On Monday, February 24th, North Carolina Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall visited Charlotte to brief REBIC members on the current legislative session and to discuss a variety of issues. Also on hand were Senators Dave Craven and Brad Overcash along with Charlotte City Councilman and Transportation, Planning, & Development Committee Chair, Ed Driggs.
The top of mind issue for most in the room was the introduction of S.B. 145, the Mecklenburg Transportation Referendum. The passage of this legislation would be the first step in achieving our goal to develop and implement a regional transportation plan. The bill’s introduction marks a significant milestone following more than five years of coordinated efforts on both local and state levels. In addition to REBIC, the Partnership for Regional Cooperation, and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance have been at the forefront of this initiative. We highly encourage others in the business community to weigh in with support as we work to seek passage of this important bill.
Should it make its way through the legislative process, it will then be up to the Mecklenburg County Commission to place the issue on the November ballot. At that point, taxpayers will be asked to allow for a one cent sales tax increase in order to fund future transportation projects. The establishment of an authority to manage those funds will be incorporated at a later time.
Other topics discussed included the following:
My Take: Yesterday’s event was phenomenal! In addition to a who’s who of real estate leaders, two of the most important decisionmakers in the General Assembly were also in attendance, providing insight into their vision for our state. We are so grateful for their continued commitment to excellence. Kudos to Senator Craven for being a primary sponsor of the transportation referendum and thanks to Senator Overcash for his ongoing policy contributions aimed at supporting the growth of our economy. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable efforts of Councilman Ed Driggs in working to establish a local coalition of elected officials and business entities aimed at supporting and promoting the transportation plan.
Tim Moore, former North Carolina House Speaker and now US Congressman from the 14th District, paid us a visit with the purpose of discussing his latest efforts. First, he shared his work aimed at ensuring that appropriate federal resources are directed toward Western North Carolina storm victims in the most effective and efficient way possible. Next, he discussed his work on the Finance Services Committee and the Budget Committee as the Congress gears up to preserve the tax relief measures put in place several years ago. He also shared information on the cost cutting measures that are being implemented on the federal level.
Immediately following this event we were lucky enough to escort him over to the podcast booth, where he recorded an episode of “Getting Real with Rob.” We will be announcing the release date soon!
My Take: Congressman Moore is surely one of the more approachable members of Congress with whom I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with. Clearly, he is not your run of the mill freshman member as he served for a time as NC’s Speaker and knows what it takes to put together a budget. That is reflected in his impressive committee assignments. He also knows how to relate to his constituents. We continually see him meet and exceed his goals. All of which are resulting in very positive outcomes. I look forward to following all of his success as he represents us in the 14th District.
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