Ladies and gentlemen! In one corner we have the majority of Charlotte’s City Council, including a coalition of Democrats and Republicans who are almost always on opposite sides of key votes. In the other corner, three Democrats, one of which rarely backs partisan votes.The issue? How much city money to spend on Mecklenburg’s state-funded courts to help them prosecute more lawbreakers, and prosecute cases more quickly. It’s a red-hot issue because the incidence of crime has shot up alarmingly in 2008 and because some scary, high-profile crimes have lit public anxiety.
Watch the debate.
Here’s the deal: The state’s supposed to pay for courts. But Mecklenburg’s state allocation doesn’t come close to covering needs. Everybody from the police chief to the district attorney to the dogcatcher agrees the lack of resources in courts is a major contributor to lawlessness. The question is, what to do about it?
The answer from city council: Spend more local money now, and keep pressing state lawmakers hard to give urban areas better funding. That’s what seven city council members voted to do Monday night. Four did not go along. Their reason? Not enough information about what the money would buy – along with a healthy dose of concern about committing local tax dollars to pay for a state-run resource.
What do you think? Is this an emergency that requires an immediate investment of Charlotte’s money? Or are we simply making it easy for the state legislature to wiggle out of paying for Mecklenburg’s courts?
One thing I've never understood is why we use local money to make up for deficits the state creates in things like road funding and funding the courts while at the same time continuing to turn over vast sums of money to the state treasury.
ReplyDeleteIs there no recourse for witholding money from the state when they blatantly underfund everything they possibly can when it comes to Mecklenburg county?
You do realize that 'WE' and 'the state' are the same pockets?
ReplyDeleteIf "we" had a city atty. that did something besides serve on a whitewash panel of the governor's violation of public records law and complain about having to disclose the public's business to the public, then maybe we'd have the nub of a Leandro-style legal challenge to the state's inability to fund basic state responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteNa, nevermind.
JAT
Lets face it Charlotte has become LIBERAL. We have a law when someone steals a car called 'JOY riding' come on in my State its GRAND theft AUTO and you serve picking up trash for at least five years . Charlotte slaps hands because they are afraid of 'race finger' pointing. If a persn is black we should let them off the hook because of civil rights and slavery. I agree the Blacks were not serve their fair opportuntity but it gives no one an excuse to violence behavior. We have to find a way to COURT order People to work and have jobs ready for them if they want to change. I aree with reperations of $10,000 a year for ten years to each Black family to help them out of the criminal system. HARRAHS can help us do that much like the Cherokee Indians did in Cherokee reseervation.
ReplyDeleteFace it Crime pays in Charlotte ,period! We need a HARRAHS casino to help with reperation for the poor communities and we could use successfull mentors to guide all Black business in areas that will support such. Black owned Grocery stores were real successful in my town . We could have AFRICAN village where the entre neigborhood is draped with Business and flags of Africa and foods. How about OPRAH WINFREY having a line of clothing that she endorses with her name on the label. This Business could hire all African Americans to work there like the INDIANS did at Cherokee. We need to let these People work an earn a proper living and get tem out of POVERTY.
ReplyDeleteEducation is one of the keys here in Charlotte. If we dont have successful Teachers and encourage them to bring these kids out of the mundane , how can we expect them to survive a WORLD economy?
ReplyDeleteWe need college level communication skills and Math skills , computer and technology skills for them. We have to capture their imagination and attention.
Face it People of Charlotte ! We need to start early with these kids and show them a picture of the outside world and let them know we want them to be as smart as they can muster. Lets put Piano playing and music back into the Schools this will help brain functions and lets put Southern literature and British literature and correct communication skills. Lets not bore the students lets put them on a learning rollercoatser using DVDs out of the class room for Homework . Interactive with the Computer ,if they have one at home , or library
ReplyDeleteI think a person can become smarter by watching Public TV documentaries. The Public TV here in N.C. is to die for and that they do a great job. Why cant we have a class with a Public TV DVD everyday about History and communication skills; God gave us the Computer lets use it to the max.
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