Atrium Health has billions, yet pays a poverty wage to a third of its employees

A striking wage imbalance at Atrium

Regarding “Atrium Health boosts minimum wage for its employees,” (Feb. 6):

Atrium announced a $1 increase in its minimum wage, from $12.50 to $13.50 an hour. Incredibly, almost one third of its 35,000 employees are paid this minimum wage.

Atrium proudly announced that this increase represents an investment of $10.8 million in 2020. The next day Atrium announced that CEO Gene Woods was paid $7.3 million in 2019. In other words, in 2019, 10,000 Atrium employees earned $12.50 an hour while their CEO earned more than $3,500 an hour.

Atrium pays a poverty wage to one-third of its workforce even though it has more than $1 billion in its nonprofit accounts. What is wrong with this picture?

Bill Sitton, Charlotte

CMS must first earn greater trust

Regarding “CMS asks Mecklenburg County for more money for construction,” (Feb. 10):

CMS hired a superintendent who was corrupt and wasted money. They blew $1.75 million on a security system that didn’t work. They want to create a new position to control spending and don’t want to build on land CMS already owns. Now, CMS asks the county for more money because it miscalculated? I’m a public school teacher who voted “yes” for every school bond since moving here in 1994, but NO. Not this time. Prove you’re capable of handling the public’s money, regain our trust, then come back to us.

Anthony Yodice, Charlotte

I said ‘no’ to ASC; county should too

Regarding “Beleaguered Arts & Science Council seeking $12 million in taxpayer funds,” (Feb. 11):

The ASC is basically saying to Mecklenburg voters: “In your face. We, and county leaders, are smarter and more culturally aware than the average voter. We’ll show you.” Maybe the ASC figures a few million for its organization is chump-change and will go unnoticed, considering the hundreds of millions thrown at a billionaire NFL team owner. When and where does it end? At the ballot box? We can wait.

Paul Jones, Charlotte

Eastland needs a transit-oriented plan

We are spending hundreds of millions to build the Gold Line, a high-capacity streetcar line that’ll end at a soccer field. This is where a dense urban complex and supporting neighborhood type shopping center should be built. This is where the city ought to let developers build a little more density in exchange for more below-market rate housing.

It’s hard to understand why the Eastland Mall property has remained derelict for so long with a diverse and vibrant Central Avenue just up the street. Build transit-oriented development on this land. A soccer practice field is huge waste of the land’s potential.

Robert Bischoff, Charlotte

Dem’s plan to tax the rich is flawed

We have Democratic candidates advocating that the government take over many things that we’re paying for privately. They keep saying they’ll get the extra money needed by taxing the rich more. They can’t get enough money that way.

The only way to make it work is to tax all of us more forever. I guess these candidates have forgotten what former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said: “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”

Christ Koconis, Charlotte

Tillis, Burr must stand up to Trump

Now it seems President Trump may have interfered with his buddy Roger Stone’s trial. You didn’t think Trump would abuse his power again? Think again, Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis. Act like our elected senators and stop being Trump’s lapdog.

Laurie Eckart, Davidson

Taxpayers lost in impeachment fiasco

Regarding “I expected more from Sen. Thom Tillis. All he offered was weak, transparent excuses,” (Feb 9 Forum):

This Forum writer expressed disappointment at Sen. Thom Tillis’ impeachment vote. This is surprising given that the outcome of the impeachment process was a foregone conclusion telegraphed well before the House hearings began. The House would vote to impeach along party lines and the Senate would then acquit, along party lines.

This was not an impeachment proceeding; it was a choreographed political reality game show of one-upmanship. The only winners were the paid attorneys who fed at the public trough along with the members of Congress. The unfortunate losers were we taxpayers who got to fund the whole fiasco.

Ken Hanson, Waxhaw

This story was originally published February 13, 2020 at 12:00 AM.