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The conventional wisdom enveloping Charlotte's great mayoral race of 2009 is that there's not a dime's worth of difference between the two candidates.
That's not true, and anyone who saw the Observer-NewsChannel36 debate between Democrat Anthony Foxx and Republican John Lassiter on Wednesday will tell you the same thing.
The two differ in a number of ways. But what became most clear Wednesday night was that Foxx and Lassiter have sharply opposing views of the development-building-real estate industry. Lassiter sees the industry, primarily, as vital to the city's rejuvenation. Foxx sees the industry, primarily, as a threat that needs to be closely regulated.
Undecided about whom to vote for? You might be pushed off the fence by analyzing your own views of developers and builders. Undecided voters might want to back Lassiter if they believe developers are too heavily regulated, that the city makes it too difficult and too expensive for builders and that the industry is essential to revitalizing our economy. Voters who believe developers have ruled this city for too long and need to be reined in might want to back Foxx.
A clear distinction
Foxx took the first shot at Wednesday's debate. "During your many years in politics you have taken thousands of dollars from big developers and consistently sided with developer interests... Why are you so convinced that our economic revival is best left to big developers...?"
Some expected Lassiter to dispute the premise. He didn't.
"Because so much of what we need to happen is at the hands of the development community," Lassiter replied. He cited recent examples of how developers risked their money to take on projects that have been important to Charlotte. Those included new development on Wilkinson Boulevard, the conversion of Midtown Square into the Metropolitan and the replacement of the old convention center with the EpiCentre.
"At the end of the day, we need capital at risk to make things happen," Lassiter said.
Later, contractor John Huson asked what the candidates would do about rules and regulations that drive up the cost of developing housing. They answered in opposite ways.
Foxx briefly said there may be some rules that could be relaxed. "But what I won't do is, I won't allow the development community to try to fix the capital market problem ... by eliminating regulations that I think are good for our community long-term."
Then Lassiter: "Those ordinances have raised the cost of building a new home in Charlotte $2,700 per unit. Now, that should be staggering. ... In the industry we most need to be regenerated, in a way to rebuild homebuilding and meet that American dream, we've now put it a little bit out of range."
A big part of the job
There were several other exchanges that made the same point: Foxx and Lassiter have fundamentally different takes on the development industry.
It's an important fact, because rezonings and other development-related questions are among the mayor's and City Council's biggest tasks.
Lassiter has received about 20 percent of his campaign contributions from the building and real estate industry. About 5 percent of Foxx's contributions has come from there. That reflects in part developers' appreciation of Lassiter's friendlier voting record on issues that most concern them.
Lassiter opposed at least three major initiatives surrounding development that the City Council has tackled the past few years: the Urban Street Design Guidelines, the Transportation Action Plan and the Bicycle Plan. Foxx supported all three. The development industry mostly opposed all three.
In the constant tug between development and regulation, the record suggests Lassiter values the role developers and builders play in making things happen in Charlotte more than Foxx does. And it suggests Foxx values the role government plays in making sure developers do their business responsibly and with respect for certain aspects of Charlotte's quality of life more than Lassiter does.
Who's right? You decide, Tuesday.
