Thursday, June 18, 2009

Foxx, Lassiter put styles on display at JCSU

Adding police? Moving a bookstore? Those were among the ideas that Charlotte mayoral candidates Anthony Foxx and John Lassiter outlined this morning to help overcome Charlotte's economic barriers.

The two spoke at a breakfast for the Charlotte Chamber's Inter City Visit at Johnson C. Smith University.

Foxx, a Democrat, talked about the importance of reducing crime in areas such as the Beatties Ford Road corridor, and touted a new police substation in the area to do just that. He also wants to streamline zoning and other regulations to make it easier for low-income areas to develop.

Lassiter, a Republican, threw a challenge to their host, JCSU President Ron Carter. Move the campus bookstore outside the school's fences to create a link to the community that could also spur other development.

He said such moves, along with city-aided development along Trade Street west of I-77 would help break the "noose" formed by that interstate and I-277 around the center city.

The two added their own styles to the discussion.

Foxx got personal in underscoring the racial and economic gaps in Charlotte today. He showed slides of himself as a boy with his grandmother, growing up a couple miles from the campus. He also showed a picture of the late Joe Martin, who got to know Foxx at West Charlotte High and wrote a recommendation that helped him get into Davidson College.

"Where are the Anthony Foxx's and Joe Martin's coming together now?" he asked.

Lassiter outlined more specifics -- extension of the Gold Rush trolley to JCSU, for example -- and touted his own life experience as a member of the school board and city council.

He described how he's bridged community divides by supporting renovations of inner-city schools and reaching out to minority contractors. Charlotte, he said, has to "find a way to do the kinds of things that bridge our relationships and work together."

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

John...regretfully you are fighting a losing battle at JCSU. Those folks, yes I said those folks vote based on skin color. Remember the way the Westside Churches handled the last election. Handing out sample ballots that were filled in telling folks how to vote. If John gets 3% of the black vote he will be lucky. I would not waste my time.

Anonymous said...

That is the problem, "just ignore those folks." I am one of those folks. Maybe if someone shows true concerns for the community. John may receive some votes. Never discount any possible vote. If you listen to what people have say maybe you would receive more respect. The time is now to listen. Some of us folks do have minds of our own and we do not have to be told which canidate should receive our vote. Keep that same thought process and you will the people.

Anonymous said...

look at OBAMA...race does play a factor. Some blacks were on TV after the election saying "now we can be what we want to be"...what stopped you before? I wish race wasn't looked at in politics.

independentCLT said...

he is not winning a loosing battle...that is a meme repeated throughout the media.

the AfAm community is actually pretty conservative in a lot of their views...the problem is that some in the Repub party are seen as inherently racist and therefore scare the community. It is easy to ignore or disavow what you think is harmful to you.

However, a university is a great place to speak to ppl...these folks are more open minded because they are scholars.

after reading some of the words Lassiter stated...he is a few steps closer to my vote

Anonymous said...

First of all, "those people" at JCSU are educated and vote for the issues and not the color of someone's skin. If you listen to Foxx and Lassiter, neither of them seem to have what it takes to lead Charlotte. If John doesn't get the black vote, it is because he listened to idiots like 11:05 and ignored black people.