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Serving The Arboretum, Ballantyne, Blakeney and SouthPark communities
Volume 15, Number 23 • June 5 to 11, 2015
Is South Charlotte ready for de-annexation? Development, traffic issues raise concern
by Hannah Chronis scweditor@thecharlotteweekly.com
Taxation without proper representation. That’s the resounding message of SMART (South Mecklenburg Alliance of Responsible Taxpayers). The group, which formed in 2011, continues to pursue plans for founding the town of Providence, which would develop from areas SMART sees as being taken advantage of by the city of Charlotte for projects Uptown and elsewhere, funded by south Charlotte residents’ tax money It’s been four years since the group’s
inception and SMART members Tim Timmerman and Rick Stieber said the organization is working toward creating a feasibility study, which may take up to a year to finish, but would present residents with a tangible plan of what de-annexation from Charlotte might look like. “If you go to someone on the street and say ‘de-annexation from the city of Charlotte,’ the first thing on their mind is panic,” Stieber said. “That’s why we’re taking our time with this. We want to have all the answers in place.”
The group is still determining the new town’s potential borders, as well as means of providing services, such as public safety and roads. Utilities would continue to be provided by the county and schools would be unaffected, as they would continue to receive county and state funding; although, SMART is looking at options for a charter school. Stieber said south Charlotte is viewed as the city’s “personal ATM” and the area’s “political irrelevancy” supports the group’s plans for de-annexation.
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Ballantyne Breakfast Club meeting to discuss police, public safety Plans developing for mayoral debate in August by Hannah Chronis scweditor@thecharlotteweekly.com
The next meeting of the Ballantyne Breakfast Club is slated for June 27, a Saturday, at 9 a.m. Attendees can arrive at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and pastries provided by the Ballantyne Hotel. The meeting will discuss public safety and police, said Ballantyne Breakfast Club Founder Ray Eschert. CharlotteMecklenburg Police Department Deputy Chief Kerr Putney will serve as the meeting’s guest speaker, alongside at-large Charlotte City Council representative Claire Fallon and District 7 representative Ed Driggs. “The goal of this meeting will bring focus on how our police department operates and how they have taken steps to address the concerns of the public related to performing their duty,” Eschert said. Current Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe announced his retirement last month after leading the department since 2008. His retirement will become effective July 1 and
(see SMART on page 4)
(see Breakfast Club on page 5)
INDEX: News Briefs, 6; Education, 12; Rev. Tony, 16; Calendar, 18; Sports, 20; Classifieds, 23
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