>> THIS WEEK ON OFF THE RECORD, TEACHERS FINALLY GETTING THE COVID SHOTS THEY WANTED BUT NOT BEFORE HEADING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM.

MEANWHILE, COPS, MEDICS, FIREFIGHTERS, GROCERY STORE WORKERS, ALL ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES, WILL HAVE TO WAITT A LITTLE LONGER FOR THEIR VACCINES.ES AND WHY AREN'T MORE MINORITIES AND POOR PATIENTS SIGNING UP AND LINING UP FOR COVID SHOTS?

WE'LL TALK ABOUT VACCINATION HESITATION ALSO SUPPORTERS OF THE TRANSIT TAX SAY IT COULD BRING RAIL SERVICE TO NORTH MECKLENBURG.

NORTH MECK NEIGHBORS SAY THEY'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE LANDLORD WON'T ACCEPT YOUROU RENT CHECK?

STONEWALL, BARRINGER DRIVE, ALL ON THE LIST OF RACIST STREET NAMES THAT COULD BE CHANGING SOON.

PLENTY TO TALK ABOUT NEXT ON PBS CHARLOTTE.

>> HI RVE I'M JEFF SONNIER AND WE'RE OFF THE RECORD TALKING ABOUT THE STORIES THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK AND IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS, READ THE NEWS AND LISTEN TO THE NEWS, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THE NAMES AND FACES AROUND OUR VIRTUAL TABLE.

DEDRICK FROM WBTV, ASHLEY FEIGH FROM THE CHARLOTTE C BUSINESSHA JOURNAL AND ELI POR TI.

LLO FROM THE URBAN U INSTITUTE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.RB YOU CAN JOIN THE CONHAVE EVERY R CONVERSATION ANY WEEK E EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO OFFTHERECORD@WTVI.ORG.

WE HEARD FROM THE DORCHER AND I DON'T KNOW IFER YOU WANT TO CALL IT GIVING IN TO TEACHERS BUT APPARENTLY WILL BE MOVED UP FURTHER TO THE FRONT OF THE T LINE AND GET THEIR VACCINATIONS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN OTHERWISE EXPECTED.

DEDRICK, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO START HERE SINCE YOU HAVE DEALT WITH THE TEACHERS OVER THES LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS >> SOME TEACHERS ARE BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF.

THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN CALLING FOR.

HEY, WHY DON'T YOU VACCINATE US?

IF THE PRIORITY IS TO OPEN SCHOOLS 100% AND GET STUDENTS BACK IN SCHOOL, THE LOGICAL THING IN THEIR MINDS IS TO PROTECT US AND TO VACCINATE US AND ALSO YOU HAVE TO SEE THAT TEACHERS GO TO THE POLLS.

TEACHERS DO VOTE.

AND HISTORY SHOWS US THAT WHEN YOU UPSET A TEACHER, A TEACHER CAN THEIR FRUSTRATION TO THE POLLS AND VOTE YOU UP OR VOTE YOU DOWN.

THEREFORE, GOVERNOR ROY COOPER, HE KNOWS THIS.

HE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT HIS MOTHER BEING A TEACHER.

HE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND LOOK, WHEN YOU GET PRESSURED FROM AED TEACHER, ESPECIALLY FROM A SECOND GRADE TEACHER, YOU MAY HAVE TO JUST GIVE IN.

I THINK THAT A LOT OF TEACHERS WE TALKED TO, THEY'VE ALREADY MADE THEIR APPOINTMENT TO GET THE SHOT.

WE TALKED TO SOME TEACHERS WHO SAID,EA HEY, I'M NOT GETTING THE SHOT AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE FORCED TO GET THE SHOT.

SO YOU HAVE ALL IDEAS ON BOTH SPECTRUMS BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT ON FEBRUARY 24th, TEACHERS WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN LINE AND TO GET THAT SHOT IN THE ARM THAT THEY'VE BEEN SO DESPERATELY WANTING.

>> OBVIOUSLY, CMS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL BEGINNING NEXT WEEK IN CLASSES-- IN-PERSON CLASSES.

YOU TALKED ABOUT THE POLITICS AND I'M GLAD YOU Y DID.

I WANTED TO MENTION THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED SOO MUCH SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC ABOUT FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE AND NOT POLITICIZING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS AW, HEALTH ISSUE.

ISN'T THAT EXACTLY WHAT TEACHERS MANAGE TO DO HERE, PRESSURE THE GOVERNOR, PRESSURE THE POLITICIANS INTO MAKING A DECISION THAT REALLY DOESN'T FOLLOW THE SCIENCE?

>> THERE'S A LOT OF CONFLICT ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THE NEW CDC GUIDELINES FOR OPENING SCHOOLS ARE COMING OUT.

EARLY REPORTING FROM SOME OUTLETS HAVE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH VACCINATIONS ARE ONE LAYER OF PROTECTION, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE REQUIRED AS A PREREQUISITE BEFORE REOPENING SCHOOLS.

ESPECIALLY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF STUDIES SHOWN THAT THESE ARE NOT SUPERSPREADER PLACES,S NOT, NECESSARILY CONTRIBUTING TO IT.

BUTTO THE EXPERTS ALSO SAY THAT DOESN'T ELIMINATE THE TH RISK FORE INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS SO IT'S A BALANCING ACT.

ALTHOUGH, I THINK WHAT DEDRICK MENTIONED ABOUT SOME TEACHERS NOT WANTING TO GET VACCINATED WILL SET UP A REALLY INTERESTING POSSIBLE FUTURE CONFLICT BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE EVERYONE HAS HAD THE T OPPORTUNITY, ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE EMPLOYERS TRYING TO REQUIRE THAT?

THAT GOES BEYOND TEACHERS, OF COURSE.

THAT GOES THAT A LOT OF FIELDS WHERE IN-PERSON WORK IS REQUIRED AND PEOPLE MAY COME BACK TO OFFICES.

ONCE WE CLEAR THIS HURDLE, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT MORE AHMED HEAD OF US.

>> TALKING TO TEACHERS, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING INTO AN ENVIRONMENT AND SAYING THEY ARE AT RISK.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO TEACH ALL KIDS WHO COME TO THE CLASSROOM.

I TALKED TO ONE TEACHER AND ONE TEACHER SAID THAT THEY WERE IN CLASS LAST YEAR THAT A STUDENT CAME TO HER AND SAID, THAT, HEY, MY MOM DIDN'T WANT ME TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT MY MOM AND AUNT, THEY'RE AT HOMESICK WITH COVID-19.

SO HERE, YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO MAY BE IN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS MAY HAVE COVID-19, AND THEN THOSE KIDS JUST LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THE CHILD COMES FROM.

JUST THE MESSAGE IT SAYS HOW CAN THE TEACHER GIVE HIS OR HER ALL IF THEY'RE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY THINKING WILL THIS BE THE DAY THAT I CONTRACT COVID-19 SO TO EASE SOME FEARS, LET THE TEACHERS BEING VACCINATED AND THE TEACHERS SAY IT IS HARD DURING THE REMOTE LEARNING.

IT IS HARD FOR THEM AND YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS WE DO THIS WE'RE LOSING A GENERATION OF TEACHING THEM ABCs AND 123s.

>> I DON'T WANT TO SOUND ANTI-TEACHER.

MY MOM WAS A TEACHER, TOO.

BUT POLICE AND GROCERY STORE WORKERS AND MEDICS, THEY'VE ALL BEENVE WORKING IN THIS SAME CONTAMINATED ENVIRONMENT, THIS THREATENING ENVIRONMENT FOR MONTHS, SINCE MARCH, AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEEN MOVED BEHIND THE TEACHERS.

MANY OF WHOM HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE CLASSROOM SINCE MARCH OR BEEN IN THE CLASSROOM ON A LIMITED BASIS.

BAS WHEN YOUIS SEE THAT, WHEN YOU SEE OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS STILL HAVING TO WAIT WHILE THE TEACHERS JUMP THE LINE IF I WERE THE OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS I WOULD HAVE TO WONDER WHY BECAUSE THOSE OTHER WORKERS WERE ON THE JOB O IN THE ENVIRONMENT ALL ALONG.

A LOTLL OF TEACHERS HAVEN'T AT ALLT AND I GET THE PRESSURE TO GET BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM.

EVERYBODY WANTS THAT IF I WAS A GROCERY STORE WORKER OR PHARMACY WORKER, I WOULD WONDER WHY ARE THEY JUMPING MY SPOT IN LINE.

>> AND PHASE THREE, THAT'S A REALLY BIG PHASE.

WHILE WE'RE EXPECTING TO BE GETTING A SUPPLY OF VACCINES, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN SUPPLY.

WEBSITES ARE CRASHING, TRYING TO GET APPOINTMENTS AND IT'S STILL VERY DIFFICULT I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GET IN AND KNOWING HOW THIS GROUP IS, IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR ALL OF THESE PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

HAVING THAT TWO-WEEK JUMP-AHEAD, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, THAT'S A MATERIAL ADVANTAGE.

I THINK THERE'S 240,000 EDUCATORS THAT WOULD BE ABLE A TO PARTICIPATE ON FEBRUARY 24th.

IT'S A MASSIVE GROUP AND YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND I THINK THE SUPPLY IS STILL A MAJOR ISSUE HERE AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ECONOMY, WHEN THINGS GET BACK TO NORMAL AND HOW CAN WE JUMP START THE ECONOMY AND YOU HAVE WOMEN WHO LEFT THEIR JOBS IN ORDER TO TEACH THEIR KIDS AT HOME AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISRUPTED THEIR LIFESTYLE SO THEY COULD REMOTE LEARNING AND MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR PEOPLE TO GO BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE TO START TO JUMP START THE ECONOMY, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMY, SCHOOLS, I THINK IT ALL GOES HAND IN HAND >> IT'S A CASCADING THING IN THIS CASE, AND GETTING BACK TO SCHOOL IS EVERYONE'S HIGH PRIORITY.

BY THE WAY, I SAW SOME INFORMATION THIS WEEK.

IT WAS LOOKING AT DIFFERENT STATES AND HOW MUCH ACCESS THEY'VE HAD TO FIVE-DAY LEARNING SINCE THE BEGINNING.

NORTH CAROLINA, I THINK, THEY SAID 14.7% OF STUDENTS HAVE HAD ACCESS TO FIVE-DAY LEARNING, IN-CLASS LEARNING.

SOUTH CAROLINA IS, 70.7% HAD THAT SAME ACCESS.

IT JUST SHOWS THE DIFFERENCE OF THEIF STATE LINE CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHETHER YOURR KIDS HAVE BEEN IN CLASS ALL ALONG OR JUST NOW GETTING BACK TO CLASS.

I GUESS WE'LL TALK MORE NEXT WEEK ABOUT HOW GETTING BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM AT CMS IS GOING AND STARTS WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OBVIOUSLY AND MOVES INTO THE UPPER GRADES THE WEEK AFTER THAT.

GETTING VACCINATIONS, WHETHER IT'S TEACHERS OR ANYBODY, I GUESS IS A GOOD THING AND I TRYING TO GET OUT OF THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC SITUATION.

A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS, DENTISTS WILL NOW BE ALLOWED TO GIVE VACCINES IN NORTH CAROLINA.

HARRIS TEETER PAYING ITS EMPLOYEES $100 EACH TO GET THE DOUBLE DOSE AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A MOMENT AGO AND THOSE VACCINATIONS SUPERSITES, ANOTHER ONE THIS WEEKEND AT THE SPECTRUM CENTER.

THE STADIUM, FROM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, TURNS OUT ONLY 30% OF THOSE VACCINATE THERE'D WERE MINORITIES.

THAT'S KIND OF PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON WHAT I CALL VACCINATIONNA HESITATION.

WE'RE SEEING NUMBERS COME OUT, DEMOGRAPHIC NUMBERS FROM THE STATE THAT LOOKS AT HOW MANY IN THE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS ARE GETTING VACCINATED AND IT DOES SEEM TO BE A TREND HERE IN MECKLENBURG AND ACROSS THE STATE THAT IF YOU REMEMBER OF A MINORITY GROUP, YOU'RE NOT GETTING VACCINE-- VACCINATED AT THE SAME RATE AS OTHER GROUPSS ARE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY.

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY?

>> IT'S PROBABLY A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY GIVEN THE HISTORY USED HISTORICALLY IN A RACIST WAY AND I THINK THERE'S HESITANCY AROUND VACCINES AMONG THAT COMMUNITY.

A LOTT OF PASTORS ARE SAYINGG THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT CONGREGATION AND PARTNER WITH HEALTH CLINICS AND GET THOSE VACCINATION SITES INTO THE COMMUNITIESUN WHERE WE AREIT SEEING THESE TWIST PARITIES AND SEEING A LACK OF ACCESS SOME SAY TRANSPORTATION IS MORE OF AN ISSUE ANDN GETTING TO BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM MAY NOT BE SUPER SIMPLE AND THAT MAY BE PART OF THE ISSUE, TOO.

I KNOW THE OBSERVER DID A STORY THIS WEEK ON THIS SUBJECT.

A LOT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONIZERS AND THOSE WHO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY WITH IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT THEY'RE SEEING THESE LEVELS.

IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY, BLACK RESIDENTS ACCOUNT FOR 31% OF THE POPULATION.

THE 16% OF VACCINATIONS HIS HISPANIC PEOPLE COMPRISE OF 14% AND ONLY MADE UP 3%.

A LOT OF THE FRONTLINE WORKERS ARE BLACK AND HISPANIC AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOING TO RAMP UP AND BECOME A BIGGER ISSUE AS WE MOVE INTO THAT PHASE OF GETTING SPANISH LANGUAGE, MATERIALS OUT TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND EDUCATING THEM ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN GO AND GETTING THE CLINICS AND VACCINES INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES.

>> I THINK, YOU KNOW, ALSO WITH THE OLDER POPULATION BEINGIO ELIGIBLE FIRST, DEMOGRAPHICALLY THAT'S A POPULATION THAT SKEWS A LITTLE LIGHTER THAN THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE.

THAT'S PROBABLY A FACTOR BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT T WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT NEW DISPARITIES CREATED BY A NEW SYSTEM.

LOOKING AT THE SAME DISPARITIES FROM EXISTING SYSTEMS.

WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE SOME STEPS AROUND THAT.

CATS IS MAKING IT FREE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO THE NEXT LARGE SPECTRUM CENTER MASS VACCINATION CLINIC AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITIES WHERE HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION WAS ALREADY A PROBLEM.

WHEN YOU TALKTI ABOUT ESSENTIAL WORKERS, A LOT OF TIMES YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET PAID TIME OFF FOR BEING SICK OR, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE A DAY THAT THEY CAN SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO GET PAID TODAY.

I'M GOING TO TAKE TODAY AND TAKE THREE BUSES OUT TO THE SPEEDWAY FOR VACCINATION EVENT.

THEY HAVE TO GO TO WORK AT THE GROCERY STORE, SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN BUY FOOD AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME OFF.

AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING AN EXPRESSION OF THE DISPARITY AND THE FAULT LINES THAT ALREADY EXIST IN OUR SOCIETY.

NOT NEW BEING CREATED BY THIS.

>>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

I SAT IN A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS VERY TOPIC AND THEY DID A POLL AND SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY WERE HESITANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T GET AN APPOINTMENT.

YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME YOU SAY THERE'S VACCINATIONS, YOU SIGN UP AND THEN YOU CAN'T GET AN APPOINTMENT.

ANOTHER THING SOME SENIORS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET OR THE COMPUTER AND THEY HAVE TO WORK ON HOW PEOPLE CAN CALL ON THE PHONE AND THEN THERE'S SOME HESITANCY BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SOME-- ABOUT THAT SECOND SHOT, THE FIRST SHOT, THEN OKAY AND THEN THEHE SECOND SHOT, YOU HEARD THERE'S SIDE EFFECTS, FIVER AND THERE COULD BE SOME HESITANCY AROUND THAT.

BUT THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT WHAT I HEARD ON THAT CALL ISHA THAT THE TRUST FACTOR, AFRICAN-AMERICANS TRUSTING THE GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE PROMISESS SO MANY TIMES BEFORE AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE STILL WAITING FOR THAT PROMISE TO BE FULFILLED.

YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVEO YOU AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

STILL WAITING ON THAT.

THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU GOOD HEALTH CARE.

STILL WAITING ON THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU EDUCATION, NO MATTER WHAT ZIP CODE YOUR CHILD IS IN.

YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD EDUCATION.

WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THAT NOW, YOU KNOW, AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE SAYING NOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TELLING YOU TO GO OUT AND TAKE THIS VACCINE WHEN HAVE YOU FULFILLED THE PROMISES THAT YOU HAVE MADE FOR DECADES AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS?

SO ALL OF THAT GOES THROUGH AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN'S MIND THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS PUSHING THEM TO SAY, HEY, GET VACCINATED.

>> YEAH.

>> THE PANDEMIC PUTS AND REFOCUSES WHAT IS AN OLD PROBLEM ON A NEW ISSUE.

IN THIS CASE, IT'S THE PANDEMIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON EQUITY AND ACCESS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

IT'S ANOTHER LOOK AT THE SAME OLD PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A NEW LENS.

IN THIS CASE, THE LENS OF THE PANDEMIC.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A HEALTH ISSUE THAT UP ITS ALL OF US.

JUST SOME OF US TOUCHED MORE SO BY NOT JUST THE PANDEMIC BUT THEC RESOURCES ENDING THAT PANDEMIC.

>> IAT WANTED TO TOUCH MORE SUBJECT ON COVID BEFORE WE MOVE ON.

CENTRAL CITY PARTNERS THIS WEEK PUT OUT A REPORT ON GROWTH IN THE UPTOWN AREA AND THE SOUTH END AND MIDTOWN TOGETHER OVER THE NEXT COUPLEOGET OF YEARS AND DESPITE COVID AND ALL THEHE LOSSES AND BUSINESS AND HOTELS AND THAT SORT OF THING, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD COUPLE OF YEARS FOR UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, IF, AND WHEN WE GET OUT OF THIS.

ASHLEY, YOU STUDY REAL ESTATE PRIMARILY AND COVERR REAL ESTATE PRIMARILY.

IT'S GOT TO BE GOOD NEWS LOOKING FORWARD AS WE COME OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC, HOPEFULLY, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, THERE'S A SENSE AMONG A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CHARLOTTE IS WELL POSITIONED, I MEAN, CONSIDERING THAT YOU AREEA SEEING THE BIG EXODUS OUT OF NEW YORK CITY AND EXODUS OUT OF SANXO FRANCISCO.

COMPANIES AND PEOPLE ARE DECIDING THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A SUPERDENSE, REALLY EXPENSIVE MARKET ANYMORE AND ARE LOOKING FOR THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT A SOUTHEAST CITY MIGHT OFFER AND I SPOKE TO MICHAEL SMITH, WHO IS, OF COURSE, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CENTER CITY PARTNERS THIS WEEK, AND HE WAS TALKING TO ME ABOUT ALL THE PROSPECTS THEY'RE SPEAKING WITHPE YOU KNOW, ALL THE INTEREST THAT'S KIND OF LOOKING AT CHARLOTTE.

YOU ARE NOT SEEING A LOT OF COMPANIES MAKE BIG DECISIONS RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE WHERE WE END UP WITH THIS PANDEMIC.

WHAT THE REAL ESTATE NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE, WHAT THE WORKFORCE IS GOING TO DO WITH REMOTE WORK, BUT WITH THE AMOUNT OFIT CONSTRUCTION THAT'S SLATED TO COME ONLINE HERE AND THE KINDS OF CAPITAL THAT ARE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN CHARLOTTE, IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN WE HAVE A RECOVERY AND IT WILL BE AN UNEVEN RECOVERY FOR SURE, BUT WHEN WE HAVE A RECOVERY, CHARLOTTE IS POSITIONED TO MAYBE CAPTURE SOME OF THAT DEMAND.

NOW THAT IS TO SAY, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF SUBLEASED SPACE.

WE STILLSP HAVE A LOT OF EMPTY OFFICES SITTING IN UPTOWN AND I THINK A LOT REMAINS TO BE SEEN ABOUT THE ABSORPTION THERE.

THE SENTIMENT IS THAT THERE'S STILL DEVELOPMENT.

WE STILL SEE CRANES IN THE SKYLINE AND THINGS ARE GOING TO PICK BACK UP.

>> YEAH.

I SAW THAT 2,000 NEW HOTEL ROOMS ONLINE, EITHER UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR PLANNED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

TEN HOTELS, EITHER UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR PLANNED.

I GUESS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE THOUGHT MIGHT BE A CONTRACTION GOING FORWARD MIGHT ACTUALLY BE AN EXPANSION AS WE GET BACK TO, HOPEFULLY, THE OLD LEVELS OF HOTEL AND SERVICE ECONOMY UPTOWN AND ELSEWHERE IN CHARLOTTE AS WELL, I GUESS.

>> YEAH.

>> THINK, YOU KNOW, UNLIKE THE GREAT RECESSION, THAT WAS REALLY A FINANCIAL AND BANKING CRISIS.

SO THAT HIT CHARLOTTE REALLY HARD.

THIS TIME AROUND, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE KINDS OF IMPACTS ON THOSE KINDS OF KEY CHARLOTTE EMPLOYERS.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTION MARKS STILL FOR INDIVIDUAL SECTORS AND WITH ALL THOSE HOTEL ROOMS, ARERE PEOPLE GOING TO GO BACK TO BUSINESS TRAVEL, OR DO THEY PREFER NOT BEING ROAD WARRIORS?

YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO RE-EVALUATE THAT.

WE WILL HAVE AA LOT OF HOTEL ROOMS AND OFFICE SPACE TO FILL.

THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A ROCKY ROAD BACK.

>> B AND THEN ON THE FLIP SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE BEENE EXPERIENCING CABIN FEVER FOR THE PAST YEAR.

SO WHEN WE GET THE GREEN LIGHT, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU CAN FIND A CHEAP AND AFFORDABLE AIRLINE TICKET TO CHARLOTTE WHY NOT COME TO CHARLOTTE FOR THE WEEKEND?

YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE I THINK FORWARD THINKING THAT BEING COOPED UP IN YOUR HOUSE AND IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, I WANT TO SEE THE WORLD.

I WANT TO GO TO A PLACE WHERE I CAN GO AND HAVE A MEAL AND YOU KNOW, WITHOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING.

I GUESS ON THE FLIP SIDE, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THAT T THERE AREH GOING TO BE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO GET OUT OF THEIR G COMMUNITIES.

>> BY THE WAY, MENTIONING THE AIRLINES AND AIR TRAVEL, CHARLOTTE'S AIRPORT DOWN ABOUT 50% LAST YEAR BASED ON THE LAST REGULAR YEAR WE HAD BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

RUNNING A LITTLE OVER 50% DOWN THIS YEAR.

LAST TIME, WE HAD THIS FEW PASSENGERS AT DOUGLAS AIRPORT, 15 YEARS AGO.

SO THAT'S-- JUST GIVES YOU A KIND OF RELATIVE LOOK AT HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THE PANDEMIC'S HAD ON TRAVEL AND HOTELS AND ALL THE OF THE INDUSTRIES THAT EMPLOYS SO MANY IN THIS TOWN.

I WANTED TO SWITCH DPEERS AND TALK ABOUTPE THE TRANSIT TAX.

ELI, YOU HAVE WRITTEN A LOT ABOUT HOW THAT MONEY WOULD BE USED IN THE EXPANSION OF, IN PARTICULAR, LIGHT RAIL, BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, WE HEARD ABOUT RAIL SERVICE TO NORTH MECKLENBURG BEING A PRIORITY THAT SEEMS LIKE A SHIFT FROM WHAT THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITIES ARE.

>> YEAH.

THEH.

OPPOSITION OF MAYORS IN NORTH MECKLENBURG TOWNS AND FROM SOME RESIDENTS THERE HAVE BEEN A REAL POTENTIAL STUMBLING BLOCK FOR THIS TRANSIT SALES TAX.

IT WOULD NEED VOTER APPROVAL AND YOU KNOW, HAVING A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND SAY WE'RE WAITING FOR THE REDLINE FOR 20 YEARS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THE NEW TAX AND THAT WOULD KILL THE WHOLE THING IF IT MAKES IT TO THE BALLOT.

WHEN THEY WERE MAKING PLANS FOR THE CHARLOTTE MOVES TRANSIT PLAN AND THE CITY'S MOBILITY PLAN AND THIS WEEK HERE AREEE SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD CARVE OUT FOR THEH NORTHERN TOWNS AND GREENWAYS , AND THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT BUILDING A NEW SILVER LIGHT N RAIL THROUGH CHARLOTTE AND HOPING TO GARNER SUPPORT.

THEY SAID CITY MANAGER MANAGER TAIWO SAID THAT WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S MOVEMENT AND A DIFFERENT SITUATION WITH NEW LEADERSHIP AT NORFOLK SOUTHERN WHICH OWNS THE RAILS WE NEED.

THAT WAS QUASHED BY THE TRAIN COMPANY AND WHILE THE MEETING WAS GOING ON AND I WAS WATCHING IT, JOE BRUNO FROM WSOC TWEETED HE HAD JUST AND SOMETHING TO GET THEM ON BOARD TO GET THIS REFERENDUM OVER THE FINISH LINE IF THEY ARE ABLE TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT.

I THINK WE'RE STILL NOT SEEING ANY REAL CONCRETE MOVEMENT LIKE NORFOLK SOUTHERN SAYING THAT THEY'RE EVEN OPEN TO PASSENGER SERVICE ON THEIR TRAINS >> RIGHT.

IF YOU LIVE IN NORTH MECKLENBURG, AGAIN, HAVING HAVEN'T YOU HEARD THIS BEFORE?

THE PROMISE OF ONE THING AND THE REALITY OF THOSE PROMISES LEFT UNKEPT.

>> USUALLY IT TAKES A FEW MONTHS AND THIS WAS THE QUICKEST SHOOTDOWN I HAVE SEEN.

WHILE THE MEETING WAS STILL GOING ON, IT WAS COMING OUT AND O IT'S GOING TO SEE IF ANYTHING CAN DISLODGE THAT OPPOSITION THAT THEY STILL HAVE TO SHARE IN THE FREIGHT LINE WITH A PASSENGER RAIL WHICH THEY SAY IS NOT GOING TO WORK.

>> FREIGHT OPERATIONS ARE CUSTOMER DRIVEN WHICH HAS OPERATING WINDOWS AND THIS IS NIGHTTIME, STRAIGHT OPERATIONS AND JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST THAT THE OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE NOT CHANGED YET AND I GUESS IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

THEY HAVE BEEN STEADFAST IN THIS POSITION FOR YEARS NOW.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED TO SAY THIS AND I THINK THIS IS AS ELI ALREADY SAID, REALLY AN EFFORT TO COURT THE NORTH MECKLENBURG VOTERS AND THE LEADERS THERE.

THE CITY DID DO A POLL TRYING TO GET A SENSE FOR HOW MANY RESIDENTS SUPPORT THIS AND 62% SAID THEY SUPPORT FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND 60% WOULD BACK THE COUNTY SALES TAX.

COUNCILMEMBERS QUESTIONED, HOW BIG OF A POLLING SAMPLE WAS THAT, BUT THEY DID SAY IN THEAY MEETING THIS WEEK THAT IT WAS A MEANINGFUL AMOUNT OF PARTICIPANTS IN THAT.

BUT CITY MANAGER MARCUS JONES SAID, WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO WITH GETTING NORTH MECKLENBURG ONBOARD WITH THIS PLAN AND THIS TAX INCREASE.

THEY SAID IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO PUT A COALITION TOGETHER.

TO ME, IT DIDN'T SOUND SUPEROPTIMISTIC.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WITH N POLLING,OT IT'S REALLY HARD TO POLL FOR THESE LOW TURNOUT, OFFYEAR ELECTIONS.

WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE 15% OF THE O VOTERS SHOWING UP, MAYBE 18, 19%, IF IT'S A HIGH TURNOUT YEAR, IT'S VERY HARD TO KNOW WHO IS GOING TO COME AND IF THERE'S A COMMITTED GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO IT AND RALLYING AROUND THE IDEA OF NOT HAVING THIS INCREASED SALES TAX, IF A SMALL COMMITTED GROUP OF PEOPLEOM IS ABLE TO RALLY SUPPORT IN NORTH MECKLENBURG, THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM.

IT'S NOT AN.

ELECTION WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE 70% TURNOUT AND YOU CAN MAYBE OVERWHELM THAT SMALL OPPOSITION.

SO I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THIS OFF OUR LIST.T.

STREET NAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONFEDERACY AND OTHERER PAST RACIST LEADERS.

DEDRICK, HOW DOES THE COMMUNITY FEEL ABOUT THIS BASICALLY SYMBOLIC CHANGE THAT THE CITY IS WORKING TOWARDS?

>> THEY'RE SAYING FULL SPEED AHEAD.

LET'S DO IT.

LET'S CHANGE THOSE NAMES.

IN FACT, I KNOW ONE WAS SUGGESTING NAMES TO THE PLACE THOSE NAMES.

THERE'S A MOVEMENT HAPPENING TO MAKE SURE THIS DOES NOT GET LOST.

LAST YEAR WAS A YEAR WHEN PEOPLE WENT OUT AND PROTESTED ALL AGES, ALL RACES.

THEY WENT OUTRA TO PROTEST.

AND SO THEREFORE, COMMUNITY IS GOINGRE TO HOLD LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE.

LEADERS SAID THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.

LEADERS SAID THAT WE ARE HEARING YOU.

WE ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING.

YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE T GOING TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT THEY WILL MAKE-- WE'RE DOING THIS INTENTIONALLY IN ORDER TO MAKE CHARLOTTE AN INCLUSIVEVE PLACE AND NOT EXCLUSIVE.

AND WE ARE ABLE TO CHANGE IT.

CMS IS DOING IT AND NOW IT'S YOUR TURN.

>> THE CITY TALKED ABOUT IT FOR YEARS.

IT DOES FEEL LIKE ITS TIME HAS COME AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THE COUNCIL DOES.

IT'S A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.

WE'LL SEE WHAT THOSE NAMES CHANGE TOME OVER TIME IN THE NEXT WEEKS AND MONTHS.

WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

I DO.

APPRECIATE OUR GANG BEING HERE THIS WEEK.

AS ALWAYS, AND OUR GANG AT HOME, OUR FAITHFUL WATCHERS WHO WILL JOIN US EACH WEEK.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR VIEWERSHIP.

WE WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS ANDON COMMENTS AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK RIGHT HERE ON O OFF THE RECORD.

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