>> THIS WEEK ON OFF THE RECORD, IT'S BUDGET WEEK AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTER.

WE'LL LOOK AT BUDGET PLANS FOR CMS, MECKLENBURG COUNTY, AND THE CITY HALL, INCLUDING A BIG PAY RAISE FOR CITY COUNCIL AND AN ULTIMATUM FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

ALSO, WHEN SHOULD A COP STOP ANOTHER COP FROM USING TOO MUCH FORCE?

EVERY TIME ACCORDING TO A BILL THAT'S GAINING SUPPORT IN RALEIGH.

GOVERNOR COOPER ON A COVID STOP IN CHARLOTTE THIS WEEK TELLING A WESTK SIDE AUDIENCE GET THE FACTS AND GET THE VAX.

AND PAPER AND PLASTIC.

YOU GET A CHOICE WHEN YOU BAG YOUR GROCERIES BUT NOT IF YOU BAG YOUR LEAVES AND GRASS.

NOT ANYMORE.

PLUS, MORE DELAYS FOR CHARLOTTE'S LONG-DELAYED STREET CAR PROJECT AND MOVE OVER MECKLENBURG.

WE USEDENBU TO BE NORTH CAROLINA'S BIGGEST COUNTY AND NOW WE'RE NUMBER TWO.

OUCH.

LOTS TO TALK ABOUT NEXT ON PBS CHARLOTTE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ♪♪ >> FROM OUR PBS STUDIOS IN PLAZA MIDWOOD RWOOD, 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, LIS WELL, YOU RECOGNIZE THE NAMES AND FACES AROUND OUR VIRTUAL TABLE.

ASHLEY FAY FROM THE CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, DE-DRICK RUSSELL FROM WBTV AND MARK BECKER FROM WSOC.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION FROM HOME.

EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO OFF THE RECORD@WTVI.ORG.

WE WANT TO START WITH THE BUDGETS AND IN PARTICULAR, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT A BOMBSHELL, THAT THE COUNTYTY KIND OF DROPPED ON CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS THIS WEEK.

I HEARD SOMEONE DESCRIBE IT AS YOU PUT UP OR SHUT UP.

REALLY, IT'S MORE LIKE PUT UP OR WE WON'T PAY UP.

DEDRICK, YOU COVER SCHOOLS FOR US.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY IS, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY TELLING THE THE SCHOOLS WHEN IT COMES TO PERFORMANCE PUNNED IFING.

>> YEAH, WELL THE COUNTY MANAGER RELEASED HER BUDGET AND SHE IS SAYING NOT SO FAST, CMS.

YOU KNOW, CMS HAD REQUESTED MORE THAN $26 MILLION MORE IN ITS BUDGET.

THE COUNTY MANAGER IS ONLY PROPOSING TO GIVE THEM $6 MILLION MORE, ABOUT $526 MILLION IN ITS OPERATING BUDGET, BUT SHE'S SAYING, HEY, BEFORE WE GIVE YOU ALL OF THE MONEY, WE ARE GOING TO WITHHOLD ABOUT $56 MILLION FROM THE BUDGET UNTIL CMS OFFERS A DETAILED PLAN OF SUCCESS FOR ITS 42 LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS AND THIS MONEY WILL GO TOWARD LIKE PRINCIPALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BUT IT'S LIKE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL MONEY, BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT IS JUST NOT FAIR AND IN ORDER FOR CMS TO GET BETTER, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED THE RESOURCES, BUT DENA DIORIO,IO SHE'S STANDINGRIO, BY WHAT SHE SAYS.

SHE SAID YESTERDAY THAT, HEY, WE GIVE CMS EACH YEAR MORE THAN A HALF BILLION DOLLARS AND WE NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND YOU FEED TO SHOW UP.

YOU NEED TO SHOW US SOME ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO GIVE YOU THE MONEY AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THE BANG FOR OUR BUCK.

WAS IT A SURPRISE?

I ASKED DENA DIORIO, DID SHE TALK THIS OVER WITH CMS LEADERS BEFORE SHE MADE HER ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY?

SHE SAID SHE DID.

SHE SAID SHE DID TALK TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT HER PLAN AND SHE SAID HE TOLD HER THAT HE WAS DISAPPOINTED BUT THEN SHE ALSO SAID HE SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD AND THEN THE SUPERINTENDENT FIRED BACK ON HIS TWITTER ACCOUNT AND SAID SHE TOOK THAT-- THAT WAS A MISCHARACTERIZATION OF WHAT HE SAID WHEN HE SAID THAT HE MISUNDERSTOOD.

CMS SAID THAT THIS WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT STUDENTS AND STAFF.

SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE IF THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO COME OUT AND CRY OUT AND SAY NOT A GOOD PLAN BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HEARING STARTS ON TUESDAY.

>> YEAH.

>> GEORGE DUNLAP, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.

>> VILMA LEAKE, TOO >> YEAH.

VILMA LEAKE.

THERE'S A LOT OF CROSSOVER THERE AND AGAIN, REMEMBERR THE MAKEUPR OF OUR COUNTY COMMISSION WILL BE 100% DEMOCRATIC, ALL DEMOCRATS.

SO I EXPECT THE MANAGER'S GOING TO HEAR FROM THEM.

AS MUCH AS SHE HEARS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS ONE.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE ACCOUNTABILITY, I GET IT.

IT MAKES SENSE.

LE >> YOU KNOW, VILMA LEAKE, SHE HAS BEEN A CHAMPION FOR HER DISTRICT 2, AND SHE IS CONCERNED THAT WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS, THAT THEY ARE NOTDENT MAKING THE GRADE WHEN IT COMES TO READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC.

SHE HAS BEEN A CRITIC OF CMS SAYING THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER FOR OUR KIDSers PERSONALLY THE KIDS WHO LOOK LIKE HER.K >> I THINK THE COUNTY'S UNDERSTAND UNDERPERFORMING IS 15% AND MECKLENBURG COUNTY IS 25%.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE NUMBERSUM THAT THE COUNTYBE MANAGER DIDID BRING UP, JUST TO ILLUSTRATE WHERE MECKLENBURG AND CMS STANDS UP COMPARED TO ANOTHER MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE STATE.

>> YEAH.

MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THE COUNTY MANAGER, DENA DIORIO DOESN'T PROPOSE THIS UNLESS SHE KNOWS SHE'S GOT THE SUPPORT OF HER ELECTED MECKLENBURG COUNTY COMMISSION.

I SUPPOSE THAT COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC MAYBE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM EXPECTED KIND OF A SOFT LANDING.

AFTER ALL THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH.

THE PANDEMIC SHINED A SPOTLIGHT ON WHAT ARE BASICALLY LONG-TERM, LONG-STANDING ROBS AND ISSUES IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND A LOT OF FOLKS AND A LOT OF CRITICS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR THIS KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YEARS.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF CRITICISMS IS THAT ONCE CMS GETS THE MONEY FROM THE COUNTY, THEY'RE NOT ACCOUNTABLE.

THEY CAN END SP IT AS THEY SEE FIT.

TO TIE $56 MILLION, MOST OF IT AT LEAST, ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY, AIMED AT SALARIES OF LEADERSHIP AT CMS REALLY DOES KIND OF SEND A MESSAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT BETTER SCHOOLS.

WECH WANT-- WE ALL WANT GOOD SCHOOLS BUT IN THIS CASE, MECKLENBURG WANTS BETTER SCHOOLS GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING SPENT ON THOSE SCHOOLS.

IT'S A A TRICKY SITUATION BECAUSE I'M THINKING WHAT MESSAGE DOES THIS SEND TO TEACHERS?

YOU HAVE TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING VERY HARD EACH DAY WHO HAVE TO BE COUNSELORS, PSYCHIATRISTS VRGS TO GIVE FOOD AND CLOTHING AND SO WHAT MESSAGE DOES THIS SEND TO TEACHERS WHO SPEND EVERY DAY EVEN OFFHOURS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW I CAN REACH AND ENGAGE MY STUDENTS AFTER THE YEAR THEY HAVE BEENN THROUGH AND YOU HAVE YOUR COUNTY LEADERS WHO ARE SAYING, HEY, DESPITE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK, DESPITE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO TRY TO ENGAGE YOUR STUDENTS THROUGH ZOOMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'RE GOING TO WITHHOLD $56 MILLION FROM YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT UNTIL YOU DO A BETTER JOB.

TEACHERS ARE SAYING, HEY, I'M, GIVING IT ALL I GOT.

SO I WAS TALKING TO ONE POLITICIAN AND HE WAS SAYING THAT MAYBE THIS WILL DETER, YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVE TEACHERS FROM COMING TO CMS BECAUSE THEY WILL SAY HEY, YOU HAVE TOO MUCH DRAMA GOING ON.

I WANT TO GO TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT THATL EMBRACES ME AND WILL SUPPORT ME AND NOT PENALIZE ME, SO TO SPEAK.

>> DRAMA IS NOTHING NEW TO THE BUDGET DELIBERATIONS BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OVER THE YEARS.

.EAH DID YOU GET THE SENSE AT COUNTY COMMISSION THAT THIS WASION AIMED AT TEACHERS?

BECAUSE I CERTAINLY DID NOT.

I GOT SENSE THIS WAS AIMED DIRECTLY AT THE LEADERSHIP OF CMS.

>> YEAH.

>> WASN'T CRITICAL OF TEACHERS AT ALL WHEN IT CAME TO THE BUDGET DECISION.

>> YEAH.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THEY'RE TIED TOGETHER, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

IF YOU WANT THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AT THE SCHOOLS THAT LIES WITH THE PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THE TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING IN THOSE 42 LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS ARE GIVING ALL THEY GOT AND STILL NOT ENOUGH, THEN I'M SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TRICKLEDOWN EFFECT.

>> REMEMBER, IT'S ALL A NEGOTIATION.

THIS IS A STARTING POINT AND WHERE IT ENDS UP ONCE THE BUDGET IS FINALIZED.

THIS IS AINAL TALKING POINT AND IT CERTAINLY IS SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE THAT THE COUNTY MANAGER IS HERE.

WE'LL SEE WHERE IT ENDS UP ONCE-- >> 56 MILLION OUT OF A HALF BILLION.

IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, IT'S NOT A SMALL PERCENTAGE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT DECISION ON THE PART OF THE COUNTY MANAGER HAS BEEN MADE.

I AM SURE WE WILL HEAR FROM TEACHERS NEXT WEEK AND FROM PARENT AND C-M-S LEADERSDE WHEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TAKES PLACE.

>> ONE MORE THING I WANT TO ADD.

YOU KNOW, CMS LEADERS ARE SAYING THIS $56 MILLION, IF IT I IS APPROVED, THAT COULD MEAN JOB LOSS FOR THE DISTRICT AS WELL.

SO YOU GOT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WELL.

THIS COULD MEAN JOB LOSS.

>> IT WASN'T THE ONLY BUDGET THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTER THIS WEEK.

THE CITY MANAGER ANNOUNCED HIS BUDGET PLAN.

A THERE'S A LOT IN THERE WHICH WE WILL TALK ABOUT IN A SECOND.

THE THING THAT GOT A LOT OF HEADLINES AND AEDGES IT WAS THE PAY INCREASE.

3% FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT A LOT MORE THAN 3% FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

ASHLEY, THIS IS KIND OF A STICKY SITUATION ARE TO ELECTED CITY COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE MAYOR,LM I SUPPOSE.

>> WELL, THIS ISSUE HAS COMEE UP BEFORE.

I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A COMMITTEE THAT WAS LOOKING AT THE EXEB COMPENSATION FOR CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND ALSO FOR TERMS, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE BE EXTENDING TERMS AND THIS SEEMS TO COME UP EVERY SINGLE TERM.

AND SO IT IS INTERESTING HOW DURING THE MEDIA PRESENTATION AND THE PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL, IT WASN'T MENTIONED AT ALL, AT THE BACK OF THE 422-PAGE DOCUMENT, THERE'S THIS NOTATION THAT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, THE MAYOR'S SALARY WOULD INCREASE BY ABOUT 41% AND CITY COUNCIL'S COMPENSATION WOULD INCREASE ABOUT 50% AND THAT INCLUDES SOME BENEFITS AS WELL.

AND OF COURSE, THE COMMITTEE DID RECOMMEND UNANIMOUSLY THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAY INCREASES BECAUSE COMPARED TO PEER CITIES, THEIR COMPENSATION IS ACTUALLY BELOW WHAT OTHERS MAKE.

I THINK IT IGNITED A DEBATE OF TRANSPARENCY.

AGAIN, THIS WASN'T DISCLOSED IN THECL OFFICIAL PRESENTATION AND THE BRIEFING WITH REPORTERS AND ALSO THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T TAKEN THE VOTERS, THE PAY INCREASE AND SOME PEOPLE BROUGHT THAT UP THAT THIS WASN'T DECIDED BY A VOTE OR IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE AND WE KNOW THIS COUNCIL WILL BE IN OFFICE FOR ANOTHER YEAR WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE CENSUS.

SO CERTAINLY A BIT OF A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE THAT I THINK WILL COME UP IN THE PUBLIC HEARING NEXT WEEK.

>> YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT 56 MILLION THAT THE COUNTY WANTS TO WITHHOLD FROM THE SCHOOL.OL WHAT ARE WE.

TALKING ABOUT HERE?

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $36,000 TO $40,000 FOR THE MAYOR'S SALARY OR SOMETHING AND NOT MORE THAN 40 SHE WOULD BE GETTING PLUS THE BENEFITS ON TOP OF THAT, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY, VERY SMALL DOLLAR FIGURE, RIGHT?

AND FOR THE WORK AND THE TIME THAT COUNCILMEMBERS AND MAYOR SPEND, I THINK PEOPLE-- HOW MANY OF US MAKE LESS THAN THE MAYOR?

I DON'T.T.

YOU KNOW, AND OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT A FULL-TIME MAYOR POSITION, BUT IT IS ON SOMEO LEVEL.

I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SYMBOLIC THINGS.

WHEN YOU BRING IT DOWN TO DOLLARS AND CENTS, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.

IT BECOMES A BIG DEAL.

MAYBE BECAUSE IT WAS TUCKED IN AT THE END THERE.

ALSO I DON'T THINK-- I WILL STICK MY NECK OUT HERE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG DEAL.

>> I B THINK YOU'RE RIGHT,HT MARK.RK I THINK IN A.

LOT OF WAYS IT WAS A LACK OF DISCLOSURE ALMOST AND THEN IT BECOMES A BIGGER ISSUE THAN IT COULD HAVE BEEN.

I WILL BE INTERESTED TO SEE NEXT WEEK WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT.

LIKE YOU SAID, THE MAYOR'S COMPENSATION WITH BENEFITS 59 AND HER BASE SALARY WOULD BE ATTRACT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE ARE RESTAURANTS AND I WENT TO A STARBUCKS, FOR GOODNESS SAKES TO MEET SOMEONE.

IT WAS CLOSED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE WORKERS, WORKERS BECAUSE NOBODY AND EVERYBODY ISBO DECIDED THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID ENOUGH.

MAYBE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYBE WE WILL HAVE TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL AND WE'RE NOT GETTING PAID ENOUGH.

WE WILL HAVE TO CLOSE DOWN.

I REALLY THINK IN THE END, PEOPLE NEED TO STEP BACK AND JUST TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, WHAT DO WE EXPECT THESE PEOPLE TO DO?

AND SHOULD IT BE A FULL-TIME JOB?

WELL, WE DECIDED NO.

IT SHOULD NOT BE A FULL-TIME JOB.

SHOULD THEY BE COMPENSATED REESE REASONABLY?

I THINK SO >> I THINK, AGAIN, TOO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PEER CITIES AND THE COMPENSATION LEVELS THERE, I THINK THAT IS CERTAINLY A FACTOR AND AGAIN, WHILE THE COMMUNITY DIDOMMU UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMEND PAY RAISES FOR THE MAYOR AND FOR COUNCIL.

>> TRADITIONALLY, THEY DO TIE UP THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL SALARY INCREASES TO THE CITY, CITY INCREASES AND THIS IS A DEPARTURE.

AGAIN, THIS IS A STUDY THAT SHOWS THEY'RE UNDERPAID COMPARED TO THEIR COUNTERPARTS.

AGAIN, I THINK AS YOU ALL HAVE EDGES INNED TALKING IT INTO A BACK OF A BUDGET INSTEAD OF ANNOUNCING IT SIDE BYIN SIDE WITHG THE PAY INCREASE.

YOU KNOW, IT DOES GIVE THE HINT AT LEAST THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THEY WERE EAGER TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC.

NOW THAT IT'S BEEN SHARED, WE'LL SEEH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HIT, AGAIN, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS BUDGET WHICH IS COMING SOON.

A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS IN THE CITY BUDGET AND A NEW WAY OF FUNDING THE ARTS.

NOT WITH THE ARTS AND SCIENCE COUNCIL, BUT A NEW FUNDING PLAN THAT KIND OF DEPARTS FROM WHAT THE CITY IS USED TO DOING AND HAS DONE IN THE PAST.

ALL A 3.7% INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG POLICE IN THE MIDST OF A LOT OF DISCUSSION ACROSS THE COUNTRY ABOUT DEFUNDING THEHE POLICE.

THAT PARTICULAR INCREASE IS AIMED NOT JUST AT SALARIES BUT WHAT YOUARIE CALL DEESCALATION OR CRIMEE FIGHTING PROGRAMS, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, I THINK THE RHETORIC OF DEFUND THE POLICE CERTAINLY CREATED A CONVERSATION BUT WHEN YOU COME RIGHT DOWN TO IT, WE NEED POLICE AND POLICE NEED TO HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO DO THE JOB.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REASONABLY IS SAYING LET'S JUST GET RID OF THEM AND AT SAME TIME, PUTTING MONEY INTO PROGRAMS AND SO FORTH, THAT WILL HELP, THEM DO THEIR JOB MAYBE NON-TRADITIONAL WAYS.

I DON'T THINK EXPECT THAT TO BE A HUGE ISSUE AS THIS GOES FORWARD.

>> THAT KIND OF LEADS US INTO OUR DISCUSSION OF A BILL THAT'S IN RALEIGH.

I HAVE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON IT.

HOUSE BILL 536 WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE DUTY TO INTERVENE BILL.

IT'S A BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE POLICE OFFICERS TO STOP OTHER POLICE OFFICERS FROM GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND FORCE NECESSARY AND ARRESTS.

THIS HASN'T BEEN A CONTROVERSIAL BILL.

IT WAS BIPARTISAN, BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS SPONSORED IT AND IT PASSED 117-0 IN THE HOUSE AND NOW GOES TO THE SENATE.

MAYBE THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING, THOUGH, IS THAT IT HASN'T BEEN CONTROVERSIAL.

IT HAS HAD SUPPORT FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE AND LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BECOME LAW VERY SOON.

THAT'S KIND OF A DEPARTURE.

AND I GUESS STEMS DIRECTLY FROM WHAT WE SAW LAST SUMMER WHAT FOLKS WERE ASKING FOR LAST SUMMER.

>> FINALLY ALL OF OUR POLITICIANS CAN AGREE ON SOMETHING.

>> LIKE A FOOTBALL SCORE.

117-0.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

[LAUGHTER] PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE NOT-- YOU KNOW, TRYING TO HAMMER DOWN ON THE POLICE.

I GUESS IN THE POLICE BILL, IT TALKS ABOUT WELLNESS AND MENTAL CAPACITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT I GUESS THE WHOLENESS OF A POLICE OFFICER BECAUSE NOW IT IS STRESSFUL THESE DAYS TO BE A POLICE OFFICER.

SO THEREFORE, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT IT TO HAVE THE STATE BEHIND YOU AND TO LET OTHER POLICE OFFICERS TO SAY, HEY, IT'S OKAY TO REPORT ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER IF YOURE SEE THAT POLICE OFFICER DOING MOREOR THAN WHATE HE OR SHE SHOULD BE DOING.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SHOARVEN TRIAL AND THE KNEE ON THE NECK, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN GEORGE FLOYD HAD DIED, THREE MINUTES AFTER HE HAD DIED, THE KNEE WAS STILL ON THE NECK.

SO I GUESS WE'RE JUST IN A NEW SPACE NOW WHERE WE'RE JUST SAYING THAT, HEY, OFFICERS, IF YOU SEE ANOTHER OFFICER DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE DOING, IT'S OKAY TO REPORT THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, TO GET EVERYBODY HELP.

BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO HOME ALIVE.

>> I THINK THE POINT IS YOU HAVE TO, RIGHT.

IT'S BEYOND THAT.

IT MANDATES IT.

I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND THE MANUAL IS AT THE MOMENT.

I STRONGLY SUSPECT THAT ITT WILL BE IN MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

IT'S BEEN A LONG-STANDING POLICY ANYWAY THAT YOU HAVE TO REPORT THAT AS OPPOSED TO JUST LOOKING THE OTHER WAY.

SO YES, IT'S AMAZING AND ENCOURAGING.

I THINK TOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TO MANY PEOPLE THAT THIS WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE.

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, ALL GETTING TOGETHER SAYING THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE.

>> YEAH.

IT'S A STATEWIDE LAW NOW OR IT WILL BE IF AND WHEN THE SENATE TAKES IT UP AND PASSES IT.

AND AGAIN, IT SEEMS TO BE EMBRACED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND BY THE POLICE GROUPS AS WELL.

IT'S PART OF SEVERAL BILLS THAT ARE KIND OF ERMED AS POLICE REFORM AND ANOTHER ONE WOULD REQUIRE PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ALL NEW OFFICERS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST AS WELL.

AGAIN, ALL THESE THINGS, I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY'RE ON THE LEGISLATURE'S RADAR IN IF IT WASN'T FOR THE PROTESTS ARE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT LED TO THE PROTESTS LAST SUMMER.

ADD DEDRICK MENTIONED SOMETHING ON BOTH SIDES CAN AGREE ON.

WE DON'T SEE THAT OFTEN.

IN THIS CASE, 117-0 WAS THE VOTE IN THE HOUSE THIS WEEK.

GOVERNOR COOPER MADE THE TRIP FROM RALEIGH TO CHARLOTTE THIS WEEK.

HE WAS ON THE WEST SIDE TALKING OVER AT MEDIC HEADQUARTERS AT A VACCINE CENTER ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE VACCINE EFFORT AND KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING.

WE HAVE SEEN A DROP-OFF IN THAT MOMENTUM.

WHERE ARE WE NOW IN TERMS OF VACCINATION RATES?

AND HOPEFULLY, THE DROPPING OF THE MASK SOMETIME IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE?

ASHLEY.Y.

>> I THINK ON THURSDAY, THE STATE BECAME 50.1% VACCINATION, AT LEAST ONE DOSE.

SO WE'RE NOW OVER HALFWAY THAT RATE NOW OF PEOPLE 18 AND OLDER.

I THINK THE GOVERNOR MADE A FEW STOPS THIS WEEK AROUND THE STATE JUST TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW, GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND YOU KNOW, PROMOTE AND SAY, LIKE, HEY, IF WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THE INDOOR MASK MANDATE, WE NEEDD TO GET TO 56% NORTH CAROLINIANS AT LEAST WITH ONE DOSE OF THE VACCINE ANDND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE 50.1%.

SO YEAH.

I THINK HIS WHOLE GOAL HERE IS TO GO TO DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION GROUPS AND HE WAS AT NEW HANOVER IT WEEK JUST ABOUT THE VACCINE AND YOU KNOW, DR. MANDY COHEN ACCOMPANIED HIM TO A CHARLOTTE TRIP AND AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO GET THE HESITATION THAT WE KNOW WE ARE SEEING SUPPLY IS OUTPACING DEMAND NOW BY QUITE A MARGEN AND SO I THINK HIS WHOLE MESSAGE IS IF YOU WANT THINGS TO COME BACK TO NORMAL, IF YOU WANT US TO TAKE OFF OUR MASKS INDOORS, THE VACCINATIONS ARE THE WAY TO GO.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE SEEING THAT RATE SLOW DOWN AND THAT IS 16% OF THE WAY TO GO BEFORE WE SEE THAT MASK MANDATE AS THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID REMOVED.

YOU KNOW, TBD ON THAT.

I DEFINITELY THINK HE IS MAKING THAT PUSH ACROSS THE STATE.

T >> WILL IT'S SO INTERESTING THAT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AREIZ COMING TOGETHER.

WE WERE THERE YESTERDAY, ACTION NORTH CAROLINA, GOING OUT DOOR TO DOOR, KNOCKING ON PEOPLE'S DOORS OVER THERE IN EAST CHARLOTTE.

SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, GET THE FACTS ABOUT THE VACCINE AND HERE IS WHERE YOU CAN GET THE VACCINE.

WE WERE OUT THERE WITH THEM, WE TALKED TO ONE PERSON WHO SAID, OH, I THINK I'M DUE FOR MY SECOND SHOT.

SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO GOT THEIR FIRST SHOT BUT LIFEU GOT IN THE WAY AND THEY FORGOT TO GET THEIR SECOND SHOT.

SOT.

BY SEEING SOMEBODY VISIBLE OUT THERE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR, LEAVING SOMETHING ON YOUR DOOR KNOB SAYING, REMINDER, GET THE VACCINE AND WE HAVE ALL THE FACTS THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO GET THE VACCINE.

I THINK IT'S WORKING ACROSS THE BOARDS AND WE WILL SEE IF ALL OF THAT EFFORT WILL GET THE NUMBERS UP.

>> I THINK THE STRATEGY IS THE POINT THAT IT HAS CHANGED.

THERE USED TO BE THESE MASS VACCINATION CLINICS WHERE YOU CAN GET TO A TON OF PEOPLE IN A DAY.

IT'S MUCH MORE TARGETED, COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC GOING PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND GOING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE KNOW THE VACCINATION RATE JUST HASN'T KEPT PACE WITH THE COVERAGE AND-- AVERAGE AND A DISPROPORTIONATELY THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND I THINK WE HAVE TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT.

>> THAT'S GOOD.

AGAIN, I THINK THE STATE SAID THIS WEEK IF WE WERE STILL VACCINATING AT THE RATE WE WERE AT IN EARLY APRIL, WE WOULD HIT THAT TWO-THIRDS MARK BY AROUND JUNE, EARLY JUNE, BUT AT THIS RATE, WE WON'T.

IT WILL BE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AT LEAST UNTIL WE HIT THAT TWO-THIRDS DROP THE MASK RATE.

WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD.

IT'S A TOPIC EVERY WEEK AND I'M SURE IT WILL BE A TOPIC THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

SPEAKING OF TOPICS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, PAPER OR PLASTIC?

STARTING JULY 5th, YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR LEAVES OR GRASS CLIPPINGS IN PLASTIC BAGS ANYMORE.

TALK ABOUT AN EARTH-SHAKING MOVE FOR HOMEOWNERS.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> JEFF, YOU AND I WERE AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN CHARLOTTE WENT TO THEOT ROLLOUT GARBAGE.

IT USED TO BE THEY WOULD COME INTO YOUR BACKYARD.

THE REASON I BRING THAT UP THAT WAS A HUGE DEBATE.

YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THEY WERE ASKING FOR YOUR FIRSTBORN.

PEOPLE REALLY WENT TO THE MAT ON THAT.

IT WAS GOING TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES.

GARBAGE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF BEING POLITICALLY DIVISIVE.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

I HAVE A BUNCH OF PLASTIC BAGS IN MY GARAGE AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT I'M GOING TO DO WITH THEM.

>> AND YOU EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THE PAPER BAG MANUFACTURERS ARE RUBBING THEIRBI HANDS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CHANGE IN CHARLOTTE.

THEY SAY IT'S BECAUSE PAPER BAGS ARE RECYCLABLE AND DEGRADABLE AND THE CREWS DON'T HAVE TO STOP AND TAKE THE LEAVES AND GRASS OUT OF THE PLASTIC BAGS LIKE THEY DO NOW AND IT SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS.

ULTIMATELY, IT'S A GOOD THING BUT IT IS A CHANGE.

STARTS ON JULY 5th.

SPEAKING OF THINGS THAT START AND DON'T START, STREET CAR DELAYS AGAIN.

[LAUGHTER] WE'RE SUPPOSED TO START INN APRIL AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT AUGUST.

WE'LL SEE.

RIGHT?

WE'LL SEE.

>> THE CONTRACTOR AND PROBLEM THING COMES UP AGAIN.

UNDISCLOSED WHAT THOSE ARE.

YEAH.

I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN THE ENDLESS DELAY.

I KNOW, JOE BRUNO AT WSOC HAS BEEN ALL OVER IT AND CONSTANT DELAYS.

I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THE ORIGINAL START DATE WAS ANYMORE AND I FEEL CERTAIN IT WAS A YEAR AGO BY THIS POINT.

AND WHAT THAT PHASE 2 LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT IS THE FUNDING LIKE AND CERTAINLY THE GENERAL CONTRACTORS IF THEY PROCEED WITH THAT PROJECT.

I THINK ALL THAT HAS TO BE ON THE TABLE.

YEAH.

IT'S BEEN A BELEAGUERED PROJECT TO SAY THE LEAST.

>> YEAH.

WE ONLY HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.

VERY QUICKLY, WAKE COUNTY, THE NUMBER ONE POPULATION COUNTY NUMBER TWO AFTER THE RECENT CENSUS ESTIMATES.

I GUESS THAT'S A BRAGGING RIGHTS THING MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE BUT IT IS AND WE'RE ON THE OTHER END OF THE BRAGGING RIGHTS >> I THINK IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT A LOT OF COUNTIES SURROUNDING MECKLENBURG SAW A HIGHER RATE OF GROWTH IN MECKLENBURG AND SUGGESTS TO ME THAT PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO THE REGION.

THEY'RE MAYBE MOVING TO OUTLIER COUNTIES RATHER THAN MECKLENBURG PROPER.

>> ONE THING THAT WILL BE INTERESTING IS TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT WITH THE EXTRA CONGRESSIONAL SEAT.

>> UH-HUH >> U WILL THAT SEAT BE UP IN THE RALEIGH AREA IN OR, WILL IT BE HERE?

A LOT OF POLITICS TO GO TO GET THROUGH.

THEY HAVE AN ARGUMENT FOR PUTTING IT UP THERE.

>> WELL, WE'RE OUT OF TIME, FOLKS.LK I DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE FOR WHAT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE ANOTHER INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

A LOT OF TOPICS.

WE GOT TO THEM ALL.

SURPRISING.

AND SOMETHING WE WILL TALK ABOUT AGAIN IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS.

IN ANY EVENT, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, OUR PANEL AND YOU AT HOME AS WELL.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME RIGHT HERE ON OFF THE RECORD.

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