South Charlotte

We just had a great meal over at Q’s Diner over at the Galleria, on Sardis Road.

Great home cooked food, like Meat Loaf, veggies and the like.

The fried okra was a delight according to my better half.

We normally do not endorse restaurants but this one is open all week and Sunday until five. Plus it is a great dining experience.

Click here for the Facebook page of Q’s

Julia Wyatt James
May 5, 2011
Dear Friends,
On May 8th, North Carolina voters will have the opportunity to vote on some of the most significant ballot issues facing the state in recent times. The outcome of the votes will significantly impact the direction of both state and county government for years to come and will shape the role of government in our lives. Our lives are most directly impacted by the actions of our local elected bodies, including the Mecklenburg County Commission.
On Tuesday, I am asking for you to support my husband, Commissioner Bill James, as he seeks re-election to the County Commission for District 6. I am often asked, “How do you handle being married to an elected official?” My first response is always, “don’t believe everything that you see in the press.” My second response is that I fully support his passion for a country, state, and county as envisioned by the Founding Fathers under the constitution with equal rights for all (not special rights), limited government and freedom of religion (not the absence of religion).
I know that many of you are aware of the significant accomplishments that he has achieved in standing strong for conservative principles, limited government, and lower taxes. (If not, I have detailed a few of them at the end of this letter.) What you are probably not aware of is the countless hours each week Bill spends serving individual citizens of Mecklenburg County assisting them in resolving problems that they face. When Bill is contacted by a citizen, it doesn’t matter who they are, what political party they are in, or even whether they live in District 6. He assists them, to the best of his ability, in trying to resolve the problem. Behind the scenes, there are endless telephone conversations and e-mails discussing upcoming agenda items and county business with fellow commissioners, both Republican and Democratic commissioners alike. Bill is a loving husband and loving father of our four children. Three of our children are graduates of CMS-Butler High School. (Our youngest child is currently in 8th grade.)
In setting a vision for America, Ronald Reagan urged Republicans to raise “a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors, which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people.” I believe that Bill has clearly raised “a banner” in Mecklenburg Country and unwaveringly stands for the conservative principles that Reagan believed in- smaller government, personal responsibility, and a vision of a great America.
The County is at a crossroads and faces many challenges over the next two years. The county needs proven conservative leadership not “pale pastels.” As you take time to vote on Tuesday, I would ask you to vote for my husband, Bill James for County Commission District 6.
Sincerely,

Julie James

Key Accomplishments:
• Leading the fight against City and County Consolidation so that the citizens of District 6, especially those in the suburban towns, will continue to have representation in local government. Chairman Parks Helms first introduced this proposal in 1996. Bill had been elected and not yet sworn in. He immediately went to work to stop this proposal by building consensus with Democrats. He helped defeat this proposal in 1996 and the additional 2 times that it was proposed by Parks Helms during his time as chairman of the County Commission. He has continued to stand strong on this issue and was the first elected official to speak against consolidation when it was recently re-proposed by Charlotte Mayor Anthony Fox. He was the first elected official to support the possibility of the de-annexation of parts of Southern Mecklenburg from the City of Charlotte.

• Exposing the problems of the recent property tax revaluations. Bill was the first elected official to bring to the public’s attention the problems with the recent tax revaluations. He immediately began to search for solutions for the citizens of Mecklenburg County.

• Leading the Battle for Neighborhood Schools. Bill was one of the original citizens that assisted those that sued the CMS school district to bring about the end of busing in 1997. He continues to fight for children to attend schools closest to their homes. He continues to challenge CMS to be accountable to tax payers on budget issues. He was the first elected official to suggest dividing CMS into area school districts.

• Bill has led the charge for open government in Mecklenburg County so that the citizens of the county are aware of the decisions being made by their elected officials. Due to his efforts, including buying a “spy pen,” the Commission now records all closed session meetings.

• Bill worked to get the Marriage Amendment in Mecklenburg County on the ballot so people, not politicians determined how to define marriage. Now that it is on the ballot, he is fully engaged in passing it.

• Bill worked to get the Ballantyne Land fill stopped winning him the endorsement of the Catawba River group. The original vote on the landfill expansion was an 8-1 vote to proceed with the landfill (with Bill being the lone negative vote). Through consensus building and pressure, the final vote was an unanimous vote of 9-0 to stop the landfill expansion.

• Bill has never voted for a tax increase.
• Bill has opposed the expansion of the sales tax base.
• Bill has accomplished his goal of establishing County Bond Fund to control county debt.
• Bill opposed the revaluation rate.
• Bill sponsored and got passed the “police tax” allowing the towns to police unincorporated areas.
• Bill supports and voted for the 287G program to identify illegals in the Mecklenburg County jails
• Bill approved building libraries at Rea Road, Matthews, and Mint Hill.
• Bill approved the historic renovations projects in Pineville.

After consideration and review we at District Six have endorsed Bill James for another season.

We have to ask our selves, would a School Board, which just a few months ago ignored us, turn around and discuss hiring a new Super. using the terms they want to bring all the people back together with this new Super?

Would we have seen the kind of press support those people who have been paying the taxes for so long for so many, with information like taxes would go up for everyone in Charlotte if the Balllantyne area is allowed to start their own town.

All of this had to have a foundation and a person who ahead of creating the road map for what is going on now and Bill James, like him or not was the person who took the heat and was working hard for the very fairness we are now seeing.

Yes Bill James is not perkfct but who is, and we know what he has done and will be willing to champion for us at this very important time of our City, County and Country’s History.

Bill Jame sent this out:

CMS discloses district funding disparity
Disparity between districts is huge
District 6 alone lost $19 million to the inner-city (based on average funding)

District 1 (Republican) $4,943 per student (second lowest amount)
District 2 (Democrat) $6,000 per student
District 3 (Democrat) $6,112 per student
District 4 (Democrat) $6,332 per student
District 5 (Republican) $5,304 per student
District 6 (Republican) $4,784 per student (lowest amount)

Average funding is roughly $5,526 per student (County dollars only). For District 6 that means that we receive $742 per child LESS THAN the average (at $4,784). Since District 6 has 25,957 children, this means a loss of $19,260,074 – a wealth transfer from District 6 into the inner-city. These amounts don’t include State dollars that also could be allocated in a discriminatory way by CMS.

Which is why suburban children would be better off if CMS was broken up into three Districts (one Northern School District, one Southern School District, and the center city of Charlotte).

If split up, the new Southern and Northern School districts could provide more money to children living there.

Bill James
County Commission
District 6, R

Facebook: meckcommish
Twitter: @meckcommish

Jim met with some elected officials and the Chief of Police for Mint Hill during a breakfast meeting on Thursday, March 16th. He is scheduled for more events all over the area so be sure to visit his website, and make plans to attend. Jim Pendergraph For Congress

Listening Tour Stop #2: Click Here To See Event Details
8:15am-9:15 am
Original Pancake House
4736 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC 28210

Listening Tour Stop #3: Click Here To See Event Details
11:30am-12:30 pm
Green’s Hot Dogs
309 West 4th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202

We at SouthCharlotte.org fully support and look forward to Jim being our Representative in Washington.

Bill James sent out the following asking this of Ed Driggs:

1. Is he in favor of giving CMS $30 million more (I am not). If he is, is he prepared to raise taxes to do so? If not, what would he cut from the County budget?
2. Is he in favor of splitting CMS and creating Southern and Northern School Systems? I am.
3. Is he in favor of forming a new ‘Town of Ballantyne’? I am.
4. Is he in favor of strict Voter ID laws (BOE is a County department)? I am
5. Is he in favor of the NC Marriage Amendment (The county issues marriage licenses)? I am
6. Does he support the 287G County program that identifies and deports illegals (the County controls the Jail)? I am
7. Does he plan on supporting a refunding of the local PBS station he is an advocate for. If elected would be given tax dollars to PBS from the County budget”? I will NOT

We sent a copy of this to Ed, and want to be fair to both sides. We will post what the answers were as soon as possible.

Sign the new petition for deconsolidation of our schools in Mecklenburg County.

Click here to go to the petition

SPARK is the new group, vying for the changes SPARK Click Here

The facts are here. We have the study completed just a couple of months ago, showing the need for all Parents to use the Lottery in failing school zones.

Click here for Magnet Study done on previous CMS Students

Most people are unaware of the law where you can receive six thousand per year for Children with disabilities for Private and other schools, outside the CMS system.

Text of the law in PDF. Go to www.Adobe.com for the free viewer

A fellow District Six Neighbor sent us this information:

Click here for the Home School Information