal between I77 Mobility Partners – the local offshoot of Spanish contractor, Cintra – and the NCDOT.
The first big piece of the financing puzzle that appears to have fallen in place is the apparent approval of $189 million in Federal loans to I77 Mobility Partners from the TIFIA Credit Council within the US Department of Transportation.
WidenI77.org – the group that has been fighting the toll project - actually broke the story on their website on Friday, April 17th. Members were holding out some hope that their source had “jumped the gun” in providing that information, but it now appears that is only thing left to do is get the signature of the Secretary of Transportation. That just happens to also be from former Charlotte Mayor, Anthony Foxx.
A second major financing event also occurring over the past two weeks. This time the action took place at the state level in the office of the Local Government Commission which is part of the NC Department of State Treasurer.
After two “special meetings” called on the subject of I77 financing, this Tuesday the LGC approved an additional $105 million in bonds to be sponsored by the NCDOT on behalf of I77 Mobility Partners.
So, after multiple delays, special meetings, excused penalties, and more state money being thrown at the project it does now look like the toll road contractor is limping towards financial close on May 17th.
With all of that as backdrop, a few other events occurred over the past two weeks – both locally and nationally - which serve to rub salt in the wound for toll road opponents. They provide a glimpse of the possible future as well as insight in how we got here in the first place.
The first event occurred in Atlanta on the I85 HOT lanes.
On a Monday, 4/21, the road hit a new record high for tolls – $10.50 for a one way trip on the 16 mile stretch of road. That record lasted a single day. On Tuesday the toll hit $11.
Readers may remember when WidenI77.org helped break the news that NCDOT’s own consultants predicted $11 tolls for the I77 project. They helped pry that information from the state with repeated public records requests. Project supporters and some local media decried publicizing those numbers as nothing short of scare tactics. In one email between local mayors, Mayor Swain of Huntersville called the consultants’ report “old news”.
Tolls that high certainly aren't “old news” for those in Atlanta. They are a current and very real hit to the pocketbook.
The second event that could foreshadow the local experience with HOT lanes took place in the Washington, DC area. There, local HOT lanes users are suing toll rode operator, Transurban, for illegally gouging users. In some cases, missed tolls of a few dollars have turned into fines of several thousand dollars once penalties are applied.
Are these events that occurred elsewhere in the country, the kinds of things I77 HOT lanes users can expect over the next 50 years if this project goes forward? Maybe.
The final event getting attention over the past two weeks occurred locally and seems likely to generate more activity.
Last Wednesday, Rep John Bradford of Cornelius announced via his Facebook page that Mayor Chuck Travis of Cornelius had been appointed to the board of the North Carolina Turnpike Authority – the body responsible for rolling out toll roads across the state.
Cornelius has been a hotbed of opposition to the HOT lanes. The irony of the town’s mayor being placed on a board to promote toll roads was not lost on members of another Facebook page – the 2400 member and aptly named “Exit 28 Ridiculousness” page which sees frequent posts about local roads.
Kurt Naas of WidenI77.org posted to the site calling the appointment a “Slap. In. The. Face.”
The appointment seems to have spawned a renewed outpouring of opposition to the project among the “Exit 28 Ridiculousness” community and some WidenI77.org activists. This Friday, 5/1, they are organizing a protest from 430pm – 630pm at Exit 28 itself.
If you are interested in going, it promises to get interesting
A version of this post first appeared in this weeks's Herald Weekly.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Mayor Apologizes for Commissioner Asking Question to Legislators on HOT Lanes
Things are beginning to get downright weird on the road to signing the final-final-we-really-mean-it -this-time contract with Cintra on the I77 HOT Lanes project. We're not sure if this is a sign that some are getting antsy about going through with such a bad and unpopular idea, or if this is just a consequence of a long and drawn out fight that establishment pols are not used to having. Regardless, the pressure seems to be getting to Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain.
Back on August 28th, Huntersville Commissioner Rob Kidwell sent an email to the entire NC Legislature, outlining some of his concerns regarding the HOT Lanes project. It was polite. It was chock full of numbers. It made some very insightful points. The email closed with the below paragraph.
"I am now going to ask the impossible question and I hope that it does not fall on deaf ears. Please consider going back in session, and put a stop to this project until we can develop a true plan to address the traffic concerns of a small area that can and will have an impact state wide. I know that this would be considered quixotic by some, but I urge you to look at all the facts presented. We continue to hear time and time again that “it’s a done deal.” If that was true, then why does the NCDOT and Cintra want to have continued meetings in order to sell this concept and project to elected officials and the voting public?"
aShortChronicle and DavidsonNews.net were both copied on this email. No idea why we were copied, or why other media or bloggers were not. Getting these types of emails is pretty common. Frankly, the fact that a single commissioner sent an email to the General Assembly did not seem all that newsworthy, so we did not report on it. Neither did DavidsonNews.net as far as we know.
Apparently, Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain did not see it that way.
This Monday (over two weeks later!!!), she sent a long-long email to those same legislators apologizing repeatedly for Commissioner Kidwell actually reaching out to them. Apparently, he didn't follow the "process". Mayor Swain seemed particularly concerned that Commissioner Kidwell actually identified himself as a Huntersville Commissioner. She wanted to make sure it was clear that his request for a special session was not an official request from Huntersville.
As one can see from the above email excerpt Commissioner Kidwell uses the word "I", not "the Board" or "Huntersville" when he makes his request. The rest of the email is the same way. He does sign it with "Commissioner", but what elected official wouldn't do that when contacting another elected official. If nothing else, it helps get your message bubbled to the top of the pile. It's very hard to believe anyone - even a busy legislator - would mistake this as an official request from the town and not just a single commissioner.
But Mayor Swain was not finished...
In what has become standard language for members of the HOT Lanes Bucket Brigade, Mayor Swain then goes on to use the word "misinformation" in an offhand manner. (She's learned well from her mentor, Davidson Mayor John Woods, on how to call people liars without actually using the word.) She claims that Commissioner Kidwell's lone email has somehow gotten all of Raleigh up in a swirl. Commissioner Kidwell's one email has taken up all of the NCDOT's time and that's the reason why the public has been getting only a trickle of information from NCDOT regarding the project. They've been too busy responding to legislators' questions from this one email to get out more information to the public and prepare for public hearings in a few weeks. For that, Mayor Swain apologizes for Commissioner Kidwell wasting the Legislators' and NCDOT's time.
According to a follow-up email from Commissioner Kidwell on September 8th, only 4 legislators responded to his original email. F.O.U.R.
So, you either have to believe dozens of legislators flooded the NCDOT with questions and did not also respond to Commissioner Kidwell, or you have to believe Mayor Swain is just making a lame and desperate attempt to deflect NCDOT's horrible handling of information for this whole project onto one of it's opponents.
Which do you think is more likely?
Back on August 28th, Huntersville Commissioner Rob Kidwell sent an email to the entire NC Legislature, outlining some of his concerns regarding the HOT Lanes project. It was polite. It was chock full of numbers. It made some very insightful points. The email closed with the below paragraph.
"I am now going to ask the impossible question and I hope that it does not fall on deaf ears. Please consider going back in session, and put a stop to this project until we can develop a true plan to address the traffic concerns of a small area that can and will have an impact state wide. I know that this would be considered quixotic by some, but I urge you to look at all the facts presented. We continue to hear time and time again that “it’s a done deal.” If that was true, then why does the NCDOT and Cintra want to have continued meetings in order to sell this concept and project to elected officials and the voting public?"
aShortChronicle and DavidsonNews.net were both copied on this email. No idea why we were copied, or why other media or bloggers were not. Getting these types of emails is pretty common. Frankly, the fact that a single commissioner sent an email to the General Assembly did not seem all that newsworthy, so we did not report on it. Neither did DavidsonNews.net as far as we know.
Apparently, Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain did not see it that way.
This Monday (over two weeks later!!!), she sent a long-long email to those same legislators apologizing repeatedly for Commissioner Kidwell actually reaching out to them. Apparently, he didn't follow the "process". Mayor Swain seemed particularly concerned that Commissioner Kidwell actually identified himself as a Huntersville Commissioner. She wanted to make sure it was clear that his request for a special session was not an official request from Huntersville.
As one can see from the above email excerpt Commissioner Kidwell uses the word "I", not "the Board" or "Huntersville" when he makes his request. The rest of the email is the same way. He does sign it with "Commissioner", but what elected official wouldn't do that when contacting another elected official. If nothing else, it helps get your message bubbled to the top of the pile. It's very hard to believe anyone - even a busy legislator - would mistake this as an official request from the town and not just a single commissioner.
But Mayor Swain was not finished...
In what has become standard language for members of the HOT Lanes Bucket Brigade, Mayor Swain then goes on to use the word "misinformation" in an offhand manner. (She's learned well from her mentor, Davidson Mayor John Woods, on how to call people liars without actually using the word.) She claims that Commissioner Kidwell's lone email has somehow gotten all of Raleigh up in a swirl. Commissioner Kidwell's one email has taken up all of the NCDOT's time and that's the reason why the public has been getting only a trickle of information from NCDOT regarding the project. They've been too busy responding to legislators' questions from this one email to get out more information to the public and prepare for public hearings in a few weeks. For that, Mayor Swain apologizes for Commissioner Kidwell wasting the Legislators' and NCDOT's time.
According to a follow-up email from Commissioner Kidwell on September 8th, only 4 legislators responded to his original email. F.O.U.R.
So, you either have to believe dozens of legislators flooded the NCDOT with questions and did not also respond to Commissioner Kidwell, or you have to believe Mayor Swain is just making a lame and desperate attempt to deflect NCDOT's horrible handling of information for this whole project onto one of it's opponents.
Which do you think is more likely?
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
North Meck Mayors + Speaker Thom Tillis (aka The HOT Lanes Bucket Brigade)
When the I77 HOT Lanes issue once again caught fire two weeks ago with the release of new information from NCDOT on potential toll rates, things got hot around North Mecklenburg among elected officials as well.
As reported here last week, Davidson's Town Board declined to have a special meeting to discuss the issue. What may be even more interesting is the amount of water carrying done by the North Mecklenburg Mayors with some help thrown in by NC House Speaker/Republican US Senate Candidate, Thom Tillis. Together, Mayors John Woods, Jill Swain and Chuck Travis - along with Speaker Tillis - formed a bucket brigade to put out the flames.
aShortChronicle obtained several emails outlining how the North Mecklenburg Mayors took the lead in attempting to stem the revolt brewing among the towns' Commissioners. Even with their efforts, 9 of the 16 Commissioners ultimately signed a letter to Governor McCrory and NCDOT requesting a delay in signing the Commercial Close for the project - a request that was ultimately ignored.
As part of Mayor Woods's response to the special meeting request in Davidson, he indicated he would reach out to his fellow "regional mayors". These emails appear to be the result of that effort to squelch the "hoopla" caused by the "well organized anti-group" - Mayor Woods's words to describe those opposing tolls.
After a weekend of activity, Monday evening Mayor Travis from Cornelius sent the below message to the Mayors of Davidson, Huntersville, and Mooresville in response to a message from Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain.
Notice how the release of more information on the I77 HOT Lanes project is described as "non-relevant" and "outdated". Mayor Swain even calls it "old news". If it's such "old news" why is it that just about every news outfit in the region and state is just now reporting on it? When the Stantec report supposedly wasn't "old news" in 2012 it certainly did not get much public attention. Maybe this "old news" was communicated to the Mayors in one of the closed door meetings with consultants like this one specifically designed to avoid public meetings law? In a separate email, Davidson town manager, Leamon Brice, laments about the NCDOT not giving them a heads up this information was coming out. Truly "old news" would not cause such concern.
Also, notice how Mayor Swain dumps this project squarely in Speaker/US Senate Candidate Thom Tillis's lap saying "this is their project, and by God, let them take ownership."
Well, apparently the Speaker did just that.
See the below email just a few hours later from Cornelius Mayor Travis. This is on a separate email thread that includes the Speaker (with everyone using their elected office email accounts this time).
Notice
the repeated references to text messages with the Speaker, and the Speaker's apparent indication that Tarte is "Ok". That would seem to be a reference to Senator Jeff Tarte. The next day Senator Tarte would tell the Charlotte Observer that a legislative review would be conducted before the final, final, we really mean it this time contract is signed with Cintra later this year. This request for review was done "with the support of legislative leaders".
As reported here last week, Davidson's Town Board declined to have a special meeting to discuss the issue. What may be even more interesting is the amount of water carrying done by the North Mecklenburg Mayors with some help thrown in by NC House Speaker/Republican US Senate Candidate, Thom Tillis. Together, Mayors John Woods, Jill Swain and Chuck Travis - along with Speaker Tillis - formed a bucket brigade to put out the flames.
aShortChronicle obtained several emails outlining how the North Mecklenburg Mayors took the lead in attempting to stem the revolt brewing among the towns' Commissioners. Even with their efforts, 9 of the 16 Commissioners ultimately signed a letter to Governor McCrory and NCDOT requesting a delay in signing the Commercial Close for the project - a request that was ultimately ignored.
As part of Mayor Woods's response to the special meeting request in Davidson, he indicated he would reach out to his fellow "regional mayors". These emails appear to be the result of that effort to squelch the "hoopla" caused by the "well organized anti-group" - Mayor Woods's words to describe those opposing tolls.
After a weekend of activity, Monday evening Mayor Travis from Cornelius sent the below message to the Mayors of Davidson, Huntersville, and Mooresville in response to a message from Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain.
Also, notice how Mayor Swain dumps this project squarely in Speaker/US Senate Candidate Thom Tillis's lap saying "this is their project, and by God, let them take ownership."
Well, apparently the Speaker did just that.
See the below email just a few hours later from Cornelius Mayor Travis. This is on a separate email thread that includes the Speaker (with everyone using their elected office email accounts this time).
While we should all be glad an additional review is going to take place, the legislature has had opportunities to force a real review - aka a VOTE - on specific toll road projects. That was in the form of HB 267 last year. Read these stories to get a refresher on how the Legislature avoided going on record - H267: George Orwell Comes to Raleigh AND H267: Redux - NC House really, really, really doesn't want to vote on tolling you. With Senator Tarte and other leaders still strong supporters of the project, it's hard to see any review at this point as anything but a bit of kabuki theater.
Then finally, Monday night there's this desperate plea from Mayor Woods to the Davidson Town Board. It's an obvious reference to the letter the nine area Commissioners were contemplating sending to the Governor and NCDOT. He is all but begging them not to sign it.
After once again smearing citizens who oppose HOT Lanes by calling them "naysayers", Mayor Woods attempts to sway Commissioners by alluding to possible participation in a "transit" project - for those here in North Meck that's an obvious reference to the Red Line Commuter Rail - a project that can best be described as "his baby". He makes this statement even though as Chair of the Red Line Task Force he knows that less than 48 hours later at the Wednesday Metropolitan Transit Commission meeting it would be announced Norfolk Southern has all but killed the Red Line project with its latest announcement that takes track sharing off the table. Why he decided to tie these two projects together is anyone's guess. When we reported on the rumored linkage here last year, there was definite push back against such insinuations. (In any event, Mayor Woods was off to Raleigh this week to see if he could save the Red Line.)
The irony of all this effort to stop a letter from nine Commissioners to the Governor and put out a sudden wildfire? The letter had already been sent a few hours earlier. It went out late Monday afternoon.
As the I77 HOT Lanes project moves forward, it's likely the "Bucket Brigade" (aka the North Mecklenburg Mayors and Speaker Tillis) will be called back into action.
We'll be watching.
Bonus Observation: The passing the buck on this issue continues. In this week's issue of The Lake Norman Citizen there is an article on HOT Lanes. (link not available) According to Huntersville Rep Charles Jeter, there's nothing, just nothing the General Assembly can do at this point. Of course, Rep Jeter also voted against giving the NCGA the authority to vote on specific toll projects back during the debate on H276. Read the H267 links for the details on that.
Rep Jeter repeatedly says this issue is now with the "executive branch" - meaning Governor McCrory and NCDOT.
The response back from the "executive branch" to the 9 Commissioners' letter? Crickets...nothing...nada.
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