Uncategorized - Action NC

At The Table With Patrick Cannon April 18 2026

Craig Reynolds — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 16:22:04 +0000

At The Table with Patrick Cannon - I77 Toll Discussion

The post At The Table With Patrick Cannon April 18 2026 first appeared on Action NC.

Immediate Press Release: I-77 Toll Expansion

Craig Reynolds — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:45:03 +0000

Action NC Calls for Transparency and Public Accountability in the I‑77 Toll Lane Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Action NC Calls for Transparency and Public Accountability in the I‑77 Toll Lane Project

Charlotte, NC — [3/26/2026] — Action NC is calling for immediate transparency from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) regarding the proposed I‑77 Toll Lane expansion, citing months of withheld information, canceled meetings, and a lack of meaningful public engagement.

Community Concerns Mount as Information Remains Withheld

Residents, community leaders, and elected officials have repeatedly raised alarms about the absence of clear, accessible information on a project that will reshape entire neighborhoods. Recent reporting shows that NCDOT canceled a scheduled tour of impacted areas and has declined multiple invitations to present before community bodies — actions that local leaders say have contributed to an erosion of public trust.

A recent county analysis found that the project could affect 11 parks, four greenway corridors, multiple streams and wetlands, and expose nearby residents to increased traffic pollution. These impacts pose direct threats to community stability, public health, and generational wealth.

Repeated Requests for Information Have Gone Unanswered

Local officials have asked NCDOT to provide clear information on:

Community impacts
Environmental consequences
Alternatives to toll lanes

These requests remain unanswered. Mecklenburg County Commissioner Leigh Altman has stated that she has “continuously invited NCDOT to present” on these issues, with no response.

Action NC has experienced the same pattern. Over the past three weeks, the organization invited NCDOT to participate in three public‑facing engagements:

A structured interview on At the Table with Patrick Cannon Radio Show.
A presentation and Q&A at theTuesday Morning Breakfast Forum
A community panel hosted by the Barringer Drive Initiative

To date, NCDOT has not agreed to any of these opportunities for transparent dialogue.

Action NC’s Role: Educating, Elevating, and Empowering

Action NC emphasizes that it does not claim to speak for the communities most directly impacted. Instead, the organization sees its role as helping the public understand the stakes of the project. We do see educating the public at large on the ‘toll’ that these proposed toll lanes can do to neighborhoods as something we can contribute to.

The organization believes:

The public deserves clear, honest information — not selective disclosures.
Elected leaders must be vocal and accountable in defending their constituents.
Residents must be empowered to ask informed questions during this short window for public input.
Speaking truth to power is a democratic obligation.

Action NC Calls for Immediate Transparency

Action NC urges NCDOT and CRTPO to take the following steps without delay:

Release all preliminary and alternative design options for public review.
Attend and participate in open community forums, including those already requested by Action NC.
Provide clear, accessible explanations of environmental, displacement, and financial impacts.
Commit to a transparent decision‑making process that centers the voices of those most affected.

The public cannot meaningfully participate in a process where critical information is withheld, meetings are canceled, and community concerns are minimized

Next Steps

Action NC will continue working with community advocates like Will Russell, who has volunteered to prepare a three‑part analysis on the history of interstate construction, the viability of the I‑77 project, and potential solutions.

The organization remains committed to educating, organizing, and elevating the voices of residents who deserve to be heard — not talked at.

About Action NC

Action NC is a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing equity, expanding democratic participation, and empowering communities across North Carolina through education, advocacy, and organizing.

Media Contact

Robert Dawkins

Action NC

Phone: (704) 957-3105

Email: robert@actionnc.org

Website: https://actionnc.org/say-no-to-i77-tolls/

The post Immediate Press Release: I-77 Toll Expansion first appeared on Action NC.

Say No to I-77 Tolls!

Craig Reynolds — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:31:45 +0000

SAY NO TO I-77 TOLLS!

Email NC DOT Civil Rights Director Tunya Smith at tmsmith9@ncdot.gov and say:
“I don’t want a toll road through my community. the NCDOT need to another solution that doesn’t involve negative impacts on historically black neighborhoods”
Share this message with 5 people who live or travel near I77
Talk to your neighbors — real conversations matter

Five minutes of action today can save years of regret later.

The post Say No to I-77 Tolls! first appeared on Action NC.

Hundreds participate in Fayetteville’s No Kings rally.

stacy — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:11:15 +0000

Carrol Olinger, center, yells chants with the crowd during a No Kings rally in downtown

Fayetteville on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Andrew Craft, The Fayetteville Observer

The post Hundreds participate in Fayetteville’s No Kings rally. first appeared on Action NC.

If They Can’t Even Fund the Study, How Can We Trust Them With $20 Billion?

Craig Reynolds — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:03:33 +0000

If They Can't Even Fund the Study, How Can We Trust Them With $20 Billion?

Before a single dollar from the proposed Mecklenburg County sales tax increase could be spent, government officials would need to conduct multiple feasibility studies. The problem? They don’t even know where that money would come from. That’s right, there's no clear plan for how to pay for the studies required to implement the tax, let alone manage a $20 billion transit project over the next 30 years.

This glaring oversight begs a simple but serious question: If local leaders can’t handle the basics of planning, why should we trust them to deliver a multibillion-dollar project that spans decades?

Mismanagement Starts at Step One

Voters are being asked to approve a tax increase with no transparency on how implementation will begin. The lack of upfront planning raises red flags for anyone who has ever had to balance a budget or manage a project. No blueprint, no timeline, no accountability, just vague promises and a plea for more money.

We’re not talking about a neighborhood sidewalk or a park renovation. This is a 30-year, $20 billion transit overhaul. And the people pushing it can’t even outline how they’ll fund the initial studies required to launch it. That’s not bold leadership. That’s mismanagement hiding behind slogans.

Trust Is Earned, Not Assumed

When you ask families in Mecklenburg County to spend an extra $858 a year through a permanent tax hike, you need to offer more than vague ideas and political buzzwords. You need a clear plan. You need fiscal discipline. And above all, you need trust.

But how can voters trust a project when even the first step, the funding for the required groundwork, is missing in action? The truth is, they can’t. And they shouldn’t be expected to.

The Wrong Plan at the Wrong Time

This isn’t the first time residents have seen big ideas come with bigger price tags and disappointing follow-through. Schools remain overcrowded, safety is a huge concern, and housing costs keep climbing. Yet we’re now being asked to fund a 30-year transit expansion that doesn’t even have its paperwork in order.

It’s not about being against progress. It’s about demanding competence. Before launching a generational tax burden, local leaders should prove they can deliver on the small stuff first. Instead, they’re rushing voters into a high-stakes decision without showing any signs they can handle it.

What Voters Deserve

Mecklenburg County families deserve answers, not assumptions. They deserve leadership that respects their money and earns their trust through clear, transparent action. Until then, any talk of a $20 billion transit future is just that, talk.

The post If They Can’t Even Fund the Study, How Can We Trust Them With $20 Billion? first appeared on Action NC.

It’s Not Just a Penny

Craig Reynolds — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 08:00:02 +0000

It's Not Just a Penny

Even though the first year's cost is an increase of $240 (as widely reported), and that might not feel like the full impact, this is a generational tax. Over time it averages out to $858 every single year, adding up to more than $25,000 over 30 years.

As families go through life, they make big purchases: cars, furniture, appliances, school supplies, holiday gifts, even the occasional home improvement. Each of those is subject to the higher tax. Over thirty years, with the compounding effect of inflation, it averages out to $858 every single year.

Everyday Purchases, Real Costs

Think about what your family spends in a typical month. Planning on buying a used car for $15,000 at any point over the next 30 years? That’s $150 more. Will you need to add furnishings to your home with a $2,000 bill for a couch and a few appliances? That’s another $20-plus. A family shopping trip at Target or Walmart with $300 of essentials now costs $3 more. It may not feel like much, one receipt at a time, but it adds up…fast.

For many Mecklenburg residents, especially those already living paycheck to paycheck, that’s money that could go toward groceries, gas, or rent. It’s not “just a penny” when that penny keeps multiplying across hundreds of purchases month after month.

Who Really Feels the Impact?

Flat sales taxes hit working-class and low-income families the hardest. When more of your income goes toward everyday essentials, a one-percent increase is not small. It’s regressive, meaning the less you earn, the more of your income goes toward taxes. While wealthier households may not notice the change, those earning under $50,000 per year certainly will.

That $858 annual impact may not be noticeable if you're in a higher income bracket, but for many Mecklenburg families, it's the equivalent of a car payment, two weeks’ rent, or holiday gifts for the kids.

A Vote with Real-Life Consequences

Voting against this tax is not about opposing education or public services. It's about demanding more responsible, equitable solutions, not placing the burden on families who are already stretched thin. Mecklenburg County needs to hear from voters who understand that working people can’t keep shouldering the cost of every new initiative.

It’s not “just a penny.” It’s 85,800 pennies a year averaged out over the next 30 years. And they’re coming straight from the pockets of families who can least afford it. Before you vote, take a close look at your receipts, your budget, and what another 1% means for your household.

The post It’s Not Just a Penny first appeared on Action NC.

Hiding Facts

Craig Reynolds — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 11:31:51 +0000

When you go to the polls this November, the question on the ballot will look simple. It will ask whether you support raising the sales tax by “one penny.” It will sound like a modest request, a small price to pay for a big promise.

But the truth is being hidden in plain sight.

This referendum does not just raise the tax by a penny. It increases the sales tax rate by 14%. It does not simply add a new tax. It TRIPLES the already existing transportation tax. Yet you will never see that spelled out on the ballot. Commissioners themselves debated whether this math should be disclosed, and their own attorney insisted it was “not appropriate” to include.

So the very people tasked with informing the public made a deliberate choice to exclude the real numbers.

What the Ballot Won’t Tell You

It won’t tell you that the tax is permanent, not a 30-year program with a sunset. Commissioners admitted this during their July 30th meeting; the 30-year figure is just a projection, while the tax lives on forever.
It won’t tell you that the revenue will be carved up in a confusing 40/40/20 split, with no guarantee that promised rail lines will ever materialize. Even the commissioners struggled to explain how much money would really go to buses, roads, or trains.
It won’t tell you what neighborhoods will actually see improvements, or which projects will be delayed, changed, or never built at all.

The Pattern of Broken Promises

Citizens are being asked to pay more year after year, but the details remain vague. We are told to trust the same system that officials themselves admit “doesn’t work.” We are told it’s just a penny, when in reality it’s a 14% increase. We are told it’s about connectivity and prosperity, when the history of transit planning in Charlotte shows otherwise; big promises, long delays, and communities left behind.

The Choice Before Us

This referendum is not just about transit. It’s about honesty, transparency, and trust. If the facts are hidden on the ballot itself, how can we expect the dollars to be handled with care once they’re collected?

Before you vote, remember: you deserve the whole truth, not a carefully worded half-truth. The public has the right to know what this tax will really cost, how long it will last, and who will benefit. Until those facts are put on the table, voters should see this referendum for what it is, taxation without representation, built on hiding the facts.

The post Hiding Facts first appeared on Action NC.

Who Benefits From The Tripling of the Transportation Tax?

Craig Reynolds — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 18:53:47 +0000

Who Benefits?: How the Transit Tax Puts the Weight on Working Families

Politicians and business elites love to tell us this new sales tax is “just a penny.” But let’s talk about what that penny really means. This so-called 1% increase would raise Charlotte’s sales tax rate to 8.25%; a 14% jump overall and a tripling of the current transportation tax.

If you’re a CEO sipping lattes in a South End high-rise, maybe that feels like pocket change. But if you’re a working-class family already deciding whether to fill the gas tank or buy everyday essentials, those pennies stack up.

85,800 Pennies Per Year

And where does it hit hardest? On the essentials:

School supplies for your kids
Diapers and baby formula
Hygiene products and non-prescription medicine
Children’s clothing
Family dinners out, birthdays, and holidays

Christmas gifts? $120 more a year
Eating out occasionally? Another $120
And don’t forget, teachers and parents are footing the bill for classrooms out of pocket. This tax adds insult to injury.

Who Benefits?

Not the bus riders in West Charlotte still waiting for the bus in the rain.
Not the families in South Charlotte who have to work two jobs just to stay afloat.

No, the real winners are downtown developers and corporate headquarters, who:

Get walkable access
See their property values rise
Receive public subsidies to attract a shiny new workforce

It’s a trickle-up tax. They make the promises, and you pay the bill.

No Voice, No Relief

The most offensive part? The communities bearing the cost had no real seat at the table when this was planned. The proposed routes won’t even reach many of our neighborhoods. And still, we’re told to “do our part” for “the future.”

But whose future are we funding?

Because when we hear polished politicians say, “This time it will be different,” we know better. We've heard that before. And every time, it ends the same way:

The skyline gets shinier.
The developers grow wealthier.
And the working class is left holding the bag.

Charlotte Can Do Better

We need transit. No doubt.
But we need it built with us, not on our backs.

Not with rushed plans.
Not with vague answers.
Not with taxes that punish the people who can least afford it.

Let’s stand up and say NO to this tax.
Let’s demand a transit plan that serves everyone, not just the elite few already sitting pretty in Uptown.

Because it’s not “just a penny.” It’s your livelihood. Your kids’ clothes. Your future.

The post Who Benefits From The Tripling of the Transportation Tax? first appeared on Action NC.

This Time It Will Be Different? We’ve Heard That Before.

stacy — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:51:43 +0000

Every few years, Charlotte’s political and business elite return with the same polished pitch.

"This time it will be different," they say.
But for working families, it never is.

Now they want your vote for a new 1% transit tax increase. At first glance, they make it sound harmless; just a penny! But look closer:

https://actionnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Things-Will-Be-Different.mp4

The Truth Behind the Numbers

It’s a 14% increase in the overall sales tax rate
It triples the current transit tax burden
It applies across the board: from baby formula to school supplies, diapers, medicine, and clothing

For families living paycheck to paycheck, that’s not just a penny. It’s another squeeze on budgets already stretched thin by rising rents, gas, groceries, and utility costs.

And while Uptown suits may not flinch, real working people will feel it with every purchase.

Same Promise, Same Playbook

Let’s be honest. The “inclusive growth” line isn’t new.

We’ve heard it from:

Polished politicians on city council
Well-dressed chamber executives
Think tank consultants who never take the bus

They promise mobility, opportunity, transformation. But here’s what we’ve actually gotten:

New rail lines that serve the wealthy first
Development deals that inflate Uptown while pushing families further out
Tax policies that burden the working class while corporations cash in on incentives

Each time, the result is the same:
Corporate convenience rises. Working families are left behind.

What the Video Shows

If you haven’t watched This Time It Will Be Different, you need to.

It lays bare the truth:

Recycled rhetoric dressed up as new vision
Regressive taxation sold as fairness
Real harm to those who can least afford more pressure

What Charlotte needs is real investment. Yes, in transit. Yes, in infrastructure.

But not funded by taxing the families who’ve already paid the price—over and over again.

Don’t Be Fooled. Don’t Be Used.

They say it’s just a penny.
They say this time is different.
They always do.

But you’ve seen the pattern. You live with the consequences.

It’s time to break the cycle.
It’s time to demand a plan that actually serves working people, not just big business and backroom deals.

Vote NO this November.
Watch the video. Share the truth.

Let’s stop pretending things will be different, until they actually are.

The post This Time It Will Be Different? We’ve Heard That Before. first appeared on Action NC.

Charlotte candidate forum focuses on housing, transit ahead of fall primary election

stacy — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:11:08 +0000

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Voters in Charlotte heard directly from candidates running for mayor, city council at-large, and several district seats in the upcoming municipal primary.

The Redress Movement, Action NC and ONE Meck hosted a public forum at First United Methodist Church in Uptown on Tuesday evening.

The discussion centered on some of the city’s most pressing issues, including affordable housing, neighborhood justice, and the future of transit.

The event featured both a live question-and-answer session and printed responses to key housing and transportation questions for attendees to review.

The forum was moderated by Justin Perry, co-founder of ONE Meck, and Greg Jarrell of the Redress Movement.

Perry said local primaries are critical in shaping the city’s future, especially when it comes to addressing Charlotte’s decades-long affordable housing crisis.

Jarrell added that while national politics often dominate headlines, local leaders have the most direct impact on residents’ daily lives.

The post Charlotte candidate forum focuses on housing, transit ahead of fall primary election first appeared on Action NC.