The Good News Report

[joenc]

12 hours ago, Blue_Devil said:

I mean, states have to start considering the impact of a large economic downturn. Looking at the Great Depression and Great Recession, more people died from those due to loss of insurance, suicide, etc then what are projected to currently die from COVID-19. It’s not money, it’s 30% of th population could face losing their homes, jobs, etc, 

Then let's put protections in place for the people so they don't need to make the choice between spreading the disease and losing their home.

[videtur quam contuor]

Our state, like Georgia, has a constitutional amendment that limits income tax, personal and corporate, recently enacted. Thus the coffers cannot be replenished without more people working payroll tax and income tax. The cynical side of me thinks this plays a part in the Republican controlled states. In addition to the increase in payroll tax from a "reopened" state, a corresponding reduction in the unemployment payments will occur. The UI fund will be exhausted quite soon under our current patterns. UI was not intended nor funded for such high unemployment numbers. Once the businesses are available to open the employees are no longer involuntarily unemployed. They may be afraid to return but that still makes them ineligible for UI.

Raising taxes is worse than helping citizens for some part of the elected leadership. 

[southslider]

Progressive taxation must fund the recovery.  Corporate taxes. Capital gains taxes. Luxury taxes.  Wealth taxes.

One regressive tax that needs to be added for its ability to fund the recovery is online sales. But since that helps level the playing field for small business, and poorer households shop more in person than online, it's not that regressive.

States will also end up increasing fuel taxes for their budget needs.  If the built environment didn't force the poor to have cars to access jobs and essentials,  fuel taxes wouldn't be as regressive either.

 

[kermit]

Since this is the good news thread I’ll also point out that budget crunches and income tax caps (either real or perceived) are exactly the combination of events that leads to legalized marijuana in the US (see Colorado, Illinois and (soon) New York).

Being the first mover in the South could generate a nice revenue spike. 

Edited April 22, 2020 by kermit

[Nick2]

Governor Cooper has extend the stay at home order for NC.

https://amp.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article242225991.html

[Hushpuppy321]

So does this mean SC, TN & GA will outperform us (NC) economically because they’re loosening restrictions a full month before NC?  Our phased restrictions (3 Phases) mean that we won’t be back open fully until sometime in early June.

[Nick2]

Just now, Hushpuppy321 said:

So does this mean SC, TN & GA will outperform us (NC) economically because they’re loosening restrictions a full month before NC?  Our phased restrictions (3 Phases) mean that we won’t be back open fully until sometime in early June.

Possibly. But it most likely means that their death rates will skyrocket and really negativily affect NC's efforts to flatten the curve because jerks who don't care about killing other people will go to SC for shopping or hairdressers. Especially the Charlotte area.

[kermit]

On 4/23/2020 at 9:31 PM, Hushpuppy321 said:

So does this mean SC, TN & GA will outperform us (NC) economically because they’re loosening restrictions a full month before NC?  Our phased restrictions (3 Phases) mean that we won’t be back open fully until sometime in early June.

If you believe in science then you already know that the highest probability outcome is SC, TN and GA will have a month of weak economic activity and then, after several thousand deaths,  need to lock down again for another 8+ weeks.

Everybody could be open again if our federal government was smart enough to institute test and trace. Its not rocket science, South Korea implemented test and trace immediately and they minimized deaths And infections while never shuting down their economy. Germany is implementing test and trace now in order to reopen. One person is to blame for this failure, but he "accepts no responsibility" while simultaneously suggesting that we all should mainline bleach to stop the virus. 

Edited April 25, 2020 by kermit

[Blue_Devil]

11 hours ago, kermit said:

If you believe in science it means that odds are they will have a month of economic activity and then, after several thousand deaths,  need to lock down again for another 8+ weeks.

Everybody could be open again if our federal government was smart enough to institute test and trace. Its not rocket science, many other countries have done it successfully and kept their economies open. One person is to blame for this failure, but he "accepts no responsibility" while simultaneously suggesting that we all should mainline bleach to stop the virus. 

It depends, if social distancing is practiced correctly, they could be more like Sweden. However this is America and ain’t no one got time for that

[CLT2014]

1 hour ago, Blue_Devil said:

It depends, if social distancing is practiced correctly, they could be more like Sweden. However this is America and ain’t no one got time for that

Sweden and North Carolina have almost the same population. 10.23 million for Sweden and 10.49 million for North Carolina.

Sweden has 17,567 confirmed cases and 2,152 deaths. North Carolina has 7,821 confirmed cases and 281 deaths. 

Sweden's model isn't really to practice social distancing. It is to allow the weakest and most vulnerable to die from the disease in the near term, while herd immunity is built up in the non-vulnerable population. As antibodies build up in those that don't die, the disease will likely end sooner in Sweden as everybody who is gonna die from it will be dead already and then just the resistant population remains. Then in the future as new people become "vulnerable", they won't catch it. So to protect the "future" vulnerable, you let the current vulnerable die off. 

So if our neighboring states adopt the Sweden model, deaths will certainly increase in the elderly and vulnerable with the goal of long term immunity after those folks die off. 

Edited April 24, 2020 by CLT2014

[videtur quam contuor]

delete

Edited April 24, 2020 by tarhoosier

[urbanlover568]

4 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

Do we know that contracting COvid 19 confers nearly uniform immunity? I have been searching for that and found nothing definitive. I have seen that it appears some who contracted it later were sickened again but it is not possible to know if this is a continuation of the original contact or a new vector.

There are 30 mutations of this and it's proven to withstand 140f degrees. That's why people who have gotten it have been sometimes re-infected. It wipes out your T cells similar to HIV/AIDS, that's why people have been getting bumps and stuff also. 

[atlrvr]

*** moderator's note ***

Not deleting the above, but again, there is a COVID-19 thread in the Coffee House to discuss virology, and an Economy thread there to debate re-opening plans.

Understanding how easy it is to veer off given how linked things are, but in the face of regular recent bad news, would like to preserve the Good News and Econ Dev threads for their intended purposes.

[rancenc]

As oppose to some of the members, who seem to be concentrating on regurgitating the same Covid-19 news and the hypothetical "gloom and doom"scenarios that dominates the American news and social media, I try personally to share the news that this site is and should be geared towards and that is the discussion and sharing of information pertaining to growth and development in both the region and of course, across the state of NC.  Example is the good news that was announced for Edgecombe County (which I have also shared in the EASTERN NC thread).

https://www.nccommerce.com/news/press-releases/customer-contact-solutions-company-selects-edgecombe-county-200-job-facility

[urbanlover568]

2 hours ago, rancenc said:

As oppose to some of the members, who seem to be concentrating on regurgitating the same Covid-19 news and the hypothetical "gloom and doom"scenarios that dominates the American news and social media, I try personally to share the news that this site is and should be geared towards and that is the discussion and sharing of information pertaining to growth and development in both the region and of course, across the state of NC.  Example is the good news that was announced for Edgecombe County (which I have also shared in the EASTERN NC thread).

https://www.nccommerce.com/news/press-releases/customer-contact-solutions-company-selects-edgecombe-county-200-job-facility

 

On 4/21/2020 at 6:59 PM, urbanlover568 said:

R.I.P. John  

https://www.the-sun.com/news/710984/john-mcdaniel-killed-coronavirus-dismissing-political-ploy/

On to good news....

‘Not opening was never an option': Royal Bliss Brewing in Denver makes debut despite COVID-19

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/04/14/not-opening-was-never-an-option-royal-bliss.html

[rancenc]

This is good news for both the Charlotte region and the state as a whole!

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article242322451.html?

 

[Hushpuppy321]

1 hour ago, rancenc said:

This is good news for both the Charlotte region and the state as a whole!

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article242322451.html?

 

I second that notion!  Coca-Cola 600 being run here will help.  Hopefully other Events can be done safely now that most folks are taking Coronavirus Seriously.  I’m hoping we can avoid a ‘Nashville City Budget-like’ catastrophe.  RNC should help too.

Edited April 29, 2020 by Hushpuppy321

[Hushpuppy321]

Great News - The City Manager for Charlotte just made Public a Budget with no Property Tax Increase and no Staff Layoffs.  The City’s budget is sound and hopefully the City keeps its AAA Financial Rating.  This is not the case for some of our Other Peer Cities.

[KJHburg]

If I was in the economic development world again I would be touting this about Charlotte (and Raleigh announced the same thing) compared to other IT cities further west like Nashville.   Not sure I would want to invest in a city with huge tax hikes and big fiscal properties.   

[navigator319]

Here is the link to the proposed budget documents.  If you don't want to read the full 300 pages wait 2 months when the final one is voted on.  Will be 97% the same though.

It is very good news but here are a few comments I would make

1. Im not a fan of so loudly clamoring about no layoffs - A well run business needs to clean house every once in a while.  While a generalization this is my biggest issue with government at all levels.  There is sure to be dead weight and we just add to it year after year
2. LOVE the centralization efforts by the new city manager.  Long overdue the intangible effects of this wont fully be seen for 2+ years
3. All airport projects including 4th runway and Phase 2 of terminal A still in the works albeit with a delay incorporated to Phase 2 of A
4. New SouthEnd station still in the works and funds allocated each year for that progression
5. Gold Line Phase 2 all accounted for - operating costs and other related items
6. CATS woefully underfunded - CATS cant solve this on its own.  It is a city issue.  just not a priority.  Covid bought them some time and was cracking prior to the current situation, but ~2 years from now not going to be pretty.  Not making the investments that are needed in operations.  This continuing patter has me more and more leaning to not able to support a transit expansion as it's throwing good money after bad.  Really sad to say to be honest
7. Sliver Line 50 million is all present for the design and engineering
8. Maybe I missed it, but the cross charlotte trail including the bridge over 277 --- Did not see it in the itemizations.  I'm positive this is all set still just think I missed it somewhere, fingers crossed
9. I don't understand the CIP projects past and future and how they are scored/picked.  My personal feeling is a third are not worth it and the investments in other areas are more worth considerations. I think this is ripe for reform and relook

Overall I do give Charlotte a B+ on being well run and that's awesome.  My biggest issue is CATS and the citys lack of priority to help them.  Next year FY budget will be the tell to me if we on a path to boondoggle.

 

 

[atlrvr]

Cross Charlotte trail I believe is a county project.

I-277 bridge I'm not sure, but thought that was combo city/county/private funds.

[KJHburg]

this is great news for the Cabarrus County's 2300 high school seniors.

#BREAKING The Charlotte Motor Speedway will host 10 high school graduations for Cabarrus County Schools on June 12-13, graduates set to receive diplomas at the race track’s finish line in a Drive-in, Drive-thru style ceremony, with video shown on the big screen

Edited May 7, 2020 by KJHburg

[RANYC]

On ‎5‎/‎5‎/‎2020 at 9:36 AM, navigator319 said:

Here is the link to the proposed budget documents.  If you don't want to read the full 300 pages wait 2 months when the final one is voted on.  Will be 97% the same though.

It is very good news but here are a few comments I would make

1. Im not a fan of so loudly clamoring about no layoffs - A well run business needs to clean house every once in a while.  While a generalization this is my biggest issue with government at all levels.  There is sure to be dead weight and we just add to it year after year
2. LOVE the centralization efforts by the new city manager.  Long overdue the intangible effects of this wont fully be seen for 2+ years
3. All airport projects including 4th runway and Phase 2 of terminal A still in the works albeit with a delay incorporated to Phase 2 of A
4. New SouthEnd station still in the works and funds allocated each year for that progression
5. Gold Line Phase 2 all accounted for - operating costs and other related items
6. CATS woefully underfunded - CATS cant solve this on its own.  It is a city issue.  just not a priority.  Covid bought them some time and was cracking prior to the current situation, but ~2 years from now not going to be pretty.  Not making the investments that are needed in operations.  This continuing patter has me more and more leaning to not able to support a transit expansion as it's throwing good money after bad.  Really sad to say to be honest
7. Sliver Line 50 million is all present for the design and engineering
8. Maybe I missed it, but the cross charlotte trail including the bridge over 277 --- Did not see it in the itemizations.  I'm positive this is all set still just think I missed it somewhere, fingers crossed
9. I don't understand the CIP projects past and future and how they are scored/picked.  My personal feeling is a third are not worth it and the investments in other areas are more worth considerations. I think this is ripe for reform and relook

Overall I do give Charlotte a B+ on being well run and that's awesome.  My biggest issue is CATS and the citys lack of priority to help them.  Next year FY budget will be the tell to me if we on a path to boondoggle.

 

 

Fading support for transit expansion, but a sunken $50 million for design and engineering on Silver Line?

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

21 minutes ago, RANYC said:

Fading support for transit expansion

I would say that even with COVID, this is fake news. 

[southslider]

On 5/5/2020 at 2:13 PM, atlrvr said:

Cross Charlotte trail I believe is a county project.

I-277 bridge I'm not sure, but thought that was combo city/county/private funds.

XCLT will cross US 74 just east of I-277 on a converted Central Ave bridge.