Mayor:

I admire your willingness to boldly reject the fool’s gold of a “bailout” or “stimulus” rescue for the city’s fiscal distress. As you correctly note, it is only the wealth creating activity of the private sector which can provide us with the resources needed to meet our civic obligations and feed our dreams of a better tomorrow, one with an even greater quality of life for those of us lucky enough to call Charlotte home.

Your focus on meaningful, lasting additions to our public infrastructure is important, yet consistently overlooked by those who believe that government spending — anywhere, on anything — is net good. This is not true — as I am afraid many will learn the hard way, if at all.

That is why, mindful of getting the biggest bang for our infrastructure dollar, I must urge you to be nuanced in your call to finish the extension of the Lynx Blue Line. The simple fact is that there is not now, nor will there be for the foreseeable future, one billion dollars available to complete the line all the way to UNCC. We can disagree on the whys and wheres of that reality, but it is a fact and all fiscal responsibility starts with respecting real world limits.

However, the real world also demands compromise, and this where your leadership uniquely positions you to make a lasting contribution to the city’s long-term infrastructure. If we were to recast the extension of the South line as following the existing railbed thru NoDa and ending just north of Sugar Creek Rd. we might have an affordable, functional response to present constraints. Extending the line to UNCC at some future date would remain an option, albeit one I would question the wisdom of doing given the cost of the rail bridges required. However, I am perfectly willing to leave that issue to another day.

The immediate issue is crafting a workable transit plan that fits within our present reality while preserving maximum flexibility. I believe a South End to NoDa line would do that while demonstrating Charlotte’s determination to move forward in the face of setbacks. This approach would also position the city to vault ahead of foolish jurisdictions which placed their faith the promises of politicians and bureaucrats rather than the skills and talents of their local residents.

A more lasting and meaningful legacy I cannot imagine.

Yours truly,

Jeff A. Taylor
Charlotte