PBS CHARLOTTE.

>> THIS WEEKEND OFF THE RECORD CHARLOTTE'S POLICE CHIEF ORDERS CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING FOR COPS.

THE RESPONSE FROM COPS, THIS ISN'T STARBUCKS AND AS LONG AS WE'RE OUTSIDE COVID FACE COVERING RULES.

FIRST IT WAS CITY HALL NOW STATE LAWMAKERS PROPOSING AN END TO FAMILY ZONING.

BUT THAT WILL CHANGE CHARLOTTE NEIGHBORHOODS PLUS A POSSIBLE PAY RAISE TO TEACHERS, THANKS TO THE BUDGET PLAN AND NEW CONGRESS IN NORTH CAROLINA AND THOUSANDS OF NEW HIGH TECH JOBS NEAR RALLY THANKS TO A TAX BREAK FROM APPLE.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

LOTS TO TALK ABOUT NEXT ON PBS CHARLOTTE.

>> HI I'M JEFF SONIER AND WE'RE OFF THE RECORD TALKING ABOUT THE STORIES YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK AND IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS AND LISTEN TO THE NEWS YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THE NAMES AND FACES AROUND OUR VIRTUAL TABLE.

MARK BECKER AND DEDRICK RUSSELL AND ASHLEY FAHEY, THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

YOU CAN ALSO JOIN US AT HOME SEND QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO OFF THE RECORD.

LET'S START WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND HIS THOUGHTS ON HOW TO BUILD TRUST, I SUPPOSE, IN HIS DEPARTMENT, AND THE TRUST ISSUES THAT I SUPPOSE WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

HIS PROPOSAL THIS WEEK IS SOMETHING THAT NO OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT, I GUESS, HAS REALLY DONE BEFORE.

B BECKS YOU ARE OUR REGULAR POLICE REPORTER.

>> IT IS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF CORPORATE RIGHT FIELD WHAT HE'S SUGGESTS IS SOMETHING THAT EVEN, DO NON-PROFITS DO.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS HIGH A CONSULTANT, I BELIEVE THE NUMBER IS LIKE $60,000, TO COME IN AND BASICALLY TEACH OUR OFFICERS HOW TO BE PERSONABLE, MORE FRIENDLY, AND AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THE KIND OF STARBUCKS KIND OF PERSON, EVERYBODY IS WELCOME, YOU KNOW, JUST LET'S BUILD RELATIONS ON THE FRONT END.

AND THAT'S ALL GOOD.

I MEAN, THAT'S -- IT'S POSITIVE, CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG WITH IT UNLESS YOU GO WITH THE $60,000.

BUT, THAT IS ISN'T THE SAME THING AS THE OTHER BIG TERM WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT IS DEESCALATION.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT [INDISCERNIBLE] CRISIS WHEN YOU HAVE THAT SHOOT, DON'T SHOOT THAT, CRITICAL LIFE AND DEATH DECISION ON THE LINE.

AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL GOOD, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY THE POINT.

AND THE SOP, INTERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE TO A POLICE UNION HERE HAS COME OUT VERY VOCALLY SAYING WE'RE DON'T AGREE WITH THIS.

IT'S BASICALLY FEEL GOOD, WOULD BE BETTER SPENT TO IMPROVE MORAL.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE OTHER QUESTION AND THE OTHER ISSUE IS I'M BEGINNING TO HEAR AROUND THE EDGES THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T ALL ROSY WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

YOU HAVE 26 OFFICERS WHO HAVE LEFT.

LAST TIME I TALKED TO THE CHIEF HE WAS SAYING WE HAVE BASICALLY AS MANY LEAVING AS MANY COMING IN MAYBE MORE.

TREADING WATER IN THE MAN POWER SIDE.

BUT, YEAH, IT'S AN INTERESTING APPROACH.

IT'S HARMLESS, I GUESS, ON SOME LEVEL, BUT IS IT HELPFUL?

I DON'T KNOW.

>> I GUESS TIME WILL TELL.

I GUESS COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE SOUNDING OFF.

I JUST TALKED TO ROBERT FROM ACTION NORTH CAROLINA HE SAYS I'M NOT MAD AT EDUCATION BECAUSE EDUCATION WILL BENEFICIAL IN THE END.

HE HAS HAD THE POLICE COME TO HIM ABOUT WHAT TRAINING THEY SHOULD HAVE AND SUGGESTED SOMETHING ELSE BUT HE'S NOT MAD AT THE CHIEF DOING IT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HEADLINE YOU'RE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GOOD, AND YOU SEE THE HEADLINE WHEN POLICE PULL OVER NON-VI -- NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPIRED LICENSE PLATES AND THINGS ESCALATED, YOU JUST PULLED ME OVER FOR A BROKEN TAIL LIGHT IS HOW PEOPLE CAN DIE OVER A BROKEN TAIL LIGHT OR AN ALTERCATION OVER EXPIRED LICENSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN VIRGINIA SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.

AND I GUESS TIME WILL TELL IF THIS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND YOU HAVE THE NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS.

>> WHEN BRAXTON WINSTON, AGREE WITH THAT ESSENTIALLY THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY, NOT A WASTE OF MONEY.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE DETAILS ABOUT THE TRAINING YET BUT ACCORDING TO THE FOP IT'S GOING TO BE A SIX HOUR TRAINING SESSION AND THEY QUESTION WHETHER SIX HOURS OF TRAINING MAKES A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO THE DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES AND CHALLENGES OF BEING A POLICE OFFICER.

SYMBOLICALLY, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CHIEF IS GOING WITH THIS, BUT REALISTICALLY, DOES A SIX HOUR TRAINING SESSION FROM A COMPANY THAT'S NEVER DONE TRAIN BEING WITH POLICE BEFORE REALLY CHANGE THE -- MOVE THE NEEDLE, OR CHANGE THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN A PUBLIC THAT MAYBE DOESN'T ENTIRELY TRUST THE OFFICERS AND THE OFFICERS THAT NEVER KNOW IF THE NEXT SUSPECT IS AN ACTUAL CRIMINAL OR JUST YOUR GUY WITH A BROKEN TAIL LIGHT.

>> THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING SPACE THAT WE ARE IN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD TRAINING BEFORE.

TRAINING ON DEESCALATION, WE HAVE HAD ALL OF THIS TRAINING BEFORE, AND WE STILL ARE NOT GETTING THE JOB DONE.

THE COMMUNITY IS STILL NOT PLEASED.

WHAT DO YOU SAY IF YOU KEEP DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS AND THEY CALL THAT INSANE.

THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS, BUT PEOPLE SAY WE HAVE HAD THE TRAINING BEFORE, SO WHY NOT WE TRY A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TRAINING TO SEE IF WE GET DIFFERENT RESULTS.

AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE JUST TIRED OF PEOPLE JUST TALKING AND JUST SAY YOU WANT TO DO CHANGE AND THEN NOTHING HAPPENS AND THEN MAKING A BOLD STATEMENT SAYING HEY WE'LL DO THIS BOLD STATEMENT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WE'RE SERIOUS AND WE'RE BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING THINGS BETTER BETWEEN POLICE AND COMMUNITY.

>> AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE THE APOLOGY OR THE PR PERSON.

WE'RE HEARING ABOUT SHOOTINGS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND HERE AT CHARLOTTE, AT CMPD THERE WAS ONE POLICE SHOOTING LAST YEAR, ONE, AND THAT WAS A GUY WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY ROBBING A CONVENIENCE STORE, THE POLICE SHOW UP HE TOOK SHOTS AT POLICE OFFICERS AND OFFICERS SHOT BACK HIT HIM IN THE LEG AND HE SURVIVED OF COURSE.

THE FACT IS, I THINK, MY PERCEPTION S THEY HAVE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB, IF NOT A VERY GOOD JOB OF DEESCALATING SITUATIONS, AND LORD KNOWS THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERACTIONS HERE.

IT COULD HAPPEN EVEN AS WE SPEAK, COULD CHANGE IN A MOMENT.

BUT I THINK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE BY AND LARGE IS ADDRESSING AND IS CONTINUING TO ADDRESS THE MAJOR ISSUES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S SORT OF A VERY SURFACE, A VERY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO, WELL LET'S TRYING HELPING OUT ON THIS FRONT END.

AT SOME LEVEL WE DON'T HAVE OR HAVEN'T HAD, SINCE THE FRANKLIN CASE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAVEN'T HAD A REAL CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE WITH THIS HERE IN CHARLOTTE, AND SO RATHER THAN, AND CONTINUING TO ADDRESS THESE OTHER THINGS, THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'RE TRYING TO DO ON TOP OF THAT TO KEEP PURPOSE.

>> I THINK THAT'S GOOD.

AND THAT'S GOOD THAT WE HAVE STATISTICS TO SHOW THAT THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER.

BUT THEN I GUESS AS A LEADER, DO YOU REST ON LAURELS, STOP THERE?

OR DO YOU KEEP ONGOING?

BECAUSE WE HAVE A WHOLE COMMUNITY FROM VARIOUS SECTIONS OF CHARLOTTE THAT WE STILL HAVE TO CONVINCE THAT WE STILL ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE BETTER, AND IMPROVING THE RELATIONSHIPS.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS PEOPLE WOULD SAY, KEEP IT GOING.

>> AND AS EVERYONE HAS KIND OF SAID, YOU KNOW, IF NOT THIS PROGRAM, THEN WHAT?

WE KNOW COMMUNITY RELATIONS WE KNOW THAT MISTRUST WE KNOW IT'S HAPPENING.

SO I THINK THE CHIEF MIGHT BE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO IMPROVE THOSE THINGS AND BUILD THAT TRUST BACK IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT IF NOT THIS PROGRAM, THEN I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS.

BUT JUST TRYING TO REBUILD THAT TRUST I THINK IS REALLY THE KEY ISSUE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> YEAH.

THE CHIEF HAS TALKED ABOUT TRUST IN HIS POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND ALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AND LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTEXT OF THE WHOLE DISCUSSION THAT'S TAKING PLACE.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS ON TWO DIFFERENT ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM, SHOOTING WHERE TWO DEPUTIES WERE KILLED IN WHAT'S DESCRIBED AS AN AMBUSH AS THEY WERE GOING TO CHECK ON THE WELL-BEING OF A FAMILY, AND THAT'S GOT PROTESTERS IN THE STREET AGAIN.

TWO DIFFERENT INCIDENTS THAT SHOW THE CHALLENGES POLICE FACE EVERY DAY.

AND THE ISSUE THE COMMUNITY HAS WITH SOME OF WHAT THE POLICE DO IN DEALING WITH THOSE CHALLENGES.

>> BOTH TRAGIC, BOTH HORRIBLY TRAGIC AND AT THE SAME TIME POINTING OUT WHAT'S AT STAKE U LITERAL E LIFE AND DEATH.

AND WE'RE MOVING ALONG IN CHARLOTTE WITHOUT HAVING THAT ISSUE INVOLVING CMPD THERE WAS THE FEDERAL MARTIAL INVOLVED IN A SHOOTING HERE RECENTLY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T EVER FORGET ABOUT IT.

THOSE TWO CASES OUTLINED IN A NET SHELL WHAT THE POLICE AND COMMUNITY ARE UP AGAINST WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE FLASH POINTS, HOW BADLY IT CAN END ON BOTH GROUNDS.

>> SHAME IN BOTH CASES.

SOMETHING WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT OVER THE SUMMER AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PUTS TOGETHER THEIR TRAINING PLAN AND STARTS SHARING DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THEIR OFFICERS WILL BE LEARNING ABOUT THESE CONSULTANTS COMING N GOODS DISCUSSION.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS TALKING ABOUT, TAKE THE MASKS OFF AND KEEP THEM OFF IF YOU'RE OUTDOORS THAT IS, AGAIN, EVERY WEEK WE SEEM TO GET CLOSER TO WHAT USED TO BE NORMAL AS NOW WE FEEL A LONG WAY FROM.

BUT BABY STEPS TOWARDS JUNE 1ST.

AND WHAT WE ALL HOPE IS, MAYBE, AN END TO WHAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN LIVING THROUGH FOR THE PAST YEAR PLUS SO STAR.

>> THE RULING THIS WEEK IS DEFINITELY THE PRECURSOR OF WHAT WE EXPECT ON JUNE 1ST ALCOHOL -- ALCOHOL BE THE LIFTING OF MOST RESTRICTIONS, AND THE MASK MANDATE, AFTER DELIVERING 7 MILLION DOSE OF THE VACCINE, TRACKING THE DOSES, AND THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THE MAIN THING IS GETTING THOSE VACCINES OUT.

HERD IMMUNITY IS 75% OF ELIGIBLE NORTH CAROLINA GETTING THE VACCINES.

AND THE IMBALANCE WE EXPERIENCED EARLIER IN THE NEAR HAS BEEN REVERSED THERE IS MORE SUPPLY THAN DEMAND ESPECIALLY IN THE FIRST WEEKS OF JUNE 1ST WE'LL SEE HOW VACCINATION RATES CHANGE NOT CHANGE WE'LL SEE MORE VACCINE HESITANCY COMING TO THE FOREFRONT AS WE TRY TO GET TO THE LAST 25% OF HOPEFUL HERD IMMUNITY.

>> WITH THE MASK MANDATE BEING LIFTED OUTDOORS, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR SAID THIS IS WHAT PROGRESS LOOKS LIKE.

WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR.

AND I GUESS WHAT IS THE LESSON LEARNED?

THAT IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, AND THE GOVERNOR IS SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS AND BE ABLE TO RETURN TO SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY.

BUT THE MAIN THING IS, PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE YOU CAN HAVE 100 OUTDOORS, 200.

SO THAT'S PROGRESS.

AND THEN WHEN JUNE 1ST COMES THAT WILL BE MORE PROGRESS BUT THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO PUSH OUT THAT, HEY, WE CAN DO THINGS QUICKER WHEN WE GET THOSE NUMBERS UP, VACCINATION NUMBERS UP.

SO LET'S KEEP THE PROGRESS GOING, RIGHT?

>> I'M NOT GOING TO TOSS MY MASK AWAY ANY TIME SOON.

[LAUGHTER] AND I WONDERS N DECEMBER, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL STILL BE WEARING MASKS EVEN IF THE NUMBERS GO AND THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO RESTRICTIONS.

IT'S SORT OF BECOME A HABIT, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO SIT NEXT TO THE GUY IN THE PLANE OR THE PERSON AT THE BALL GAME, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE JUST WONDERING, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT PSYCHOLOGICALLY TO GET PAST ALL OF THIS.

I HAVEN'T HAD A COLD OR THE FLU, YOU KNOW, SINCE ALL THIS STARTED.

AND I THINK A LOT OF IT IS BECAUSE WE'RE BEING MORE CAREFUL, MAYBE THE WAY WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

I'M NOT ALL ABOUT WEARING MASKS FOREVER.

I AM READY TO GET RID OF IT TOO.

BUT I SUSPECT THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO STILL OUT OF ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION OR FEAR WHO WILL STILL BE WEARING THE MASK.

>> THE GOVERNOR GAVE US A GOAL THIS WEEK ONCE WE REACH TWO THIRDS VACCINATION OF THE POPULATION, AMONG THE FIRST SHOT HE FEELS THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN RELAX AND GET RID OF ALL RULES.

IF YOU NEED A REASON TO GET YOUR SHOT THERE IT IS.

WE HAVE TWO THIRDS?

>> ABOUT HALF HAVE GOTTEN IT.

>> WE'RE ON OUR WAY.

HOW QUICKLY CAN WE GET TO TWO THIRDS AND PUT THOSE MASKS AWAY FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE.

THAT'S WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL BE WATCHING OVER THE SUMMER.

BY THE WAY, I WAS AT THE BLOOMENTHAL COVERING THE FIRST SYMPHONY, THE MUSIC WAS FANTASTIC BUT THE BEST PART OF THE CONCERT WAS THE APPLAUSE.

YOU FORGET WHAT THAT'S LIKE A STANDING OVATION AT THE ENDS OF A CONCERT.

YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE CONCERTS YOU WANT ONLINE BUT IT'S JUST NOT THE SAME.

THAT WAS THE MOMENT WHERE YOU KIND OF REALIZE MAYBE WE ARE GETTING BACK TO WHERE WE USED TO BE.

I KNOW THE MUSICIANS APPRECIATED IT, AND THE CROWD APPRECIATED IT.

BUT IT WAS A DIFFERENT FEELING AND SOMETHING THAT KIND OF CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD, AND I THINK CAUGHT A LOT OF OTHERS OFF GUARD.

ANOTHER STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND HOPEFULLY A LOT OF STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS WE MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE SUMMER.

CITY COUNCIL MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH ITS 2040 PLAN TO GET RID OF SING FAMILY ZONING SO OTHER TYPES OF HOUSING CAN BE BUILT ON SINGLE FAMILY LOTS NOW THE STATE IS GETTING INVOLVED IN WHAT THEY CALL HOUSING OR ZONING REFORM.

AND, SO, THE QUESTION THAT COMES UP IS, HOW MUCH CHANGE WILL THAT REALLY MAKE IN NEIGHBORHOODS FOR PEOPLE LOOKING FOR HOUSING?

ASHLEY THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE BEEN DIGGING INTO THIS WEEK.

TELL US WHAT YOU HEARD ABOUT THE MULTIPLEXES, DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES, THAT SORT OF THING?

>> YEAH, SO THE REFERENCE, JEFF, THEY ARE BIPARTISAN EFFORT, AND YOU ARE HEARING CALLS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE BOTH IN FAVOR AND IN OPPOSITION SAYING THIS, IS GOING TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

HOUSING DIVERSITY, THAT MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING IS WHAT WE NEED TO HELP SORT OF MODERATE THE INSANE HOUSING MARKET WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IN CHARLOTTE AND OTHER PLACES.

BUT THIS WEEK, I DID LOOK INTO THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS WHICH IS SEEN AT THE GOLD STANDARD FOR ELIMINATING SINGLE FAMILY ZONING AND THERE ARE RULES THAT WOULD ALLOW IT ON ALL LOTS WENT INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, 2020, AND THE FIRST YEAR ONLY 24 NEWLY ALLOWED DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES WERE PERMITTED IN THE FIRST YEAR.

OF COURSE THE PANDEMIC MAY HAVE SLOWED SOME OF THAT.

I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT ONLY 24 ADDITIONAL UNITS WERE PERMITTED IN THE FIRST YEAR AND I TALKED TO DEVELOPERS WHO DO THAT KIND OF PRODUCT AND RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO A DUPLEX PRODUCT IN CHARLOTTE.

YOU NEED TO BE RA OR HIGHER.

THEY SAY IF THE PROVISION PASSES AT THE STATE OR LOCAL LEVEL THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM.

WE HAVE SEE DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD?

I DOUBT THAT.

>> IF YOU'RE A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT FEARS THIS SHOULD YOU GET WORRIED IN SOMETHING THAT RESULTED IN A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES IN MINNEAPOLIS.

IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO SUPPORTS THIS, THE OPPOSITE QUESTION IS IS IT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING AND ONLY GETTING 24 UNITS IN A YEAR, HOW SYMBOLIC IS THIS UNIVERSAL CHANGE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHEN IT GETS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

>> CERTAINLY WE'RE HEARING FROM GROUPS IN FAVOR, GROUPS OPPOSED ACROSS THE STATE AND IN CHARLOTTE THERE, HAS BEEN A LOT OF CRITICISM THAT IN CHARLOTTE HERE THE PROVISION WILL ONLY ALLOW MORE EXPENSIVE DUPLEXES CALLED DUETS TO BE BUILT IN NEIGHBORHOODS VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT.

>> DUETS?

>> YEAH.

YOU SEE THEM IN CHARLOTTE TOOT.

THERE -- THERE IS A LOT OF ANXIETY AND FEAR.

IT BEGS THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH MORE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING WILL WE SEE AS THIS PASSES.

>> THE OTHER THING I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING IS THERE ARE MANY CITIES AND TOWNS IN NORTH CAROLINA WHO ARE LINING UP AGAINST THE ZONING REFORM STATEWIDE AS THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE IS A SUPPORTER OF THAT OBVIOUSLY NOT EVERY CITY AGREES WHAT'S BEST FOR IT EVEN WITHIN THE CITY AND NOT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AGREES WHAT'S BEST CITYWIDE FOR THEIR PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD OR THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION.

>> INTERESTING.

>> THAT'S FUNNY BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER BEEN AT ODDS WITH THE REST OF THE STATE ON ANYTHING.

>> [LAUGHTER] WHAT AN ODD PLACE TO BE FOR CHARLOTTE.

CMS ANNOUNCED ITS NEW BUDGET PLAN THIS WEEK WITH INFUSION OF MONEY FROM THE FEDS BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT I GUESS THE BEST NEWS FOR TEACHERS IS A POSSIBLE PAY RAISE COMING AFTER ALL THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE LAST YEAR OR SO.

>> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS THIS WEEK, SEEING THAT'S APPROVED ON THE BUDGET OF $1.7 BILLION, AND IN IT A 3% RAISE, AND THEY'RE ASKING ABOUT $10 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY TO HELP FUND THAT RAISE, BUT -- AND I GUESS WRIGHT CMS WILL PRESENT ITS BUDGET TO COUNTY LEADERS NEXT WEEK, AND IN TALKING TO GEORGE DUNLAP COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIR, AND HE HAS BEEN TALKING TO SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES.

IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING HOW THIS ALL PLAYS OUT.

THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN A POSITION ON GRANTING THOSE 3% RAISES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW IS CMS USING THE MONEY THAT THEY ARE ALREADY HAVING AND THE MONEY THAT THEY WILL GET FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ALMOST 500 BILLED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND I GUESS, THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONCERN BECAUSE COUNTY LEADERS ARE CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GETTING ALL OF THIS MONEY BUT AT THE ENDS OF THE DAY ARE WE GETTING THE BANG FOR OUR BUCK?

ARE WE GETTING, IS THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP CLOSING WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK AND BROWN KIDS, ARE THEY LEARNING THEIR A, B, CS, AND 1, 2, 3, WE CAN GIVE YOU THE MONEY BUT AT THE ENDS OF THE DAY WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY IS BEING USED PROPERLY AND IS GETTING THE JOB DONE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATING 147,000 KIDS.

>> WE'RE NOT GETTING INTO THE WEEDS.

AS A TAXPAYER WHO NO LONGER HAS KIDS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL HERE ANYMORE, I'M ALL FOR GIVING THE SCHOOLS A MEDAL FOR WHAT THEY HAVE HAD TO DO IN THE LAST YEAR, VIRTUAL LEARNING, HALFWAY, HYBRID STUFF.

ALL OF THAT, WE NEED TO STEP BACK, EXHALE AND GIVE THEM SOME SLACK AND MONEY.

THAT'S SORT OF WHERE I STAND WITH IT.

ALWAYS BEING CAREFUL THEY'RE ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT.

AND I DO THINK THAT COUNTY COMMISSION, WHEN NOT SPEAKING FOR THEM, DUNLAP WAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND BEFORE THAT A POLICE OFFICER.

I THINK IT WOULD BE HARD TO GO AGAINST IT.

>> YEAH, AND I GUESS THESE CONCERNS ARE HAPPENING PREPANDEMIC.

THERE WAS ALWAYS CONCERN ABOUT THEY'RE GIVING YOU THE MONEY, AND THE ACHIEVEMENT IS NOT THERE, SO THEREFORE THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, WE UNDERSTAND THE PANDEMIC, BUT THESE WERE ISSUES THAT WERE HAPPENING PREPANDEMIC AND WE'RE STILL AFTER THE PANDEMIC THINGS ARE WORSE.

I GUESS BEING ACCOUNTABLE IT'S WHAT DO WE DO NOW.

WHAT'S NEXT?

AT THE END OF THE DAY THE KIDS HAVE TO GO INTO THE JOB WORLD AND IF THEY CAN'T READ, WRITE, DO SIMPLE MATH, THEN WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR OUR JOB MARKET IN THE FUTURE.

>> WHEN THE FEDS HAND YOU ALMOST HALF A BILLION IN ONE TIME FUNDING BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC IT ALSO PUTS PRESSURE I SUPPOSE ON CMS AND OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY CAN REVERSE WHAT'S BEEN SPOTLIGHTED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THIS'S THIS GAP IN LEARNING THIS FALL BEHIND THAT A LOT OF SCHOOLS AND A LOT OF KIDS HAVE EXPERIENCED.

I GUESS WE'RE LOOKING FOR MEASURABLES.

CAN WE BE SURE THAT THIS MONEY IS WELL SPENT AND THAT WE CAN SEE SOME RESULTS FOR THE KIDS?

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE ALL SAID AND DONE HERE.

>> AND THE TEACHERS I HAVE TALKED TO THEY ARE EXCITED BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT THIS PAST YEAR SO HAVING THAT 3% RAISE WOULD DO WONDERS FOR THEM.

>> AND BUILDING ON WHAT I SAID EARLIER, I THINK THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE THE REAL TEST.

THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

RIGHT?

BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY, LIKE, LET'S FACE IT.

EVERYBODY'S SORT OF HAD A YEAR OFF, HALFWAY OFF, SOME OBVIOUSLY FURTHER THAN OTHERS.

BUT THE REALITY IS, NEXT YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE UP FOR THAT LOST TIME.

>> WE HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE ASHLEY THE LAST WORK TALKING ABOUT APPLE A LOT OF FUNDS AND JOBS INVESTED, AND TAX BREAKS TO GET APPLE HERE.

AND WHERE IT PUTS US IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS.

>> SECOND TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT GIVEN $845 MILLION IN INCENTIVES THAT APPLE IS ELIGIBLE FOR.

OF COURSE THAT'S OVER ALMOST 40 YEARS, AND THEY HAVE TO HIRE AT LEAST 2700 PEOPLE BEFORE THEY START GETTING THOSE INCENTIVES BUT IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.

AND THE CHARLOTTE REGION WILL GET SOME OF THE BENEFIT, $448 MILLION WILL GO INTO THE COUNTY FOR EXPANSION OF THE DATA CENTRAL, LIKELY, APPLE DIDN'T SPECIFY WHAT IT WOULD GO FOR AND IT WON'T RESULT IN A WHOLE LOT OF NEW JOBS, BUT STILL A BIG INVESTMENT FOR THE CHARLOTTE REGION.

>> WHEN YOU SEE THE TECH JOBS FLOWING IN ON A REGULAR BASIS, AT SOME POINT IT'S GOING TO BE CHARLOTTE VERSUS RALLY FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE INDUSTRY.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE VIDEO GRAM DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT, BUT THEN THERE IS THINGS LIKE ROBIN HOOD THAT CHARLOTTE IS BENEFITTING FROM WE HAVE TECH CITIES BUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECH, IF YOU WILL.

>> ALMOST THE PERFECT COMBINATION I SUPPOSE AS YOU'RE OUT THERE LOOKING TO SHOT FOR THESE BIG INVESTMENTS AND BIG JOB GENERATORS.

INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT THERE AND WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THE EXTRA SEAT IN CONGRESS, BUT WE WILL COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK.

>> IT WILL STILL BE THERE [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, AGAIN, GANG FOR JOINING US FOR WHAT WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT HOME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS E-MAIL US AT OFF THE RECORD AT PBS -- I FORGET.

THANK YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON OFF THE RECORD.

A PRODUCTION OF PBS CHARLOTTE.