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Charlotte's two mayoral candidates continued to play up their differences Wednesday as they parted ways over a proposed streetcar and the nature of the city's top job.
Democrat Anthony Foxx and Republican John Lassiter spoke to a Charlotte Chamber audience in Pinehurst in the afternoon before bringing what Lassiter called their "traveling road show" to Queens University of Charlotte in a forum co-sponsored by WFAE that night.
Less than a month before the November election, both still are fighting the impression that there's little difference in the men who hope to become Charlotte's first new mayor in 14 years. At the Chamber's Pinehurst retreat, Johnson C. Smith University President Ron Carter told them they "sound alike in many ways."
In response, Lassiter described what he called a "significant difference of performance" and cited his experience as a school board member, planning commissioner and City Council member. It is, he said, "a record unparalleled for someone running for this office."
"I guess I just ought to quit," replied Foxx.
But Foxx highlighted his own record on council and as someone who grew up in Charlotte and has an "emotional connection" to the community. Lassiter moved to Charlotte nearly 27 years ago from Raleigh.
Foxx portrayed himself as someone who has championed the hiring of police, the building of roads and development of road corridors.
At Queens, the two debated financing for the proposed streetcar that would run from Johnson C. Smith through town to Eastland Mall. Last month Foxx and the council's Democratic majority voted to override Mayor Pat McCrory's veto of $4.5 million on an engineering study for the line. Lassiter opposed it.
Though Lassiter supports the project, he said he didn't believe in committing money until the city knows how it would pay for the $450 million project.
Both vowed that they wouldn't raise property taxes to pay for the line. Last month, the city staff outlined scenarios to the council's Transportation Committee, which Foxx chairs. One called for creating a special taxing district along the line and enacting a 4-cent tax hike for every $100 of taxable value. Another called for a citywide tax increase of 2 cents.
Lassiter said it's unclear where the city's estimated $115 million share would come from. Foxx suggested ways to pay for it without property taxes, including an engineering solution that would do away with overhead wires.
Asked whether Charlotte is ready for a full-time mayor, Lassiter said he would try to balance the part-time job with his business and family. Foxx said the city is "moving past the time when a part-time mayor can engage the community."
Foxx said he would revisit the idea of city-county consolidation. Lassiter said he would support more functional consolidation among the city, county and school system in areas such as human resources and information technology.
