April 21, 2015 At-large Charlotte City Council member Vi Lyles rose at the end of the Forum today to explain how council members are looking at a proposal to eliminate the garbage collection fee and raise property taxes by the same amount: For people who own homes valued at less than $330,000 or ... Continue Reading →
The outlook for 2015
Jan. 6, 2015 In an impromptu presentation, elected officials serving at the local and state levels offered comments about the issues they expect to be dealing with this year. Predictably, many of the issues revolved around money. But there was also talk about jobs, the homeless, education, the ... Continue Reading →
Bonds, sales tax questions on ballot
Representatives of groups favoring passage of city bonds and the county's sales tax increase proposal addresed the Forum Tuesday. Among the items passed out to Forum participants were a flier on the city bond issues; an oversized Arts & Science Council broadside on the Cultural Vision Plan ... Continue Reading →
Lyles comments on Hagan Senate race
Vi Alexander Lyles rose near the end of the Forum to comment on the importance of the Senate race in North Carolina in November. ... Continue Reading →
Vi Alexander Lyles on Gentrification
At today's Forum, a member of the audience asserted that African-Americans were losing their communities, that governments spent money in black neighborhoods only after whites started to move in, and that neighborhoods where poor blacks continued to live were in worse shape than 50 years ... Continue Reading →
Election 2013 Results
Nov. 5, 2013, 10:36 p.m.; updated Nov. 6, 9:20 a.m. Charlotte Mayor: Patrick Cannon (D) (53%) Charlotte City Council At-Large: Michael Barnes (D) (15.3%) Vi Alexander Lyles (D) (15.0%) David Howard (D) (14.7%) Claire Fallon (D) (13.2%) District 1: Patsy Kinsey (D) (98%) District 2: Al Austin ... Continue Reading →
City Council candidates
A number of candidates for at-large and district seats on the Charlotte City Council addressed the Forum today. Others will follow next week. Introductory comments: Al Austin, Vi Lyles, Mark Frietch, Dennis Peterson Introductory comments: Michael Barnes, David Howard, Ken ... Continue Reading →
Primary election leaders
Preparations for DNC security
Aug. 21, 2012 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe today addressed the Forum on security preparations for the Democratic National Convention. Monroe was part of a presentation that also included three officials from the DNC Host Committee: Dr. Dan Murrey, executive director; Torre ... Continue Reading →