Charlotte's Privatization efforts

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Privatized 25% of the City's Garbage saving millions

  Recommended Old Convention Center for Sale

  Evaluated Coliseum-Arena (City Council refused to sell)

  Developed rules for asset and service privatization

SUMMARY OF CHARLOTTE'S PRIVATIZATION EFFORTS

Commissioner James was Charlotte's first privatization committee Chair.

The Committee he chaired privatized 25% of the City of Charlotte's garbage collection service at a savings of several million dollars annually, placed the "old" convention Center on the market, and established rules for disposing of property and obtaining services at the lowest cost (one of the first City's in the country to do so).

Also during this time, Democrats and one Republican (Charlie Baker) worked to undermine privatization and threatened to disband the committee.

Mr. Baker's connections to uptown (and their disdain for disposing of "assets" such as the old Convention center) joined with Democrats on the City Council who were attempting to protect City jobs at the expense of Charlotte's taxpayers. Together they killed any future effective privatization.

Also during that time, the Committee also unanimously recommended evaluating privatizing parts of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (see article below) including excess land around it. Committee members, including now Senator Dan Clodfelter (D), voted for this motion but it was also used as a pretext to "reign-in" the committee.

Newly elected Mayor Pat McCrory (R) was given an ultimatum in November 1995 by Charlie Baker to either "fire" Commissioner James or he would vote with the Democrats to eliminate the committee.

Newly elected Mayor McCrory, bowing to political pressure from Baker, fired James who in the following month filed for County Commission.