THIS IS A PRODUCTION OF PBS CHARLOTTE.

BACK TO SCHOOL AT CMS OR AT LEAST THE KIDS ARE BACK BUT THE SCHOOLS ARE STILL SHORT ON STAFFING OFFERING SIGNING BONUSES FOR SOME JOBS.

SHOULD YOU WEAR A MASK AT A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME?

IS THE MANDATE EVEN A LEGAL?

A MAYOR SAYS NO.

SHOULD THEY PAY THE CITY WORKERS TO GET A VACCINE VOLUNTARILY OR JUST REQUIRE IT FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYEES?

PLUS IS THAT LIGHT RAIL OR WHITE RAIL.

HOW THE BLUE LINE IS AFFECTING THE TRADITIONALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS AND SPEAKING OF TRANSIT A NEW STUDY SAYS IF WE DON'T SPEND BILLIONS WE ARE GOING TO LOSE BILLIONS BUT WHAT IF WE JUST BUILD MORE ROADS INSTEAD?

FROM OUR CHARLOTTE STUDIOS THE HISTORIC MIDWAY ON JEFF AND WE ARE OFF THE RECORD.

TALKING ABOUT THE STORIES THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK.

YOU SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE NAMES AND FACES AROUND THE VIRTUAL TABLE.

MARK BECKER ALSO ELI FROM THE CHARLOTTE URBAN INSTITUTE.

YOU CAN ALSO JOIN THE CONVERSATION E-MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO OFF THE RECORD.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL WEEK A FEW WEEKS BEHIND TO START WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

ITS INTERESTING HOUSE WATCHING CHANNEL NUMBER NINE IT DURING THE.

ON THE SAME DAY WE OPENED COUNTY SCHOOLS HAD 1800 STUDENTS IN QUARANTINE.

CAN YOU BRING US UP-TO-DATE ON CMS AND THEIR FIRST WEEK.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN SOME BUMPS IN THE ROAD WITH LATE BUSES THAT THIS YEAR IS MORE DISAPPOINTING.

THERE IS NO AIR CONDITIONING AND DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT'S NOT A GOOD SIGN FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT HE KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THAT THEY ARE ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM.

SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING WHY IS IT A PROBLEM WHEN THE LAST SCHOOL DISTRICT IS OPENING IN THE AREA HOW ARE YOU NOT.

SOME OF THE OLD SYSTEMS ARE GOING TO TAKE A A WHILE TO FILTER BECAUSE IT'S A 50 -YEAR-OLD SCHOOL.

NEVERTHELESS THEY DO RECOGNIZE THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THEY ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE.

THEY'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT BECAUSE THEY NEED WORKERS.

THE STATE NEEDS WORKERS SO THEREFORE THEY ARE OFFERING A 1,000 $BONUS FOR THESE WORKERS TO GET INSIDE THE SCHOOLS AND GET THE JOB DONE.

>> WE'VE GOT TEACHERS BUS DRIVERS CERTAIN TEACHERS ALL OF THESE JOB CATEGORIES ARE AREAS WHERE THEY ARE A BIT SHORT.

>> CMS IS NOT IMMUNE TO THE GREAT RESIGNATION.

NOW THROUGH THE PANDEMIC THESE WORKERS ARE ASSESSING THE PRIORITIES AND WHAT MIGHT WANT TO DO.

THERE'S AN 130 VACANCIES AT CMS.

WE WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE TEACHERS AND I THINK WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT ABOUT 400 TEACHERS BEING CALLED OUT ON THEIR FIRST DATE SAYING THEY NEED A SUBSTITUTE.

THEY ARE NOT IMMUNE TO WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE EMPLOYMENT LINE.

>> YOU ARE A PARENT CAN YOU GIVE US A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS OF THEM LIKE THIS YEAR?

>> MY HOUSE HAS GONE PRETTY SMOOTHLY.

I'VE I GET TOO HIGH SCHOOLERS AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KID.

MY CHILDREN WERE EXCITED TO GET GOING.

THE EIGHT LUNCH IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND WAR FACE MASKS BUT I THINK THEY WERE EXCITED TO GET BACK IN FRONT OF THE TEACHERS DOING THE THINGS THAT STUDENTS DO AT SCHOOL GOING TO WORK GOING TO CLASS IN PERSON.

JUST SEEING THESE KIDS COMING IN AND I WAS ALWAYS.

I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF TWISTS AND TURNS IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.

WE ARE WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT WEEK IS GOING TO BRING.

THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.

NOT JUST AMONGST PARENTS AND KIDS.

TEACHERS STAFFERS EVERYBODY HAS QUESTIONS.

EXACTLY.

THE BIG THING IS THESE LEADERS WANT TO KEEP KIDS INSIDE THE SCHOOL THE ENTIRE YEAR BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THEY KIDS LEARN BEST WHEN THEY ARE INSIDE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I'M WONDERING WHY THEY'VE MANDATED THE MASKS FOR EVERYBODY INSIDE THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THAT IF ONE PERSON IN THE CLASSROOM THAT EVERYBODY IN THE CLASSROOM IS WEARING A MASK OF A CLASSROOM DOES NOT HAVE TO GO INTO QUARANTINE ONLY THE PERSON THAT HAS THE DISEASE IS GOING TO BE QUARANTINED INSTEAD OF THE FULL CLASS.

LOOK, EVERY YEAR THE FIRST DAY BACK AT SCHOOL THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES.

I THINK ALL IN ALL WHEN I ATTENDED THE BRIEFING AFTER THE VERY FIRST DAY AND THEY WERE OFFBEAT AND I THINK FOR GOOD REASON.

FOR THE MOST PART THINGS WENT VERY WELL.

THE MASK MANDATE I ASKED IF IT WAS AN ISSUE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO PUSHBACK ON THIS.

WHEN YOU CONTRAST THIS WITH CHARLOTTE AND SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS I THINK IF AT ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO CLOSE A BRAND-NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR A A WHILE UNTIL IT PUT OUT THE FIRE.

ALL IN ALL I THINK THINGS ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.

THE BIG PROBLEM IS ALL OF THOSE VACANCIES AND WE ARE RUNNING INTO THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ALL THE RESTAURANTS AROUND TOWN.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO JUST GET PEOPLE.

>> MY CHILDREN ARE STILL TOO YOUNG TO BE IN SCHOOL BUT WE HAVE THEM IN CHILDCARE AND WE HAVE DEALT WITH OVER THE PAST YEAR CHILDCARE CENTERS BEING CLOSED BECAUSE OF QUARANTINE EXPOSURE.

THE WAITING AND SEEING WE ARE USED TO IT AT THIS POINT IN THE PANDEMIC JUST LIVING WITH THE UNCERTAINTY.

BUT IT FEELS VERY DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THE SENSE OF NOT KNOWING FOR SURE IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE EVERYBODY IN SCHOOL OR IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE EVERYBODY IN SCHOOL NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH.

WHAT ARE THINGS GOING TO LOOK LIKE SO THAT CERTAINTY IS VERY DIFFERENT BUT AT THE SAME TIME DRIVING AROUND ON WEDNESDAY I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THE BUSES SHOCKED TO SEE THE DROP OFF LINE IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THE TRAFFIC OUT THERE.

BE FOR YOURSELF.

>> IT'S BACK TO BUSINESS.

WE HAVE THIS PRESS CONFERENCE HERE IN THE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

SOME OF THESE KIDS MAY HAVE SEEN THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS DIE.

THEIR FAMILY HAS THEM HOSPITALIZED OR FAMILY MEMBERS LOSING THEIR JOB OR STUFF LIKE THAT.

ON DAY NUMBER ONE THERE HAS BEEN CONNECTIONS TO COUNSELORS AND STUDENTS THAT HAVE TRIED TO GET THEM THROUGH THIS ACTIVE DAY.

IF A SENSE OF REALITY AND ALSO WE MUST REALIZE THERE IS AN ACHIEVEMENT GAP THAT HAS BEEN IN THE HEADLINES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

THEREFORE WHEN THEY TELL ME THERE IS A RACIST FOCUS TO BE SURE THEY ARE TAKING A SHOT OVER THE YEARS THERE HAS BEEN LEARNING LOTS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND TEST SCORES ARE COMING OUT NEXT WEEK AND PEOPLE ARE PREPARING FOR THE WORST.

THEREFORE THE JOB MUST BE DONE WE MUST CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC AND IN THE MIDST OF THESE TEACHERS LOSING THE TEACHERS.

THEY GET A DIFFICULT ROAD AHEAD OF THEM.

>> NOBODY WANTS THE KIDS IN HARMS WAY BUT I THINK EVERYBODY THAT CAME BACK LAST YEAR REALIZED THAT THERE IS A RISK IN NOT PUTTING THE KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL AS WELL.

THEY ARE RISKING THEIR OVERALL EDUCATION OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER BESIDES THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF THE VIRUS.

I KNOW THE SCHOOL BOARD IS TAKING A SECOND LOOK OUTSIDE AT MASKING IN PARTICULAR AT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES AFTER SOME SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGES OF UNMATCHED STUDENTS HAVE BEEN RELEASED.

IS IT YOUR SENSE THAT THEY MAY BE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION BECAUSE OF THAT VIDEO?

FROM WHAT I'M TOLD THIS COULD BE BROUGHT UP.

THAT WILL BE A FUTURE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

I'VE ALSO HEARD THAT PRINCIPALS HAVE AUTONOMY.

SOME PRINCIPLES COULD SEE THERE IS A MASK MANDATE AT THE OUTDOOR GAMES BECAUSEGPRINCIPLES SET THE DRESS CODE.

WITH THAT AUTONOMY SOME PRINCIPLES IF THEY THINK IT IS NECESSARY THEY COULD ENACT THIS BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TAKE THIS UP AT A FUTURE MEETING I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THEY HEARD ABOUT THE MASK MANDATE PEOPLE ASKING PEOPLE ABOUT THE MASK MANDATE BEING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE AT GAMES THAT THERE WAS NO PUSHBACK FROM ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.

THEY MAY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM HAVING MASK MANDATE THE OUTDOOR GAME.

I THINK THIS TALKING BACK TO SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE I MENTIONED EVERY WEEK FOR A LONG TIME THIS COGNITIVE DISSONANCE IN THE PANDEMIC.

WE GOT SOME OUTDOOR EVENTS LARGELY OUTDOOR EVENTS BEING PUSHED BACK CHARLOTTE SHOUT AND PRIDE A LOT OF THINGS WITH OUTDOOR COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO 2022.

A LARGE CONCERT AT BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE GOING TO HAVE LARGE SPORTS WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE STANDS.

A LOT OF OTHER EVENTS AND CONCERTS ALL HAPPENING WITH PEOPLE GOING BACK AND FORTH.

I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR.

WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

>> OREGON JUST PAST IN OUTDOOR MASK MANDATE WE ARE REALLY SEEING EVEN MORE DIFFERENCES IN THESE REQUIREMENTS AND RULES IN A REALLY FRAGMENTED LANDSCAPE.

>> THIS BRINGS US TO THE NEXT TOPIC WE TALKED ABOUT THE MASK MANDATE OBVIOUSLY IF AN INDOOR MASK MANDATE AND RIGHT NOW IT AFFECTS CHARLOTTE AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS NEXT WEEK THEY ARE ALL GOING TO BE COVERED BUT AT LEAST ONE MAYOR IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING WHETHER OR NOT THE MASK MANDATE IS LEGAL.

HE SENT A LETTER TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION THIS WEEK QUESTIONING WHETHER ALL THESE THINGS NEED TO BE DONE IN ORDER FOR A COUNTY TO ORDER A MASK MANDATE.

TICKETS TO THAT COGNITIVE DISSONANCE OR MIXED MESSAGE.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MANY TIMES.

WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THE MASK MANDATE THEY IN ALL OF THE COUNTIES.

THEY ARE RELUCTANT BUT THEY UNDERSTAND THE NEED BECAUSE OF THE SPIKE.

THIS PARTICULAR CHALLENGE THE MAYOR OF HUNTERSVILLE.

IS THAT POLITICS?

I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING.

A YEAR AGO IF WE HAVE THE NUMBERS WE HAD NOW WERE PRETTY MUCH LOCKED DOWN.

BUT HERE WE ARE WITH THESE NUMBERS AS BAD AS THEY BEEN AND WE ARE DOING A LOT OF THINGS WE WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT DOING A YEAR AGO.

THIS OF COURSE IS IN THE PRESENCE OF AVAILABILITY WITH THE VACCINE.

BUT STILL THE MAYOR IS SAYING WHAT A LOT OF OTHERS ARE GENERALLY SAYING.

THESE GOVERNORS AND SENATORS AND MAYORS ARE SAYING AROUND THE COUNTRY.

WE CAN'T HELP BUT LOOK AT THIS THROUGH SOME SORT OF POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS DON'T THINK THE COUNTY IS GOING TO ADHERE OR LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO FAR THE COUNTY'S CHAIRPERSON HAS NOT RESPONDED.

AS MARK SAID PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING WE NEED TO TAKE POLITICS OUT OF THIS.

BEFORE PEOPLE HAVE MASKS AND THEY WERE IN QUARANTINE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES.

WE ARE TALKING A HEALTH CRISIS.

YOU JUST CAN'T REVERSE IT WHEN SOMEBODY HAS PASSED AWAY.

I BELIEVE THE HEALTH AND THE SCIENCE HAS TO TAKE OVER AND POLITICS NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE RED.%7 THE POLITICS OUT OF THE WAY SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK.

>> MUST BE CLEAR JOHN IS A REPUBLICAN BUT HIS ARGUMENT AGAINST THE MASK MANDATE IS BASICALLY WHAT HE SAYS IS THE STATE LAW IS OFFERED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND IT DID NOT OFFER ANY SOURCE FOR THIS DATA.

AND THERE'S NO COMPARISON BETWEEN THESE TWO COMPANIES THAT THESE THINGS ARE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW FOR A MASK MANDATE.

WHILE ULTIMATELY A LOT OF THIS LINES UP BEING POLITICAL IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE CITING STATE LAW AS MENTIONED IS NO RESPONSE YET FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

I'M NOT SURE WITH HIS CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE IN WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE ACTED UPON OR NOT.

THE CITY COUNCIL LOOKING AT ACTING AND OFFERING BONUSES TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT GET TO THE VACCINE VOLUNTARILY.

THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY FOR SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PUSHING THIS BACK SAYING IS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE YOU SHOULD BE REQUIRING VACCINES AMONGST THE EMPLOYEES IF AN ONGOING DEBATE I GUESS AMONGST ALL EMPLOYERS.

I THINK NOW THAT THE VACCINE HAS FULL APPROVAL YOU MAY SEE SHARPER DEBATES AROUND THE QUESTION.

I THINK THE QUESTION IN THE CITY MANAGER THAT I BELIEVE WAS IN THE 60s ALREADY WHEN IT COMES TO FULL VACCINATION.

I THINK THEY HOPE TO INCREASE THAT THROUGH THIS APPROACH.

THERE WERE SOME HINTS THAT THEY COULD BE LOOKING AT A STRICTER APPROACH GOING FORWARD.

I THINK NEW YORK CITY HAS MANDATED ALL OF THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES GET VACCINATEDT BEFORE RELEASING THIS WITH A LOCAL HOSPITAL SYSTEM PENTAGON IS REQUIRING THIS FOR ACTIVE-DUTY ARMED SERVICES NUMBERS BUT THERE IS STILL GOING TO BE PUSHED BACK THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE UNION IS PLANNING TO FILE A LAWSUIT TO STOP VACCINE REQUIREMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE OFFICERS IN THE CITY.

DOES A LOT OF PUSH AND PULL ANOTHER THING IS THAT THE DELTA AIRLINE SAID UNVACCINATED EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO HAVE A $200 PER MONTH SURCHARGE TO THE HEALTHCARE PLAN.

THAT IS TO COVER THE COSTS OF HOSPITALIZATIONS AND PEOPLE THAT NEED TO GO ON VENTILATORS AND SUCH.

THAT IS ENTIRELY UNVACCINATED EMPLOYEES.

YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THOSE STAKES GETTING SHARPER EVEN IN PLACES THAT DON'T HAVE COMPREHENSIVE MANDATES.

>> HAVE TALKED TO THE CITY COUNCILMAN ABOUT THIS AND HE SAID POINTING THAT WE NEED TO OFFER MONEY FOR PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND IF THE CITY HAS THE MONEY WHY NOT SPEND A?

THEY DO HAVE THE MONEY FOR THIS FEDERAL RELIEF PLAN AND THAT FOR THE MONEY IS COMING FROM.

IF 75 PERCENT OF PEOPLE GET THE VACCINE THEN THEY WOULD GET ANOTHER TO HUNDRED DOLLARS.

I THINK IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE IF PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN ENCOURAGED TO GET THE VACCINE AT THIS POINT WHY WOULD $200 B IN INCENTIVE TO GET THE VACCINE?

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE IF THIS WORKS AS HE SAID IN HIS CRYSTAL BALL THE NEXT STEP COULD BE THAT WE ARE INCREASING THE HEALTH INSURANCE IF YOU DON'T GET THE VACCINE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND IT INTERESTING HOW THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN TO GET PEOPLE OUT.

YOU COULD ALSO GET MORE DONUTS I GUESS.

IF THAT MUCH MONEY DOESN'T DO IT FOR YOU MAY BE THE DONUTS WILL.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT THE COST OF HOSPITALIZATION.

THE CITY SAID THE COST OF OPERA SINGING THESE BONUSES IS ABOUT $3 MILLION WHICH IS MORE THAN WHAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR THE COST OF HOSPITALIZATIONS ON CITY INSURANCE FOR THE EVENING OR THAT HOSPITALIZED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC SO THERE IS A BALANCE THERE IN TERMS OF SPENDING THE MONEY AND GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED.

A DISCUSSION IS GOING TO CONTINUE THEY HAVE NOT VOTED YET I WANTED TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE GOAL LINE.

IT'S FINALLY ON TRACK TO BE SERVING PEOPLE WITH STREETCAR SERVICE AS OF NEXT WEEK THE DISCUSSION COMES JUST AS THE OBSERVER DID A STORY ABOUT HOW RAPID TRANSIT AFFECTS TRADITIONALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS IN CHARLOTTE REGARDING( GENTRIFICATION AND E CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE'VE SEEN IN THESE CENSUS FIGURES THAT CRYSTALLIZED WHAT A LOT OF US CAN SEE FOR OURSELVES WITH OUR ALLIES FOR THE FIRST.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT'S CHANGING THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT.

FOR THE GOOD AND IN SOME OF THE BAD.

I WAS GOING TO ECHO WHAT YOU SAID.

>> IT'S THE STUDY THAT THE OBSERVER DID EARLY NUMBERS ON SOMETHING THAT IF WE ARE HANGING THE ATTENTION IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT OVER THE YEARS.

WE STILL HAVE TO SEE THESE NUMBERS AND IT'S A BIT SHOCKING TO LOOK AND SEE 400 PERCENT INCREASES.

WE STILL HAVE THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE HAVING.

PROPERTY TAX GOING UP FOR RENT RISING AND EVERYTHING THAT VARIES LIKE THE ASPECTS I REMEMBER STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE NEW EXTENSION IS NO LONGER KNEW I GUESS.

WE WERE AT THE PARK TALKING AND IT WAS GREAT.

I JUST WONDER IF I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT TO LISTEN.

THE BEST PART ABOUT THE LIGHT RAIL IS THAT ATTRACTS GROWTH AND BUSINESS.

IT ATTRACTS PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE GENERALLY WITH MONEY.

THE WORST PART IS THAT IT ATTRACTS PEOPLE WITH MONEY AND PUSHES THE OTHERS OUT.

>> I THINK GIVEN THE HOUSING SHORTAGE WAS SEEN HERE.

WE ARE SEEING THIS ONLY IN AREAS WHERE THE LIGHT-RAIL IS.

WE CUT THE WESTSIDE AND EASTSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS THINGS THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN A MINORITY OF THE MAJORITY.

THEY WANT TO ALLOW DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEX IS.

THIS WOULD INCENTIVIZE MORE DEVELOPMENT IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP SEEING THESE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES ALONG TRANSIT LINE.

'S REDEVELOPMENT PRESSURE THROUGHOUT THE STAGES.

>> OF KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

AFRICAN-AMERICANS THAT LIVE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE TIME FOR THE RESOURCES.

THEY ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE THAT ARE GOING TO HELP GET THE STRATEGY WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.

THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT TO STAY THERE SO THE INFORMATION AS PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT'S WHAT I ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE DEALING WITH THIS TO REACH OUT AND TO FIND OUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE THEY CAN STAY THEM FOR MANY MANY YEARS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T TOUCH THE LAKEVILLE IT'S A 20 PERCENT INCREASE IN BLACK RESIDENTS IN THEIR LIGHT RAIL A 6 PERCENT BLOCK.

ON OTHER TRANSIT ITEM BEFORE WE WRAP UP THE WEEK.

WE COULD LOSE $28 MILLION IN DOLLARS RATHER AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT.

ANY THOUGHTS ON WHETHER TRANSIT IS TRULY AN ANSWER TO CONGESTION ON THE ROADS?

>> LET ME JUMP THAT BECAUSE I GO BACK WITH HISTORY BACK IN CHARLOTTE WHEN WEAVER FIRST LOOKING AT THE LIGHT-RAIL.

WE WERE GENERATING MOMENTUM FOR THE TAXES.

A PROGRESSIVE CITY AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PUSHBACK.

THE ANSWER FOR ONE OF THE TOP RADIO PROGRAMS WAS LOOK THEY ARE CUTE THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE SWEET.

THEY DON'T NECESSARILY TAKE THE TRAFFIC OFF-ROAD.

THEY BRING MORE PEOPLE IN THE BAREFOOT ON THE ACTUAL TRAINS HIMSELF.

I THINK WE'RE SEEING THE SAME HERE.

>> IN SOME CASES THESE OTHER THINGS ARE THE REAL BENEFITS OF THE CITY AND THE REGION REALIZE FROM MOST LIGHT RAIL LINES INCLUDING THE JOBS AND DEVELOPMENT IN THAT SORT OF THING.

WE ARE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME BUT A LOT TO COVER THIS WEEK AND OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THESE TOPICS THAT WE HAVE COVERED ARE RECURRING TOPICS THAT WE SEEM TO COVER EVERY WEEK.

IN THE MEANTIME I WANT TO THANK OUR REGULAR PANEL OF GUESTS.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL US.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.