2016.09.27 CLT.biz Insights

Insights 16.09.27 Re-interpreting Charlotte and Its Place in the World | Regionally and Globally Yes, I want to subscribe to CLT.biz Insights now!

What is the TPP? Why you need to know about the TPP! In the midst of our Presidential campaign, it might be helpful to put forward some facts about the TPP. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have expressed their doubts about the TPP. Their comments have created a certain negative and false impression about the TPP. However, the TPP is a

negotiated trade agreement that has been developed under President Obama. He wants this agreement in place as one of his legacy accomplishments. As such, he is doing all he can to pass it before Congress before he leaves office. It is expected to be taken up by Congress during the lame duck session before the next president takes office.

Before you jump to your own conclusion about the TPP, it might be valuable to gather the facts about the TPP. Read more…

BCBSNC Health Care Challenges Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is IN Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Carolina’s largest health insurer, has announced that it will continue offering individual coverage under the Affordable Care Act in all 100 counties of the state in 2017. Until recently, Blue Cross Blue Shield had questioned their participation in the ACA Exchange. Having lost $405 million in the previous two years, BCBS was unsure about continuing its involvement with the ACA Exchange.

Their announcement ensures that all North Carolina residents will have ACA access for at least one more year as the federal exchange enters its fourth year of public enrollment. Previously, two major insurers – Aetna and United Healthcare – announced that they would not offer ACA plans in North

Carolina and many other states in 2017. Cigna is the only other carrier offering coverage under the ACA Exchange, but it will only offer plans in five counties in the Raleigh Durham region.

The pricing and other details of Blue Cross insurance plans will not be released until October. The company is seeking an 18.8 percent average rate increase for 2017 plans from the N.C. Department of Insurance, after being granted a 32.5 percent average rate increase for this year’s plans.

Open enrollment for 2017 will begin on Nov. 1, and will end Jan. 31. Customers who want health insurance by Jan. 1 will need to be enrolled by Dec. 15. Read more...

Pew Research Center

Immigration - A Reality Check Contrary to Political Rhetoric, Immigration is in Decline Certainly one of the most championed issues of this year’s Presidential campaign has been illegal immigration, particularly from Mexico. However, like much of the rhetoric during the campaign, the question of illegal immigration has been largely devoid of facts.

While there are no reliable statistics for how many illegal immigrants cross the border with Mexico, experts use the number of apprehensions as a proxy. By that measure, the number of Mexicans apprehended at the border has dropped from more than 1.5 million in 2000 to just about 229,000 in 2014. Meanwhile, the number of non-Mexicans (mostly from Central American countries including El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras) rose sharply and exceeded the number of Mexicans apprehended

in 2014. A big part of this increase in non-Mexican immigration is accounted for by unaccompanied children.

Meanwhile, under President Obama, the number of deportations has risen sharply, to a record of more than 435,000 in 2013. Between 2009 and 2014, more than 2.4 million illegal residents were deported.

Donald Trump will approve of the fact that more than 40 percent of those deported were convicted criminals. Read more‌

CLT Airport’s New Long-range Plan First Draft of New Plan Released for Comments In January of 2016, CLT Airport, with the approval of the Charlotte City Council, contracted with MXD Developers out of British Columbia to conduct a long-range planning study for $900,000. MXD has considerable airport planning experience having worked with the Denver International Airport as well

as airports in Memphis, Atlanta, Halifax, Alberta and Edmonton in the U.S. and in Canada. They have also been instrumental to plans in South America, Australia and South Africa.

MXD is charged with developing a long-range plan that includes all of the property within the CLT Airport and NS Intermodal operations and surrounding 6,000 acres owned by the airport.

MXD, with the guidance of CLT Airport officials, has met with as many airport stakeholders as they could to gain the ideas of that will further enhance the land use and maximize its value to the City of Charlotte and its citizens. Read more‌

CSX Rail Economic Developments

CCX Intermodal in Rocky Mount and Queen City Express to Wilmington CSX Railroad has been busy lately in the State of North Carolina. Joe Horton, Terminal Manager at the CSX Intermodal Terminal in Charlotte, recently reported to the Charlotte World Trade Association about CSX plans for substantial growth that will enhance the opportunities for significant economic development.

Center stage was the recent announcement by the state of North Carolina, the Carolinas Gateway Partnership and CSX of Rocky Mount, N.C., as the home for a new intermodal rail terminal—the Carolina Connector, or CCX. This $270M+ critical infrastructure project will serve as a major transportation hub in the Southeast, and a catalyst for substantial economic growth throughout the state of North Carolina.

A new intermodal rail link will begin this month between the North Carolina State Ports Authority’s Port of Wilmington and the CSX intermodal terminal in Charlotte. Horton says “it is being touted as a gamechanger. It is called the Queen City Express! ”Read more…

Sales Coaching Tactic to Unlock Better Team Performance (and That Most Managers Overlook) Motivating your team isn’t just about giving the right kind of feedback—it’s also about knowing how to receive feedback. Create a two-way feedback freeway! Use these 3 tips to ensure your feedback is heard, absorbed, and translated into results. Read more...

EVENTS

WACC Speaker Series with Talmage Boston October 18th, 2016 Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte on Tuesday, October 18th as we host Talmage Boston, partner at Winstead PC and author of Cross-Examining History: A Lawyer Gets Answers from the Experts About Our Presidents.

The Five Commandments of Presidential Leadership: What We Need in a Commander-inChief. The same traits in great presidential leadership exist in 2016 as did in 1789, when George Washington was sworn in as America’s first president. After completing 31 interviews with presidential historians and White House insiders over two years, Talmage Boston synthesized their best points to create the Ten Commandments of Presidential Leadership.

Date: Tuesday, October 18th Location: Charlotte City Club Check-In, Networking and VIP Reception: 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Lunch, Presentation and Q&A: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Cost:

$35 WACC Members Rate $45 Non-Members Rate Click Here for Registration Information If you would like to connect with our readers, please contact me for more information. Learn more.

Sincerely,

John Paul Galles Publisher CLT.biz LLC