Charlotte Mecklenburg Election Predictions

[HopHead]

With the election essentiall wrapped-up, I think people on both sides of the issue will agree that the margin of defeat for the repeal was much greater than predicted. My question is, should the pro transit group be happy with the result, or push for increasing the tax to a full $0.01 in the Nov. 2008 election. The promise of quicker construction (including the streetcar) as well as the ability to have LRT for the SE corridor might be able to convince 50% + 1 to approve an increase in the tax.

[cltheel.sdl]

I'd just like to say that I saw the results and am pumped!!!

I like McCrory, definitely a fan of the transit tax as well. I was really getting nervous that the transit tax would be taken out, but incredibly relieved it is here to stay.

[dubone]

Jill Swain, who appears to be the winner of the Mayor's seat and who will take over the very pro-transit Kim Phillip's seat on the MTC will most likely continue the same policies as Phillips. (I voted for Swain, BTW) It's not quite as clear to me the new city council will be quite as accommodating.

[Justadude]

Congratulations to Charlotte and the many people who worked on the victorious campaigns. Tomorrow we will not be wondering how our schools and transit system will survive the decade... that's a good thing.

[MZT]

BARF! Another two years of clueless Coach White on the school board. This county is so in love with incumbency.

[atlrvr]

My point, which I referenced Huntersville as just one supporting element, is that we have a lot of unanswered questions on policy and strategy, and it is absolutely the worst time to get greedy and start trying to double the tax to throw money at the situation. It is time to rebuild some of the consensus that people seemed to have during the 2025, and fix some of the political issues spurred by the 2030 plan.

[voyager12]

McCrory is in mandate heaven according to today's O. Although I did not vote for him I have to admire his following. He has the whole town locked up. As the O points out after every victory of his, he carries Democratic neighborhoods, Plaza Midwood, Elizabeth, and Dilworth and picked up support on the West Side. Early on I thought Beverly Earle may have had a chance. She got walloped. Better luck next time but the local Democratic Party seems to have difficulty finding credible opponents to take him on. I am glad Peacock edged out Ramirez on City Council He is more moderate and less reactionary. I never really liked the idea of Ramirez deciding to jump from County Commission to City Council on what seemed like a whim. The rest of of the At Large incumbents maintaining their positions was expected. CPCC has a good reputation countywide and the bonds were definitely needed for education and greenspace. Patsy Kinsey deserved another term and will continue to be a strong voice on historic neighborhood issues. The school board will remain contentiously normal and the tax victory made a very strong statement about Charlotte's dedication to a comprehensive transit future. Overall I thought it was a good night as well

[atlrvr]

I would say that I was completely satisfied (well maybe not school board, but I didn't research those candidates like the rest of the issue since obviously I can't vote), though I wish someone would run against Kinsey....obviously a Rep. has no chance in that district, but I think a strong indepedent or democrat could win. It's not that she doesn't try....she goes to all the community meetings and is responsive to questions or concerns. Its just that I don't think she understands urban issues all that well, and is probably the most susceptible to NIMBY pressure.

[voyager12]

But she's "such a nice lady" I voted for Patsy because she has been a strong neighborhood advocate. Developers definitely have the edge over Charlotte City Council and we need a voice. She may have some NIMBY tendencies but she has been supportive of East Side redevelopment and revitalization which is very important.

[monsoon]

..... My point, which I referenced Huntersville as just one supporting element, is that we have a lot of unanswered questions on policy and strategy, and it is absolutely the worst time to get greedy and start trying to double the tax to throw money at the situation. It is time to rebuild some of the consensus that people seemed to have during the 2025, and fix some of the political issues spurred by the 2030 plan.

[stadtguy]

I think this vote demonstrates that the libertarian fringe embodied by WBT and some transportation "professors" have an audience, but it's not very deep. Perhaps some of these results suggest how transplants are reshaping local politics. I am not suggesting that the transplants are necessarily progressive or Democrats. However, I think in this constituency (educated, fiscally conserative, socially moderate perhaps) many realize that Charlotte is a big city and that things like transit matter. Just a wild guess...

[Durhamite]

In reference to Huntersville again, it should be noted that one of the council members elected is the guy who wants to go to the legislature to break away Huntersville into it's own school system.

I don't think there is much consensus on the 2025 plan. There was support for the transit tax because the people have been promised that it will solve their traffic problems, (it won't) but no consensus on how this tax should be applied to stop the developing gridlock in this city. Regardless of this however, there is no politician that will want to open up changing the 2030 plan as the vote will be used as a vindication of the current plan, and if anything, cements it firmly down so that it can't be changed.

This is what happens when an issue is created, a line drawn, and setup so there are winners and losers.

[RiverwoodCLT]

I was listening to WBT last night and the anti-rail crowd was complaining that they could not understand the ballet and what it meant.

They could not understand: For repeal of transit tax or against the repeal of the transit tax. This confused them. The called wanted a new election with different wording so he could understand what he were voting for.

I do not think we will see another election on the transit tax any time soon.

[monsoon]

I think it's disingenuious to infer that transit tax supporters believe the 2025 or 2030 plan solves transit woes in Huntersville or surrounding suburbs. ....

[elvigy]

So it appears there was 23-24% voter turnout. Good, bad, indifferent? Seems like usually the turnout is in the teens unless it's a Presidential election.

[uptownliving]

I was listening to WBT last night and the anti-rail crowd was complaining that they could not understand the ballet and what it meant.

They could not understand: For repeal of transit tax or against the repeal of the transit tax. This confused them. The called wanted a new election with different wording so he could understand what he were voting for.

I do not think we will see another election on the transit tax any time soon.

[cinco]

whew... i'm glad the anti-transit distraction is over for now. i'm also pretty pleased with the elections overall (i do agree with uptownliving about kaye mcgary).

i voted last night around 6:00pm in my little precinct off shamrock. there were only about 10 people in there, but the neat thing was they were all younger (and hipper) than me - it made me feel good to see this. also, the old men (in their 70's or 80's) who were helping run the precinct were great. everytime someone walked through the door - one of them would say, "are you ready to celebrate?" i loved it.

[Charlotte_native]

I was listening to WBT last night and the anti-rail crowd was complaining that they could not understand the ballet and what it meant.

They could not understand: For repeal of transit tax or against the repeal of the transit tax. This confused them. The called wanted a new election with different wording so he could understand what he were voting for.

I do not think we will see another election on the transit tax any time soon.

[Charlotte_native]

I think this vote demonstrates that the libertarian fringe embodied by WBT and some transportation "professors" have an audience, but it's not very deep. Perhaps some of these results suggest how transplants are reshaping local politics. I am not suggesting that the transplants are necessarily progressive or Democrats. However, I think in this constituency (educated, fiscally conserative, socially moderate perhaps) many realize that Charlotte is a big city and that things like transit matter. Just a wild guess...

[monsoon]

.....

I love the fact that Jim Puckett hasn't been able to be reached for a comment. He was everywhere all the time leading up to this. Larry Bumgarner lost his bid for Mint Hill commission also, by the way. Doesn't look like Charlotte is responding well these days to bitter *the city is going to Hell and wasting your money* diatribes. Can't wait to see the Rhino Times this week

[Neo]

To Observer has some maps up showing election results. I thought the transit tax map would be appropriate to display here considering it is the most discussed part of the election here:

It is interesting to see that the bulk of anti transit-tax was to the far east side instead of the west.

[sax184]

Ultimately, the transit vote was about values and putting the city's money where its mouth was. The incredible amount of anti-transit and more specifically, anti-rail propaganda and indeed, flat-out lies put out by David Hartgen for several years running, coupled with genuine and warranted concerns about cost overruns on the South LRT, funded by an unscrupulous individual who paid people to mislead others to get the question on the ballot--- was no match for a community that has decided to invest in transit as a significant part of its future infrastructure, and to direct growth around that infrastructure investment.

The 2025 plan will morph and change over the years, as most plans do, but the corridors will likely remain where they are, and the discussions will mostly be about which modes to build out in those corridors, and other details of execution.

Now that the decision to invest in transit is confirmed for years to come, the City should set about looking to its next major capital investment with an eye towards explaining how learning from the South LRT line construction process can minimize the chance of overruns on future projects. In the meantime, CATS staff should carefully study the interaction of CATS buses and the LRT to maximize the synergy between the two in the next year.

This is a great day for Charlotte!

[hueion39]

I am firmly convinced that Americans including those here in Charlotte vote without knowing what they are voting for and that elections are decided by how much cash is spent on campaigns. This is how we got a second term of GW Bush in 2004, but the people are paying the price for that mistake now.

[Raintree21]

I don't remember her name unfortunately. Do you guys remember the county commissioner who was always saying she felt threatened by one of her fellow commisioners and insisted on having Sheriff's Deputies at the meetings for her protection? Did she get re-elected?

[voyager12]

In response to a previous post, McGarry is the School Board Member who requested police protection during several meetings in the past. She felt "threatened". I was also not surprised by her reelection. She has a deep well of support from suburban Republicans that her love fiscal frugality and rightwing perspective on school issues. Kaye has definitely not be a friend regarding progressive educational ideas including gay equity in CMS. Happily in my view Independent candidate Trent Merchant also won and he has been a committed ally of the gay community since arriving and is broadminded in general. So hopefully he will balance Kaye out. Although I have to say that I think she has mellowed a bit and is not as divisive. She was the only member of the conservative republican slate of past County Commission candidates to publicly disavow and distance herself from the anti-gay Youtube commercial and mailer that went out right before that election. I give her credit for that.