I represent House District 103, a portion of which is included within the proposed I-77 South Express Lanes corridor. Elected officials share a collective responsibility to build and preserve public trust, and I want to set out in writing that I publicly oppose any attempt by the General Assembly to punish those municipalities which voted to rescind authority to move forward at this time with the I-77 South Express Lanes project.
While the history of how we arrived at the current moment is important, it is of immediate urgency that those of us in leadership define the values we want North Carolinians to believe that our government stands for. I acknowledge the frustrations on the part of the state-level authorities engaged in this project. I also understand and respect the role of local elected leaders and the significant concerns regarding the project that prompted the Charlotte City Council vote on May 11 followed by the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization vote on May 20.
It is the announcement on June 11, however, that demands attention. A member of the State Senate has asked that language be inserted into the state budget that would single out and punish Charlotte-Mecklenburg and any municipality that voted to withdraw its approval for the I-77 South Project. Such a response should concern anyone in a position of leadership, and we must stand up and speak out against conduct that is not only unlawful, but it is the antithesis of respect for the democratic processes…