Faux Real
Just finished reading Tara Servatius’ interview with Malcolm Graham (Talking ‘Ish’, Dec. 20). This man’s a fraud! He criticizes Mayor McCrory for supporting NASCAR, museums, arts and science projects at the expense of poor people. As I remember, as a member of the City Council, Mr. Graham supported every big expenditure uptown. Since then, he’s been a Raleigh ringleader for approval on new hotel-motel taxes and car rental taxes to build the uptown projects — the very things for which he chastises our mayor. In addition Graham — both as a city councilman and representative in Raleigh — was a strong advocate for our light rail boondoogle, money for Johnson and Wales, the white water project, the Arts and Science project and the NASCAR Museum. As for helping the poor, there’s probably not a city in the United States that has spent more money per capita for neighborhood development, public housing, counseling, loans and affirmative actions — all to help needy people. In addition, since going to Raleigh, Graham has discovered that Charlotte has a crime problem! What did he do about crime while a member of the City Council? Nothing that I recall. His statement that the South light rail line will “have a tremendous impact in taking cars off the road” shows a total lack of understanding of light rail and its impacts. No one in Charlotte — politician, transit official or bureaucrat — believes that light rail will reduce congestion on South Boulevard. Finally, Graham attacks the development community with the threat of impact fees, as he says “it’s time for you (the development community) to pay your fair share” to offset the impact on roads, schools, etc. In other words, Graham wants to increase the tax burden on Charlotteans who already pay the highest taxes in the state. My friends, Malcolm Graham wants one thing … he wants to climb the political ladder and will do whatever it takes to get there, including raising your taxes and being a phony. Let’s hope he finds this a difficult task once he gets outside the gerrymandered districts that have placed him on City Council and sent him to Raleigh.
— Don Reid, Charlotte
Rare praise
Just wanted to drop a note to say I really like the changes made to the paper. I think it gives CL a fresh new look. I am a media consultant who moved to Charlotte 15 months ago from Chicago. I have always been impressed by the perspective of your paper, especially as a newcomer. CL helped me plot my initial course to Charlotte and has drawn me to some very cool events and even cooler people, some of whom you have profiled in the new section. One guy you might want to check out for the profile section is the independent filmmaker Darrell. In the big city of Chicago we didn’t even have a filmmaker like him. He makes all kinds of films and presents them at all kinds of venues. Over a year ago I found out about Darrell in your paper and have been hooked ever since.
Keep up the good work. CL is a very important source and, dare I say, life-blood for a lot of people moving here.
— Stefanie Rivers, Charlotte
This article appears in Jan 3-9, 2007.
In either case, all of our council folk are about themselves and what they can say they did while they were on council. “I did this, I did that…” What did you do for who besides yourself? is my question.
They could give a flying rat turd about citizens.
Graham said the South light rail line will NOT “have a tremendous impact in taking cars off the road,” in the original interview. He also admitted to voting for Uptown expansion, but now thinks the city should suspend some of that expansion in favor of helping poor people. Sounds good to me. But who am I kidding? A level-headed pol with good ideas? He’ll finish dead last if he runs.