#GovJamCLT Is this Weekend - June 12-14

The Charlotte Shapers are giving you the opportunity to collaborate on solutions to problems and challenges facing the city. It’s a weekend-long event, dubbed #GovJamCLT (see hash on Twitter), with the goal of helping “Charlotte residents begin to make the increasingly important connections needed between government and those the public sector serves.”

You might be familiar with previous events and initiatives the Charlotte Shapers have done over the last couple of years, such as its annual business idea competition. Part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, the Charlotte group carries out the international organization’s mission of empowering young leaders (people in their 20s and 30s) to create solutions to problems around the world, essentially one community and city at a time. The Charlotte group’s primary focus is tackling youth unemployment, but they also address a wide range of issues, as you’ll see with #GovJamCLT.

#GovJamCLT Rundown

Date: June 12-14 | Friday, 5:45 - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Admission: $15; covers all three days (each day that you attend, you get $5 back).
Location: The Junior League of Charlotte, 1332 Maryland Ave.

Part of the Global Gov Jam, when people around the world will come together for 48 hours, #GovJamCLT is open to everyone, and the theme of this “jam” will be announced at the start of the event (but you can presume it will be tied to local government). If you've never participated in an event like this before, all you need to do is come with an open mind and a desire to see positive change where you live.

Get complete details and register for #GovJamCLT at charlotteshapers.org/govjamclt.

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Potential North Carolina Bumper Stickers, Inspired by State Legislature, Courtesy of Comedian TV Hosts

North Carolina has become the butt of jokes, thanks to extreme policies and laws either recently proposed or passed by the state legislature (North Carolina General Assembly). While many of these measures are no laughing matter--new gun, abortion, and voter ID laws to name a few--they have become great fodder for late-night TV show hosts.

Below are a few clips from segments that have aired over the past week. I pulled a quote from each one that, if it would happen to appear on a bumper sticker, wouldn't look too fondly for N.C.

Last night on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, fill-in host John Oliver said: "North Carolina's voter ID law is just the tip of a true sh*tberg of the legislative session."

Friday night on Real Time with Bill Maher, Bill said: "North Carolina, right now, is going ape sh*t in a way no state ever has."



Last Monday on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert said: "Who makes barbecue sauce with vinegar? That's what you use to clean a toilet, and when I say toilet I mean Charlotte." (Commentary on N.C. begins at 4:07 mark.)

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The DNC's $54K Blackberry and $30K iPhone

The U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance released a report last Tuesday that analyzed the work of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department during last year's Democratic National Convention. The 67-page report is titled, "Command, Control, and Coordination: A Quick-Look Analysis of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Operations during the 2012 Democratic National Convention," and while it highlights what CMPD did right and where the department failed, for the most part the feds believe our boys in blue did a good job. It's estimated that as many as 75,000 people visited Charlotte that week for the convention, and there were no major incidents reported and only 25 people were arrested--a great feat considering the number of protesters and the concern that was expressed by local and federal officials during the months leading up to it (read here and here).

Credit: bja.gov

The same day the DOJ released its report, CMPD released one detailing how it spent the $50 million federal grant (click here for the item-by-item list of expenses) it received to provide security during the DNC (if you'll recall, Tampa received the same grant for Republican National Convention security). Shortly after reviewing the report, several media outlets published articles that focused on some of the billed items, ranging from the $1.76 million spent on a wireless video camera system to the $450 shelled out for horse manure removal.

Then by the end of last week, media became intrigued by the publishing of a police report that was filed last month with CMPD by the Democratic National Convention Host Committee for lost and stolen electronics. Most of the 41 items listed on the nine-page report are things like mobile phones, laptops, and iPads. That's understandable considering the thousands of special personnel who worked during the convention (most of them brought in from out of town) and the thousands of pieces of equipment they were sharing. It's inevitable that some items would go missing.

But where the DNC has some explaining to do is why a reportedly stolen 13-inch MacBook Pro laptop is listed on the report as being valued at $75,537, an iPhone at $30,503, and a lost Blackberry at $54,250. The values of several items are grossly inflated on the report, including many laptops listed above $25,000, and to the extent that the 41 missing electronics are totaled at $465,142.97.

Maybe each of those iPads, MacBooks, and the like had special diamond-encrusted presidential seals on them to commemorate the re-nomination of President Barack Obama?

So far, I don't believe representatives from either the DNC or CMPD have commented on the missing items report.

Bling-bling, ring-ring. Credit: techflyover.org

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An Evening with Charlotte's Mayors - May 21

If you're civic-minded, politically engaged, or just want to get more insight into the well-being and future of Charlotte, there's a great event coming up that you should mark your calendar to attend. An Evening with Charlotte's Mayors is a free public forum, taking place Tuesday, May 21, 7 p.m. at Dale F. Halton Theater at Central Piedmont Community College (1206 Elizabeth Ave.). All six of Charlotte's living mayors will be on the panel: current Mayor Anthony Foxx (who's leaving his post soon to join the Obama Administration) and former mayors: North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, Richard Vinroot, former U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, Harvey Gantt, and Eddie Knox.

Charlotte mayors present and past. Top, left to right: Mayor Anthony Foxx, Gov. Pat McCrory, Richard Vinroot; bottom: Sue Myrick, Harvey Gantt, and Eddie Knox.

The forum is billed as an "historic discussion [that] comes at an intriguing time in Charlotte's history. A crucial mayoral election looms while concerns swirl over the city's future: growth without annexation, the widening gap between the affluent and poor, and rising tensions over control of the airport and a persistently high unemployment rate." Award-winning documentarian and TV journalist Steve Crump will moderate the evening, and audience members will be allowed to ask questions.

The event is free to attend, but registration is required by clicking here.  Doors will open at 6 p.m., the forum begins at 7, and a dessert, wine, and coffee reception will follow. The event is sponsored by The Charlotte Observer, PNC Bank, and CPCC.

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Community Meetings April 16 and 22 to Discuss 2013-14 Budget Proposal

Last week, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Heath Morrison presented his budget proposal for the 2013-2014 school year to the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. Morrison's 46-page proposal, titled "Advancing The Way Forward," requests a $28.5 million, or 8 percent, increase, for a total of $365.9 million from the county (CMS has a budget of more than $1.1 billion, including money from the county, state, and federal government).

Morrison is nearing the end of his first year as CMS superintendent, after serving in that role at the school district in Reno, Nevada (he was named national superintendent of the year while there). I saw him speak at a Charlotte Chamber luncheon last August and I was impressed with his perspectives on how he would improve Charlotte schools.

Superintendent Heath Morrison. Credit: CMS

A little more than a third of the additional $28.5 million Morrison is requesting would go toward improving technology in schools: increasing wireless Internet capability, adding projection systems in all classrooms, and creating mobile tech labs. Three million dollars would be used to hire 36 facilitators or academic coaches to help teachers improve their skills; $1.2 million would fund after-school and summer programs to help about 5,000 kindergarten through third grade students improve their reading skills; $900,000 would be used to hire 10 people to coordinate community partnerships at 40 to 50 schools and a volunteer coordinator to work district-wide; along with requests for money to create six new magnet programs, as well as money to cover fees for students taking advancement placement tests (source: The Charlotte Observer).

Those all seem like important and worthwhile requests, that I could see myself supporting once I learn more about them. But $28.5 million is a lot of money, and county commissioners have said they might not have the funds to spare, and that they're already having to make cuts to other county-funded programs. Plus, some people might view this as throwing money at the educational problems, when that doesn't always work. But you know what? You, the citizens of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, need to voice your opinions.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is holding two community meetings to discuss the 2013-14 budget proposal. 

• April 16, 6-7:30 p.m. at West Charlotte High School, 2216 Senior Drive
• April 22, 6-7:30 p.m. at Rocky River High School, 10905 Clear Creek Commerce Drive

Superintendent Morrison and members of the executive staff team will present information on the budget priorities and facilitate a question-and-answer session. CMS will provide an interactive technology tool that will allow participants to ask questions and provide feedback from their mobile phones and tablets. It would be a good idea that you looked over the proposal before you attended. Click here to view the PowerPoint presentation. Click here for more info on the meetings.

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ABC Stores in N.C. -- The Letter and Spirit of the Law

People have had gripes with their governments since the beginning of civilized societies. But I would think criticism of government is at an all-time high, whether it's people complaining about government on the federal, state, or local level. All we seem to hear is that government is too big, meanwhile things like sequestration are happening and budgets for important programs are getting cut along with jobs. But there's one thing in Charlotte, and in North Carolina as a whole, I don't seem to notice people being too concerned about: the fact that all the liquor stores are government-run.

To be specific, in North Carolina, liquor stores, or retail spirit stores as they're called, are operated by Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) boards in individual counties. So in Charlotte, the liquor stores are ran by the Mecklenburg County ABC Board--there are currently 24 stores throughout the county. If you live here, I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't know. Well, you might not know the legalities of it, but you know that any time you want to buy a bottle of liquor from retail--your favorite vodka, tequila, gin, rum, or the like--you have to get it from a store with the big, illuminated ABC Spirits sign.

 Credit: My Windows Phone

This is the first state I've lived in where the liquor stores are government-run, even if it is on the county level, and I've just always thought that was weird. And this is coming from a guy who grew up in South Carolina where we have some of the most archaic laws, commonly referred to as blue laws. But even in the Palmetto State, liquor stores are owned by private business owners, even if there are tough restrictions on what times liquor can be sold.

This evening, I made a quick stop into the ABC store that's only about five minutes from my house. It's one of the newest in the city and is located across the street from a Walmart. Whenever I'm in there (which isn't too often, but hey, what if I go every day--mind your business), I always think about how liquor sales is such big business. And how come the conservatives or, better yet, people like the Tea Partiers, aren't complaining that government is taking away money that should be going to small business owners? Yeah, I know Meck ABC loves to tout how much of its profits go back into the community. But Americans care more about capitalism. Or is it okay for our liquor stores to be socialists?

Fancy display I saw inside the ABC store this evening. Credit: My Windows Phone

The one thing I will say that I'm pleased with that's a direct result of the ABC stores here being run by the government, is that they're some of the cleanest, well-maintained businesses you'll find. And they're usually placed in appropriate locations, oftentimes in or near shopping centers. Basically what I'm saying is we don't have to worry about having filthy, corner liquor stores in the hood.

The ABC boards were established in North Carolina in the 1930s, but in this new era we're living in when government officials can't decide on budgets, and people are saying that government is too big, maybe county governments in North Carolina should have one less thing to be responsible for. And the liquor stores should be returned to the people. Who's going to drink to that?

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Raleigh the Fastest-Growing City In U.S.; Charlotte 5th

The two largest cities in North Carolina continue to be among the fastest growing in the country, in terms of population percentage increase. This week, Forbes published its list of the 10 Fastest-Growing Cities In the U.S. (and the 10 Slowest-Growing), with Raleigh ranking as the fastest growing and Charlotte coming in fifth. In between them, Austin, Texas is ranked second, Las Vegas is third, and Orlando is fourth.

Forbes explains how it analyzed the data, which was recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Some of the cities' growth have been impacted by economic factors such as the housing market and job sectors. The cities' populations are grouped into their respective metropolitan statistical areas--MSAs encompass the populations of the smaller surrounding cities and towns. So for Charlotte, the MSA includes Gastonia and Rock Hill, among others. According to Forbes:

No. 1: Raleigh, NC, Metropolitan Statistical Area
2012 population: 1,188,564
Growth since 2000: 47.8%
Growth since 2011: 2.2%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 3

No. 5: Charlotte, NC-SC
2012 population: 2,296,569
Growth since 2000: 32.8%
Growth since 2011: 1.7%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 9

Forbes ran a bland photo of Uptown Charlotte's skyline. They should've hit up my buddy, photographer Jon Strayhorn of Media Arts Collective, to get a great shot like this.

Cleveland ranks as the slowest growing U.S. city, with Detroit, not surprisingly, coming in a close second, followed by Buffalo and Pittsburgh. All four of these cities have decreased in population since 2000.

Charlotte has ranked high on the fastest-growing cities lists since I've lived here. And over the past year, all it takes is a drive through neighborhoods like South End and Plaza Midwood to see the many new apartments being built, and in south Charlotte where subdivisions are being expanded and/or entirely new ones are being constructed with hundreds of houses (evident in this July 2012 article I wrote for Charlotte magazine).

Rapid population growth is why it's important that a city like Charlotte is forward-thinking in its city planning, particularly as it pertains to roads and public transportation (i.e. light rail and streetcar), as well as job growth and the types of industries city leaders try to lure here.

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Is Pat McCrory Hesitant to Say 'Charlotte' in TV Ads?

Pat McCrory was mayor of Charlotte from 1995 to 2009, holding office for a city-record seven terms. In my opinion, he was an effective mayor and should be credited for spearheading and championing a lot of the successful growth Charlotte experienced during the last decade. His successor, Mayor Anthony Foxx, has done a good job as well and has helped lead the city out of the recession. See what I just did? I complimented two political leaders, one who's a Republican (McCrory) and one who's a Democrat (Foxx). I wish more of you what push your partisan views (and hate) aside and give credit where it's due. But on to my point.

McCrory is in the homestretch of his second run for governor of North Carolina. He lost to Bev Perdue in 2008. This time around, McCrory is facing Walter Dalton, the Democratic nominee and current lieutenant governor of the state. McCrory has a sizable lead in the polls I've seen, but the 2012 NC gubernatorial race will probably end up being closer, influenced by voter turnout and the majority of people voting straight-party. McCrory appears to be outspending Dalton, at least that's how it seems regarding the number of TV ads by him I've been seeing lately, which led to something else I noticed.

Does Pat McCrory have a problem saying "Charlotte"? Check out two of his recent commercials (here and here, or watch below), where he touts his tenure as mayor but doesn't name the city.

It seems odd to me that McCrory doesn't say Charlotte in those ads, which are two of the last three TV ads he's released. In the other one, Charlotte is mentioned, but by someone else, in that not-intended-to-be-funny-but-kinda-is-ad featuring former Wilson, NC Sheriff Wayne Gay, who says McCrory "did great as mayor of Charlotte. He'll do great with our state, or I'll hunt him down."

Perhaps McCrory is concerned about any perceived Charlotte stigma negatively affecting his appeal to voters across this large, diverse state of ours. Plus, former Charlotte mayors don't have a good track record of seeking higher office, such as Harvey Gantt's (D) two failed runs for U.S. Senate (1990 and 1996), Sue Myrick's (R) unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 1992 (though she would be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 and hold that seat until she announced her retirement in 2012), Richard Vinroot's (R) three failed attempts to become NC governor (1996, 2000, and 2004) and McCrory's own unsuccessful 2008 run.

Still, c'mon Pat, represent for the Queen City!

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The Democratic National Convention Has Arrived

It's been more than a year and a half--19 months to be exact--since Charlotte won the bid to host the 2012 Democratic National Convention. All of the hard work and planning from DNCC and Host Committee staffs, volunteers, local businesses, media, and everyone in between, comes to fruition as the festivities begin.

For the past year, on Charlotte magazine's "The DNC In The CLT" blog, I've been chronicling what Charlotte has done to prepare for hosting the convention, in which President Barack Obama will formally accept the Democratic Party's nomination for reelection. This week, there will be more activity than ever on the DNC blog, with Charlotte magazine staffers contributing, and you can check out all of the magazine's related coverage at www.charlottemagazine.com/dnc.

Time Warner Cable Arena, where the major television news networks will broadcast this week, has been transformed into the Democrats' mecca for the convention. 
Credit: facebook.com/demconvention. 

One particular blog post you'll want to check out, if you haven't already, is a list of dozens of DNC Week events I compiled that are open to the public, ranging from free events like Monday's CarolinaFest in Uptown, to Tuesday's party at The Westin with President Bill Clinton and will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas for $150 a ticket, to Wednesday's Victory reception at Dressler's (where I'm being honored with a Rising Star award), put on by the Young and Powerful Group, to closing night of the Democratic National Convention at Bank of America Stadium where President Obama will speak, but not until after the crowd is entertained by Foo Fighters, Mary J. Blige, Earth, Wind and Fire, James Taylor, Marc Anthony, and more. It's all on this list.

And finally, you can check me out on a couple of television appearances this week, sharing my insight about the Democratic National Convention. Watch me Monday, September 3, shortly after 6:30 a.m., on WCNC NewsChannel 36 (Charlotte’s NBC station), on the morning show. And Tuesday, I'll make an appearance on WCNC's Charlotte Today, which airs at 11 a.m. Set your DVR!

My appearance a week and a half ago on WCNC's morning show.

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Cash Crop: Chiquita Jobs in Charlotte Are a Plenty

After a rather public courtship by several cities last year, Chiquita Brands International, Inc. announced at the end of November that it would relocate its corporate headquarters from Cincinnati to Charlotte. The company's CEO and other executives were immediately greeted with great fanfare. Some critics, however, questioned whether the city, county, and state gave away too much in financial incentives--$24 million worth, comprised of tax credits and grants--to land the international fresh food distributor most known for its bananas. But supporters lauded the deal for the 400 jobs that were promised to be brought here.

At the time of the announcement last fall, CEO Fernando Aguirre said he expected about 200 of those jobs to be filled in Charlotte, believing that the other approximately 200 would be Cincinnati employees who accepted relocation packages. Even for the Charlotteans not hired, that's about 200 workers and their families relocating here, buying homes, paying taxes, and contributing to the local economy in other ways.

As Chiquita prepares its move to the NASCAR Plaza office tower in Uptown, it currently has about 60 jobs posted for positions in Charlotte, based on a search I did this morning. Those open jobs are in several departments, including marketing, customer service, financial planning, food safety, project engineering, business development, transportation, and more. You can find out more about jobs at Chiquita by visiting www.chiquita.com/careers.aspx.

Chiquita employs more than 21,000 people worldwide, with operations in nearly 70 countries. It isn't all fruitful for the company, though. Last week, Chiquita released its first quarter earnings for 2012, reporting a significant loss.

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President Obama Shouts Out Jackie Bray, Charlotte, Siemens, and CPCC in 2012 State of the Union

If you watched last night’s State of the Union address by President Barack Obama, then you saw the great face time a local woman received. About 17 minutes into his hour-long speech, President Obama touted Jackie Bray’s success story. He told how Jackie, from Kings Mountain, was laid off from her job as a mechanic. But thanks to a partnership between Siemens' new gas turbine factory in Charlotte and Central Piedmont Community College, the company paid Jackie's tuition; then hired her full-time.

Jackie was seated next to First Lady Michelle Obama, and the national television cameras cut to her about a half-dozen times. She was clearly overwhelmed by the fact that the POTUS was saying her name repeatedly.

"I want every American looking for work to have the same opportunity as Jackie did," President Obama said. "Join me in a national commitment to train 2 million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a job. My administration has already lined up more companies that want to help. Model partnerships between businesses like Siemens and community colleges in places like Charlotte, and Orlando, and Louisville are up and running."

Below is a two-minute video clip of Jackie's face time. It's also great publicity for CPCC, which is already a thriving community college system, and for Siemens, which comes off looking like a great corporate citizen.

You can watch the full 2012 State of the Union address by clicking here.

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Vote Today, Shout Tonight

Elections in Charlotte City Council primaries are taking place today until 7:30 p.m. I know many of you are planning to vote in the general elections in November, but today is the first step to ensuring the city council candidate of your choice makes it onto the ballot. There are five contested races today: At-large, District 2, District 3, District 5, and District 7. Click here to read The Charlotte Observer's breakdown of the races and links to their political coverage. You can also find important details, such as voting locations, on the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections website, www.meckboe.org.

Then later this evening, treat yourself to a jubilant event. The eighth annual Gospel Shout! is like a celebration of the return to fall. As always, the concert is free, and features religious "roots music" featuring a cappella singing plus the high-energy trombone "shout band" tradition found at the United House of Prayer. It always reminds me of a performance you would see in the streets of New Orleans (watch the YouTube clip below of the Charlotte band). You can make an entire evening of it and enjoy a soul-food dinner (approximately $10) in the House of Prayer cafeteria. Dinner begins serving at 6 p.m.; concert begins 7:30 p.m. This event is presented by Levine Museum of the New South and Charlotte Center City Partners. United House of Prayer for All People, 2321 Beatties Ford Road.

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Intolerance In Norway Looks Familiar

I avoided watching most of the news coverage over the weekend of the mass bombing and shooting spree that took place in Norway on Friday. Even though it happened in a country where we usually don't hear about any violence, when the story broke it seemed like another tragic account of hate and mass murder that unfortunately dominates world news. Finally, yesterday I began to watch the news stories and read some of the published reports about Anders Breivik and the carnage he left behind (death toll is currently at 76). By Monday, the narrative began to focus on why this maniac did what he did. From what I understand, he wanted to lead a violent revolution against multiculturalism, more specifically Muslim integration, in Europe. A New York Times article sums up the tension that had been building in Norway concerning immigration:

Norway has recently tightened its liberal immigration and asylum rules in the midst of a longstanding debate about assimilation and multiculturalism. Despite Norway’s oil wealth and low unemployment, there has been a growing concern over the increasing size of the Muslim population... But the Muslim population is growing, and Islam is now the country’s second-largest religion. The impact of an increasing, and increasingly visible, Muslim population in a relatively monoethnic, liberal and egalitarian Norway has led to a surge in popularity for the anti-immigration Progress Party, now the second-largest party in Parliament. And it appears to have been one of the triggers to the massacre carried out here on Norway’s white elite. The suspect, Anders Behring Breivik, claims he was compelled to act by the failure of mainstream politicians — including those in the Progress Party — to stem the Islamic tide.

The article goes on to state that Norway’s immigrant population nearly tripled between 1995 and 2010. And I've seen a few news reports of Norwegians interviewed who don't like that so many Muslims have moved into their country of just under five million people.

This all reminded me of a documentary I saw last October during a special screening at Levine Museum of the New South. The film is titled Welcome to Shelbyville and depicts a small Tennessee town that historically was mostly populated by whites and blacks, but in recent years had seen an influx of Latinos and Somali refugees. Because of their Muslim faith, the Somalis are met with increased resistance from the townspeople. Some locals say they feel threatened by them ("they're going to start blowing up in Shelbyville next"), blame them for the overcrowding of schools, and say they bring down property values. Some of the allegations are even published in the local newspaper.

Welcome to Shelbyville reminds us how race, religion, and cultural differences can divide people before they even attempt to get to know or understand each other. What happened in Norway reminds us how far some will go with intolerance and hate. Fortunately, the Shelbyville film shows people in the town making progress--though it is a work in progress. You should watch the 60-minute documentary, directed and produced by Kim A. Snyder along with the BeCause Foundation and Active Voice. After you do, think about your own views on immigrants, who have become our neighbors in Charlotte and throughout the South. You might be able to catch the film airing again soon as part of PBS' Independent Lens series. It's also available on DVD. You can view the trailer below.

For more details, visit www.shelbyvillemultimedia.org.

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North Carolina Is a Gas-Guzzling State

In North Carolina, as if we don't pay some of the highest gas taxes in the nation, which is why gas here is consistently about 20 cents higher than a few miles south of the state line, we're also some gas-guzzling people. In a recent study by Forbes, they ranked "America's Most And Least Gas-Guzzling Cities." Some of the cities ranked are listed as metropolitan areas, and topping the list as burning up the most gas is Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill. Coming in second place: Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill. And not to be left out, in sixth place is Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point. So North Carolina cities take three of the top six slots.

Time to start carpooling again.

"The cities and suburbs of 'The Triangle' are close enough that people don’t think twice about driving from one to the other. Yet in doing so, the average household racks up 21,800 miles per year. Assuming an average 20.3 miles per gallon, that means burning through 1,074 gallons per year, about $4,200 at current prices," Forbes writer Christopher Helman says.

"North Carolina does not fare well in the rankings. Close on the Triangle’s (Tar)heels comes the Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill region, with an average household gasoline demand of 1,061 gallons. In sixth place, the average household in North Carolina’s Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point metroplex spends $4,000 for 1,017 gallons per year," Helman continues.

If our state government and department of transportation ever needed any more reasons to complete Interstate 485 in Charlotte and to build the proposed high-speed rail between Charlotte and Raleigh, they have it.

Rounding out the top-five Most Gas-Guzzling Cities is Atlanta in third place, Nashville in fourth, and Monmouth-Ocean Counties, N.J. is fifth. Meanwhile, the least gas-guzzling city, unsurprisingly, is New York, where many households don't even own cars. Click here to see the full list.

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City of Charlotte Launches Phone App

According to a press release sent out yesterday, the City of Charlotte has launched “My-Charlotte,” a mobile application for wireless smart phones that allows users to access municipal services on the go. I applaud the city for embracing the digital and mobile age we're living in, but I'm not sure spending $120,000 developing this application is the best use of funds right now. Especially since the app doesn't appear to have many beneficial uses yet. Searching traffic accident locations from CMPD or reporting potholes to 311 are not strong selling points to me. This app sounds like an idea a city IT guy made seem cool to his bosses.

I'm sure there are more features to come, but the city's web services are probably not advanced enough or compatible to make the application worth having. The one customer review posted so far on the iTunes page where the app is sold, points out that "it's less an app and more just a collection of web pages. Most are not even formatted to be used easily on an iPhone." Currently the application is available only on the iPhone, but the city said it plans to expand into other mobile platforms such as the Motorola DROID and BlackBerry early next year.

I'm not the type who bashes government spending simply for the sake of doing it, and maybe the potential dollars the city believes it could save by people using their mobile app rather than calling 311 will help the investment pay for itself. Hopefully within a few months the city will update us on the success of this venture. And I'm sure users will post their reviews.

Do you plan to buy the app? Do you think it's useful?

Click here to read the full press release from the city.

Click here to purchase the My-Charlotte app from iTunes.

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