Thursday, November 08, 2007

Need your input: Transit tax, and Thanksgiving plans

Did newcomers make the difference in the vote to keep Mecklenburg's transit tax?

They certainly had the power to, as I previously reported. A majority of Mecklenburg's voters registered after the transit tax was first approved in 1998. The half-cent sales tax has paid for expanding bus service and starting a light-rail system.

I heard from colleagues who were out interviewing voters on Tuesday. Many voters who moved here from areas where rail systems are prevalent said they favored keeping the tax. In the Northeast, for example, paying to maintain a rail system is routine for many residents, and New York is the No. 1 state of origin for this region's transplants.

I'm interested in talking with transplants who voted on the transit tax. Please e-mail me with your contact information, and let me know where you moved from and when, and why you voted the way you did.

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I'm also looking for transplants willing to talk about their Thanksgiving plans. Are you leaving Charlotte to go "back home" for Thanksgiving, or are you staying because Charlotte is "home" now? If you're willing to be interviewed for a Thanksgiving article, you know the drill: E-mail me with contact information, where you moved from and when.

13 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Newcomers definitely helped the transit agenda.

As for Thankgiving, we alway do The Westin. Great buffet with some traditional stuff and a wide mix of other gourmet foods.

Everyone I talk to in and around uptown is very happy about the transit tax and the mayors win.

We will keep moving forward.

10:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree that newcomers greatly influenced the vote. Moving here from New York, I know the impact that mass transit can make. We're finally helping to put Charlotte on the map. This will certainly add character and name recognition to a city that, just a few years ago would be confused with Charleston if you asked anyone else from up North. I also think the large contingent of transplants living in the center city brought out the vote. It's gonna be awesome to simply walk out the door, catch the train, and go shopping and dining at all the great places in South Charlotte.

As far as Thanksgiving, we're staying here in our new home. Bada Boom Bada Bing, Charlotte!

7:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Charlotte newcomers will also bring world peace, save the whales, house the homeless, fee the hungry,lower gas prices back to 1950's level, and stop global warming. Give me a break! Why do they think they are responsble for the transit tax passing?? They probably all live in big houses in the burbs and drive SUV's.

11:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lots of us live uptown or close to the central business district, as many of us are used to the conveniences of urban living. We've already experienced many of the problems that come from poor planning and want to see our new home on track. I don't understand the contempt people have for us wanting to help make Charlotte a better place.

11:19 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

^
Get use to it. I am a NY transplant. Moved here in 1988. Same crap different day as far as some of the locals go. Thankfully with the influx of Northerners concentrated mainly to the uptown and inner neighborhoods we don't have to deal with ^^ all to often.

Back in '88 there were ZERO NY pizza palors and only ONE bagel shop in the entire city.

Welcome to Charlotte, glad you came, keep on bringing the good pizza, bagels and restaurants.

And you DO MATTER in the way the vote turned out. I read that we average 70,000 new residents a year now. Most from the North, the most from NY. So don't let anyone go around saying your vote didn't count. Most up north actually vote. I know many, many coworker here in Charlotte that don't, never have and never will.

1:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

^ What are you guys talking about??

The VAST majority (90%+) of transplants move to the suburbs. Do you think Ballantyne and University City were built to accomodate locals?

8:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like Golden corral in pineville and monroe on thanksgiving ; They do a real good job with their food and have real carved turkey , rolls and mashed potatoes , veggies and other things if you dont want tradition.

8:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yankees are slowly taking the politics; Why Mayor McCrory is from OHIO and SUE MYRICK is from Ohio and more will run this from NEW YORK soon. I look for a NEW YORK POLICE CHief in charlotte soon. You need a chief who has lived in a larger city and knows how to deal with gangs and punks that you have here.

8:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If I was Police Chief I would take all criminals and they would pick up trash all day along the roads for their crimes. I will have them build I-485 for prison labor like they used to do around here .

8:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

did you all hear the latest : Apartment complexes are not taking crime checks on no one anymore that come here. This will attract Terrorists for sure.

8:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

^ What terrorist group in their right mind would recruit people who can't pass a criminal background check? Don't be naive.

11:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm having 17 members of the family down from Long Island. On Friday, we'll be checking out brand new houses in Huntersville and Waxhaw so they can all move down. Of course, we'll make sure the developers clear-cut the entire acre so the region's air quality will be sure to get worse.

3:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Most people in NY actually vote?? Only place in the country where that happens. I guess the statistics they've published after every national election were just lies. Thanks NYers, how did we survive without you? I never realized how miserable I was.

9:35 AM  

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