OVERVIEW:
Bill James, a Republican, is
serving his sixth two-year term on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, representing
District 6 (Pineville, Matthews, Mint Hill and the Arboretum area) serving more
than 140,000 residents.
Prior to his election, James was the
first Chairman of the City of Charlotte’s Privatization/Competition Advisory
Committee (1994-1996) appointed to that post by former Charlotte Mayor Richard
Vinroot. In 1995 he was appointed by the County Commission to its Capital
Budget Advisory Committee to review the 1995 CMS bond package. He also served on the 1997 Bond Committee
supporting the passage of $415 million in bonds to renovate inner city schools
and build new public facilities for education and public safety.
He also has been involved in various
Arts & Science Council (ASC) fund drives, serving in prior years as a member
of the Arts & Science Council’s Vanguard Society, and representing the
Board of County Commissioners on the ASC Board for 1997. Commissioner James
believes that the arts, while important, are not a high priority use of public
funds.
In 1999 he
served as one of the founding members of the County's Audit Review Committee,
created as a result of the Bill Culp Board of Elections "Micro-Vote" scandal. He served
as the Chair of County Commission's Effective and Efficient
Government (EEG) Committee for several years has been a member of the County's Community Health and Safety (CHS)
Committee since inception.
During the late 90's he was
involved in pushing for 'neighborhood schools', opposing CMS
(Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools) race based busing plan.
Recently, James has pushed
for tougher rules governing the hiring of illegal immigrants with government
money through employment, contractor hiring or sub-contractors.
James, a Certified Public Accountant
in Florida (inactive North Carolina license) and former Certified Bank Auditor,
and his wife Julia, have four children. One is in college at the US Naval
Academy in Annapolis, two attend high school at CMS and one is at a private Christian school. The James' are members of Calvary Church in Charlotte.
During Commissioner James six terms he has fought for Neighborhood Schools and reasonable tax rates. In
1998 after watching another of a series of absurd tax increases from the
Democrats he prepared his
own budget (the "J" budget) being the first County Commissioner to produce a
working adoptable budget.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
1987 to 1997 Price Waterhouse LLP, Regulatory Advisory
Services, Charlotte, NC Senior
Manager (1991), Manager (1988), Experienced Senior (1987)
1983 to 1987 Arthur Andersen & Co. SC, Financial
Services Audit Practice, Dallas Texas Senior
(1986), Semi-senior (1985), Staff (1983)
1982 to 1983 Bank of the Bluegrass, Lexington, Kentucky
(Asset size: $20 million) Cashier
(Chief Operating officer)
1980 to 1982 First Kentucky National Corp., Louisville,
Kentucky (Asset size: $3.5 billion) Accounting
Officer (tax compliance and management accounting)
1978 to 1980 Sun Banks of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
(Asset size: $5.0 billion) Senior
Internal Auditor
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Nova-Southeastern University MBA-Accounting (1980)
Florida Atlantic University BS-Accounting (1978)
Broward County Community College AA-Business (1976)*
American Bankers Association Basic and Standard Certificates (1976)
*Received the Florida Bankers Association Scholarship Award (1975)
PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION:
Certified Public Accountant State of Florida License #9904 (1981)
Inactive Certified Public Accountant in North Carolina
Certified Bank Auditor (inactive) Bank Administration Institute #885
(1981)
CIVIC ACTIVITY:
Member of the County Commission of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
(Charlotte)
Elected in 1996, re-elected in 1998,
2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. Next election would be November 2008.
Represents District 6 - 140,000 people in Southern Mecklenburg County
including the Towns of Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville.
National Delegate to the 1996 Republican National Convention (San Diego,
Ca). Convention nominated Bob Dole-Jack Kemp.
Floor
pass visitor to the 1984 Republican National Convention (Dallas, Texas).
Convention nominated the re-election of Reagan-Bush 84.
Past Member of the County Capital Budget Advisory Committee
(1995). Served with fellow Commissioner Norman A. Mitchell, Sr.
Past Chairman of the City of Charlotte’s Privatization-Competition
Advisory Committee appointed by Former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot.
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