Hi, and welcome to another fine edition of “Ask Boomer With Attitude,” coming to you from Charlotte, N.C., where new roll-out recycling containers have the power to discombobulate half the population. Summer is always a slow time for notes from readers, so only two of the following questions were really sent in by devoted readers.
Dear BWA: I don’t think the city should give money to help Boxer Property revamp Eastland Mall. — Careful Taxpayer
Dear Careful: OK, that’s not a question, but I know where you’re coming from. At this point, with Boxer Property owning most of the mall, but not the anchor stores, the city would have to pitch in around $17 million to remake Eastland. I say why throw good money after bad? Something needs to be done to help that part of town, but retooling an old mall probably won’t help anyone but the developer. Here’s a better, alternative idea that’s bound to be less expensive: an eastside community garden. Raze the mall and establish a city-supervised, community-run garden where residents could grow produce for their own use, or perhaps for sale in a new Eastland farmers market. It would bring some much-needed greenery to the area, build a sense of community, and help ordinary citizens. Other cities are trying this kind of project, so why not here (I mean, other than the obvious problem of public officials lacking imagination)?
Dear BWA: What’s going on with the Highway Patrol acting like morons and thugs? — Steamed
Dear Steamed: The N.C. Highway Patrol has been plagued with problems lately, including a captain who was fired for drunk driving; a trooper who was fired for drunk driving plus hit-and-run felony; a sergeant who abused his K-9 partner; and another officer who inexplicably shot a cat. Oh yeah, and Major Everett Clendenin, who used to be N.C. Highway Patrol’s official spokesperson, who was canned after he sent thousands of sexually explicit text messages. And don’t forget the trooper who’s being investigated for sexual assault of a motorist. Gov. Perdue and Patrol commander, Col. Randy Glover, say they’re instituting a “zero tolerance” policy and decentralizing the supervision of troopers. Perdue was quoted as saying that the recent spate of sleaze is “killing the image of the patrol.” I guess my question is, “Since when does the highway patrol have a great image in the first place?” Seriously, who, except for government employees and children who’ve been given the “Officer Friendly” song and dance, ever has a good word to say about the patrol? Who in the state hasn’t at some point been pulled over, or know someone who’s been pulled over, by a trooper who turned out to be an arrogant jerk with a high opinion of himself? That may not be a politically correct thing to point out, but let’s get real here. If Perdue wants to “save the image” of the N.C. Highway Patrol, she’s at least 25 years too late. Admittedly, a true “zero tolerance” policy, if enforced, will be a great thing for the state. But, as pointed out by writer Michael Biesecker in the Observer, Col. Glover seems to think the patrol’s problems are largely the result of media exposure. That’s not an encouraging start to Perdue’s new policy, to put it mildly.
Dear BWA: You have written about raising property taxes to meet county budget shortfalls. What about the idea that’s being floated to raise sales tax instead? — Parks Need Help
Dear Parks: No, no, and no. Sales taxes fall heaviest on those who can afford them the least (i.e., rich and poor pay the same sales tax rate). If the county needs more money — and boy, does it ever — then two things should happen: a modest increase in property taxes, and a payroll tax for commuters from surrounding counties, who use our services and roads but currently don’t pay for them. Those seem eminently more fair than raising the rate on the most regressive form of taxation.
Dear BWA: I’m sick of the media always criticizing Charlotte’s banking institutions, and now this Wachovia drug money mess comes along. Can’t we go back to the good old days of banker worship? — Doctor Bankenstein
Dear Doctor: Not too likely, considering the thousands of jobs lost locally, not to mention the big international financial debacle driven by banks, including Bank of America, and their sleazebag practices. Even if Charlotte eventually forgives BofA for the pain, no one’s going to be able to gloss over Wachovia’s role in money laundering for Latin American drug cartels, as reported recently by Bloomberg News. Wachovia admits it didn’t do much to spot illegal funds when it handled a whopping $378.4 billion for Mexican currency-exchange houses over a three-year period, 2004-2007. The prosecutor in the case said, “Wachovia’s blatant disregard for banking laws gave international cocaine cartels a virtual carte blanche to finance their operations.” You know, Doctor, after this case, “banker worship” just isn’t gonna be the same.
This article appears in Jul 13-19, 2010.
