Don’t let Charlotte’s 2040 plan get derailed by a vocal, politically-connected minority

The 2040 plan

The writer is executive director of Sustain Charlotte, which advocates for smart growth.

The Charlotte Future 2040 Plan can show the world what kind of city we want to be. Instead of far-flung, expensive development, we can grow more efficiently, and be less segregated by income and race.

Over the past two and a half years, the city’s planning department reached out to every corner of Charlotte to hear residents’ visions. Thousands responded.

Unfortunately, a small, vocal, politically-connected minority now stands against our community’s vision. This undermines the democratic process that planners followed and ignores the needs of people who cannot find an affordable home due to a housing shortage made greater by the fact that 70% of Charlotte’s land is limited to single-family housing.

Most Charlotteans do not want a status quo that works for a few but fails many. City leaders should respect the democratic process that has been used and adopt the Charlotte Future 2040 plan now.

Shannon Binns, Charlotte

Minimum wage

“Conservatives” believe they are defending capitalism, free markets, and small businesses by opposing the first minimum wage increase since 2009.

Our $7.25 federal wage is among the lowest of industrialized economies. Germany raised its in 2017 to 8.48 euro per hour, about $12. Did unemployment shoot up? No, it actually dropped.

Defenders of a frozen minimum wage use the same arguments made against child labor laws — poor families would suffer income loss and businesses that depended in part of low-wage child labor would collapse, leaving adults jobless too.

Yet, capitalism survived and adapted, just as it will to paying adults a decent, livable wage. Small businesses can be protected by policies which now help only big business.

John F. Rudisill, Charlotte

Burr and Tillis

Votes by Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis against the American Rescue Plan were a slap in the face to all N.C. citizens who were financially and personally devastated by the pandemic.

The relief act will help all citizens and businesses and our state with money for unemployment relief, financial assistance, education, police, fire, vaccines and hospitals.

It’s time to hold our senators responsible for not doing their job for North Carolina.

Daryl Solomonson, Troutman

Political parties

I left the Republican Party 13 years ago. I became an independent because I refuse to be a member of a subversive organization.

Neither party seems to care about the people they represent or the Constitution. They talk a good game while running for an office but once they win, it’s all about their political party and their self-interest.

Meanwhile our country is in a mess because the Democrats have embraced a liberal agenda and the Republicans lack the courage to fight to keep us a constitutional republic.

Kay Roberson, Matthews

Sen. Graham of Oz

Concerning his relationship with Trump, Sen. Lindsey Graham told Axios, “What I’m tryin’ to do is just harness the magic. To me, Donald Trump is sort of a cross between Jesse Helms, Ronald Reagan and P.T. Barnum.”

When will he learn that Trump cannot be manipulated? Trump is the manipulator, and Graham is not The Great Oz behind the curtain.

Just like Helms, Reagan and Barnum, Trump’s reign will end and sooner or later the curtain will be pulled back. Then, we’ll find out that Graham is just a small tragic man.

Deb Park, Charlotte

Government’s role

The March 7 article about the FDA’s plan to identify “maximum safe limits” of toxic metals in baby food as the first step in reducing arsenic, lead and other toxins was appalling.

It’s beyond believe that the FDA hasn’t done this yet to protect our most vulnerable citizens.

Unfortunately, this is not the only area where the federal government is remiss in protecting citizens. Citizens are subjected to scams, hacking, robocalls and unwanted telephone solicitations.

Ours is a great nation, but government should do more to protect citizens.

Donald T. Meyer, Denver