Politics
Will Berger be the fry in the ointment for Cintra/NCDOT? Mayor Travis outlines thinking before I-77 toll summit
Nov. 20. By Dave Yochum. With key members of the business community and elected officials gearing up for the I-77 toll summit on Monday, Mayor Travis has issued a 900-word statement outlining his position on the I-77 toll plan. “My position is simple, our interstate is broken and must be fixed. No one disagrees with this […]
Business candidate to challenge Pittman in 82nd District primary
By Marty Price. Pledging to run an aggressive campaign, Concord native Michael Fischer, 32, announced his candidacy for the NC House of Representatives on Oct. 12. A conservative attorney, former teacher and family man, Fischer said “making sure Cabarrus County gets the most effective representation that it can have” is what drives him. “My entire life […]
Temporary Restraining Order plan stalls; I-77 work begins at 10 pm
Nov 16. By Dave Yochum. Sen. Jeff Tarte over the weekend said there was no forward motion in getting a Temporary Restraining Order in time to stop construction of the I-77 toll lanes which begins at 10 pm. Tarte huddled with other members of the I-77 Business Plan—a group of key anti-toll business and political leaders—and two […]
‘Irreparable harm’ if I-77 contract is not cancelled; legislators will seek a temporary restraining order; Governor hangs tough
Nov. 13. UPDATED. By Dave Yochum. Four North Carolina legislators have called on the governor to exercise the termination provisions in NCDOT’s I-77 contract with Cintra, a Spanish company. They will seek a temporary restraining order to stop the project, although Sen. Jeff Tarte, one of the signatories on the letter to Gov. Pat McCrory […]
Commissioner Puckett: Planners behind tolls are as disconnected as Marie Antoinette
Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jim Puckett has responded to a press release from I-77 Mobility Partners that says construction on the toll lanes begins on Monday. The press release, from public affairs honcho Jean Leier, says, among other things, that the public private partnership between NCDOT and a Spanish company is “excited” to get under way. Here […]
Lead, follow or get out of the way
I always thought it was Ted Turner who said “lead, follow or get out of the way.” Actually, it was Laurence J. Peter, the brilliant mind behind the Peter Principle, which states that people are promoted to their level of incompetence. He helped me understand newsroom managers when I was a cub reporter. When Albert […]
I-77 Business Plan organizers create roadmap for anti-toll voters
Oct. 30. By Dave Yochum. Only one candidate for mayor in all of Lake Norman—John Aneralla in Huntersville—has responded to an election survey organized by the I-77 Business Plan, a group of key business people who meet and strategize each week on how to cancel the 50-year contract with Cintra. “As a candidate for NC State […]
Dealing with growth means making the tough decisions
By Dave Yochum. Growth and how to manage it are two of the biggest issues in this fall’s elections in both Concord and Kannapolis, the largest cities in Cabarrus County. In Concord, a new Walmart in a sensitive area is under consideration. In Kannapolis, city government has done nothing less than buy downtown from a billionaire. […]
New partner at Red Dome
Former NC Rep. Carolyn Justice has joined Cornelius-based Red Dome Group as a senior partner of the political consulting firm. At the same time, Red Dome’s co-founder and senior partner Todd Poole has taken a leave of absence to serve as chief of staff for US Rep. Richard Hudson. Justice was the first woman ever elected to the General […]
Davidson voting ‘no’ at CRTPO meeting tonight
Aug. 19. Davidson’s representative on the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization will vote “no” tonight on the 2016-2025 highway plan which includes toll lanes managed by a much-reviled private company whose roots are in Spain. While the ultimate CRTPO vote is likely to be “yes”—Charlotte City Councilwoman Vi Lyles has 46 percent of the region-wide […]
