1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:05,599 Speaker 1: What's going on. 2 00:00:05,759 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,080 is heard live every day from noon to three on 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,839 WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,160 like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily 6 00:00:17,199 --> 00:00:19,480 show prep with all the links, become a patron, go 7 00:00:19,559 --> 00:00:23,399 to vpeteclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button. 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,359 Get every episode for free, rite to your smartphone or tablet, 9 00:00:26,359 --> 00:00:29,399 and again, thank you so much for your support. End 10 00:00:29,399 --> 00:00:32,280 of the last hour. Talked about the Charlotte City Council 11 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:39,600 voting to essentially ban Tesla from getting any kind of 12 00:00:40,359 --> 00:00:44,640 contracts for electric vehicle purchases. It was a six to 13 00:00:44,719 --> 00:00:48,200 three vote last night to remove Tesla from a list 14 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:52,600 of approved vendors. And this isn't even like they weren't 15 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,560 even up for an award a contract. They were just 16 00:00:56,719 --> 00:01:01,399 on a list and that list was compiled by city 17 00:01:01,439 --> 00:01:04,319 staff and had a bunch of different vendors that are 18 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,280 on the list. So depending on what is needed for 19 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,840 a particular purchase, they would look at any company, any 20 00:01:11,879 --> 00:01:15,239 vendor on the list. But Lawana Mayfield, Democrat, who got 21 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,680 into a bit of hot water talking about nine to 22 00:01:17,719 --> 00:01:20,439 eleven several years ago when she was a county commission 23 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,159 but then after sitting on the sidelines for a couple 24 00:01:24,159 --> 00:01:27,840 of years, made her triumphant return truth or return you 25 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,400 might say, as a city council member. And so she 26 00:01:32,079 --> 00:01:36,560 wants Tesla off the list, and she claims that there 27 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:42,920 are safety reasons and lawsuits, poor quality or something about Tesla. 28 00:01:43,719 --> 00:01:49,000 It's not political, well, not predominantly political, she said. So 29 00:01:49,079 --> 00:01:52,680 in other words, there is some bit of politics, because 30 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,680 of course there isn't. Councilman ed Driggs, he pointed this out. 31 00:01:56,719 --> 00:01:59,359 This is a very bad path to go down. You're 32 00:01:59,359 --> 00:02:02,319 going to start taking vendors off of list because of 33 00:02:02,719 --> 00:02:07,959 the political activities or opinions of their CEO. That's an 34 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:13,479 American manufacturer that you are now precluding, prohibiting from awarding 35 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:20,280 contracts Andy sent me a message saying, if Charlotte removes 36 00:02:20,319 --> 00:02:23,479 Tesla from the vendor list because of politics, it is 37 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:29,840 admitting that it was likely accepted for political reasons as well. Right, 38 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,960 Tesla was put on the list years ago, but now 39 00:02:34,039 --> 00:02:36,919 Mayfield says, oh, well, we have other vendors, lots of 40 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,360 different car companies to choose from, so that's why we 41 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,199 should take it off the list. Well, why would you 42 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,240 take it off the list if you've got all of 43 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,800 these other car companies, if they're also manufacturing evs, just 44 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:56,800 award the contracts to them, right, But no, it's a boycott. 45 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,840 That's the primary purpose. That's what they did last night. 46 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,240 And I hope Elon Musk hears about it. Ron, Welcome 47 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,360 to the program, Hey, Ron, Hey, how you are good? 48 00:03:08,439 --> 00:03:09,039 Speaker 1: What's going on? 49 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:13,039 Speaker 3: Yeah? I just wanted to comment on that action that 50 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:18,719 the city council took last night. Oh, it just of courts. 51 00:03:18,759 --> 00:03:22,039 One thing that I've held for a long time is 52 00:03:22,039 --> 00:03:26,560 that you know, a government city, city and county government, 53 00:03:26,599 --> 00:03:32,919 and Charlotte Meckenburg is predominantly run by the Democratic Party. 54 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 2: Correct, well yeah, and at the county level it is 55 00:03:35,599 --> 00:03:37,280 completely controlled by Democrats. 56 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,439 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, And that that that that that creates the 57 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,520 inherent danger because of all of these cities, that these 58 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,360 great cities that have popped up in this country, most 59 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:52,719 of those who have failed failed because they had a 60 00:03:52,919 --> 00:03:58,599 one sided government that you know, was a political let's 61 00:03:58,599 --> 00:04:03,039 put it that way. Well, and they yeah, go ahead, Yeah, 62 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,520 But you know the thing is is that that six 63 00:04:06,599 --> 00:04:10,360 y three vote last night, he was saying that someone 64 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,560 would have someone else would have looked at him side 65 00:04:12,599 --> 00:04:15,240 Egg Driggs and other two people that voted with him, 66 00:04:15,599 --> 00:04:18,759 to see, wait a minute, this is not right. But 67 00:04:19,439 --> 00:04:22,000 you know, I think it's a fear within the Party 68 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:26,279 of Democratic Party. If they they don't total line, they 69 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:27,959 will lose money. I'll put it that way. 70 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,079 Speaker 1: Well, they lose support. Right, this is the issue. 71 00:04:31,199 --> 00:04:33,639 Speaker 2: So I will name that so Edwin Peacock who was 72 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,279 newly appointed to fill the rest of the term of 73 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,000 Tark Bakari, So he's the other Republican. The two Republicans 74 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,319 out of the eleven members, they both voted against this, 75 00:04:43,879 --> 00:04:46,759 and they were joined by Democrat at Large member dimple 76 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:49,959 Ashmira and so that they were on the right side 77 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:54,399 of this issue. Now regarding the political side of it, 78 00:04:54,439 --> 00:04:57,879 and yeah, you've got you got six Democrats that are 79 00:04:57,879 --> 00:05:01,399 sitting at that table, and if you've got Lawana Mayfield 80 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:06,399 making this motion, they have to understand that their base 81 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:11,800 hates Elon Musk and if they side with the two 82 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:16,959 Republicans on this issue, they then risk their base getting 83 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,639 mad at them and them getting primaried by somebody further 84 00:05:21,759 --> 00:05:25,319 to the left than they are. And that's I think 85 00:05:25,399 --> 00:05:28,240 what is the motivating because nobody else spoke about this. 86 00:05:28,519 --> 00:05:32,040 Not a single other council member offered an explanation for 87 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,920 why they would cut Tesla out of this list of 88 00:05:36,079 --> 00:05:41,199 vendors that could be awarded contracts. Nobody else said a word. 89 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,079 So Mayfield's argument was the only argument made in favor 90 00:05:45,079 --> 00:05:46,759 of it. And this is, like you said, this is 91 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:51,240 the problem with single party control. I'm reminded there was 92 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:53,600 a book called the five thousand Year Leap and it 93 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:57,079 talked about the American eagle needs the left and the 94 00:05:57,199 --> 00:06:01,800 right wings to fly straight, and when you have one 95 00:06:01,879 --> 00:06:05,680 party in complete control, you don't get that kind of 96 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,199 course correction, and so you just keep veering off to 97 00:06:09,319 --> 00:06:13,319 one side. And yeah, it's unfortunate that now Charlotte finds 98 00:06:13,319 --> 00:06:17,800 itself in this position after having been built by Republicans 99 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,480 with the help of yes, Democrats over the course of 100 00:06:21,759 --> 00:06:25,480 you know, one hundred years. But now you know Republicans like, okay, 101 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,040 well we got to be a big city. Thanks for 102 00:06:27,079 --> 00:06:28,600 your help. Now get the hell out. We don't care 103 00:06:28,639 --> 00:06:31,279 what you say. So that's where we are. 104 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,199 Speaker 1: Ron. I do appreciate the call, sir, Okay, all right, 105 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:35,920 take care. Let me get Earl on. 106 00:06:36,959 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 3: Hello, Earl, Hey, how are you doing, buddy? 107 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: All right, man, how are you? 108 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 3: I just wanted to. 109 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 4: Say, like, if there was any chance of getting a 110 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:53,720 Tesla plant or something in Charlotte and bringing jobs here, 111 00:06:54,879 --> 00:06:56,720 that's pretty much shot now, right. 112 00:06:57,199 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 2: I don't think that this council would vote to a 113 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,240 any kind of a deal with Tesla. Yes, no, I 114 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:06,279 I And again, I hope Elon Musk finds out about 115 00:07:06,319 --> 00:07:11,480 this action and and draws attention to it, because yeah, 116 00:07:11,519 --> 00:07:16,120 I don't know. I mean, yeah, he's pretty online from 117 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:18,680 what I understand, he's uh, he's on social media quite 118 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,120 a bit, so he may very well find out about this, 119 00:07:21,199 --> 00:07:23,040 and I hope he does, and I hope he has 120 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,120 some thoughts to express about it, because it is a 121 00:07:25,319 --> 00:07:28,720 to me, it's clearly political retribution, that's all it is. 122 00:07:28,839 --> 00:07:30,279 Speaker 4: Oh, definitely. 123 00:07:30,639 --> 00:07:33,319 Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean, I'm. 124 00:07:36,519 --> 00:07:37,079 Speaker 1: All right, Earl. 125 00:07:37,079 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 2: I appreciate the call, all right, I left him speechless. 126 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:44,959 I have some emails. This is from Alan. Isn't this 127 00:07:45,079 --> 00:07:48,199 the same mindset that ended up with Charlotte having two 128 00:07:48,319 --> 00:07:50,319 or three city buses that are sitting dead in the 129 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,639 water because the manufacturer went bankrupt. 130 00:07:54,519 --> 00:07:54,959 Speaker 1: They can't. 131 00:07:55,079 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, they can't get the buses fixed. Right, isn't it 132 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:02,560 wasn't that the story? Terry says, I hope that Musk 133 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:05,680 sues the city for a bunch. Well, I mean, well 134 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,120 I don't want that. I don't want to have to 135 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:12,639 pay out elon Musk. He's got money, but I would 136 00:08:12,639 --> 00:08:16,759 like him to draw attention to it. Mark says they 137 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,480 could face legal action over this. Regardless, this should be 138 00:08:19,519 --> 00:08:23,720 an open bidding to get the business. If Tesla Vehicles 139 00:08:23,759 --> 00:08:26,480 meet the specs laid out yet or denied the opportunity 140 00:08:26,519 --> 00:08:30,000 to bid, they might find that that is not quite legal. However, 141 00:08:30,079 --> 00:08:33,440 having said that buying evs with tax dollars is idiocy. 142 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:36,720 Unless they are golf carts for the meter maids, they 143 00:08:36,759 --> 00:08:37,600 don't make sense. 144 00:08:38,519 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree. 145 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 2: You got two different issues that play there, and Mark 146 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:42,480 broke it down very well. 147 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 1: Right. 148 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 2: You got the one issue of like, should we be 149 00:08:44,879 --> 00:08:48,120 buying evs as a policy, But yeah, if you are 150 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:54,279 opening up bids, then any company needs to be allowed 151 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,279 to bid. And what they just did is say we're 152 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,799 not going to consider this one company for some nebulous 153 00:09:01,879 --> 00:09:07,000 safety concerns which I could not locate when I did 154 00:09:07,039 --> 00:09:10,799 a search for this stuff. I could not find this, Like, 155 00:09:10,879 --> 00:09:13,320 Oh my gosh, Tesla's are killing people all over the place. 156 00:09:15,399 --> 00:09:18,559 Kevin says, I hate ignorant people. I don't drive one, 157 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,000 but Tesla's are one of the safest, if not the safest, 158 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,679 vehicle on US roads. Has stated from multiple sources, what 159 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:26,639 other decisions has she made in the past that were 160 00:09:26,639 --> 00:09:30,559 politically motivated that were not in the best interest of taxpayers? 161 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,480 Seth says Pete. At some point, you have to realize 162 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,200 Charlotte is lost. It'll never get better. There's been too 163 00:09:37,279 --> 00:09:40,320 much Democrat infiltration. Please quit trying to reach out to 164 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,399 people that may be borderline moderate Democrats. Those folks will 165 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,879 soon realize my opening statement that Charlotte is lost, and 166 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,159 they will move to areas like where I live and 167 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:56,440 bring their terrible political stances with them. And James says, 168 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:04,360 does Rwanda know that Tesla charging connector is now known as. 169 00:10:04,759 --> 00:10:04,879 Speaker 3: Oh? 170 00:10:04,919 --> 00:10:06,519 Speaker 1: I guess, Lawana Mayfield? 171 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 2: I thought, okay, so I thought you were talking about 172 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:13,080 like the mineral mining and stuff Rwanda the country? Lawana Mayfield? 173 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:17,360 Does she know that the charging connector is now known 174 00:10:17,399 --> 00:10:21,960 as the NACS North American Charging Standard All evs across 175 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:24,399 all brands have adopted the standard. This did not happen 176 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,399 because there are safety issues with the Tesla product. I'm 177 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,879 guessing she has a closet full of Beta Max movies 178 00:10:29,919 --> 00:10:33,480 and can't understand why everybody went with VHS. 179 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:38,639 Speaker 1: That's that's possible. I don't know. 180 00:10:41,639 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 2: Also, we've got senate approval of another Hurricane Helene relief 181 00:10:46,159 --> 00:10:51,080 package and an audit of the North Carolina DMV underway. 182 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,360 We've got some preliminary results on that. All right, If 183 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,120 you're listening to this show, you know I try to 184 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,000 keep up with all sorts of current events, and I 185 00:10:58,039 --> 00:11:00,279 know you do too, And you've probably heard me say 186 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:04,399 get your news from multiple sources. Why Well, because it's 187 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,120 how you detect media bias, which is why I've been 188 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:10,720 so impressed with ground News. It's an app and it's 189 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,679 a website, and it combines news from around the world 190 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:17,159 in one place so you can compare coverage and verify information. 191 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:20,720 You can check it out at check dot ground, dot 192 00:11:20,759 --> 00:11:23,879 news slash Pete. I put the link in the podcast 193 00:11:23,919 --> 00:11:26,919 description too. I started using ground News a few months 194 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,559 ago and more recently chose to work with them as 195 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,759 an affiliate because it lets me see clearly how stories 196 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,039 get covered and by whom. The blind spot feature shows 197 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:38,919 you which stories get ignored by the left and the right. 198 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: See for yourself. 199 00:11:40,279 --> 00:11:44,759 Speaker 2: Check dot Ground, dot news slash Pete. Subscribe through that 200 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,759 link and you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. I 201 00:11:47,879 --> 00:11:51,200 use the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature. 202 00:11:51,399 --> 00:11:54,159 Your subscription then not only helps my podcast, but it 203 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,360 also supports Ground News as they make the media landscape 204 00:11:57,399 --> 00:12:03,759 more transparent. The North Carolina Senate gave unanimous approval to 205 00:12:03,799 --> 00:12:08,159 a seven hundred million dollar recovery package for western North Carolina. 206 00:12:09,039 --> 00:12:12,080 This according to a press release from the Senate Leader's office, 207 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:18,000 Senate President pro Tempore Senate Leader Phil Berger. This now 208 00:12:18,039 --> 00:12:22,080 brings the total amount of state funding dedicated to Hellene 209 00:12:22,279 --> 00:12:29,840 relief and recovery efforts to over two point one billion dollars. 210 00:12:30,919 --> 00:12:33,440 Of that fund, the House Bill ten twelve now goes 211 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:38,799 back to the House for consideration. It includes so seven 212 00:12:38,879 --> 00:12:42,039 hundred million total of that funding, four hundred and eighty 213 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:46,559 million will be appropriated for immediate needs. And here's the 214 00:12:46,639 --> 00:12:53,720 list of immediate needs. Five million to visit NC for 215 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:58,360 tourism promotion because people aren't going to the mountains because 216 00:12:58,399 --> 00:13:01,200 they think it's completely devastated. I can assure you there 217 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:05,039 are a lot of areas that are up and running, 218 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:10,279 and the tourism industry that powers that region needs your 219 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:11,240 tourism dollars. 220 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,759 Speaker 1: You don't have to go to downtown. 221 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 2: Ashville, aka the Cesspool of sin You don't have to 222 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,240 go there. There are lots of other towns and communities 223 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,759 all around. You can access them. You can go to 224 00:13:22,799 --> 00:13:25,840 the you know, the state parks and such. They need 225 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:31,159 your help. So fifteen million dollars to the North Carolina 226 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:36,279 Forest Service for wildfire assets and preparedness because there's a 227 00:13:36,279 --> 00:13:38,919 lot of fuel right in the woods, in the forests 228 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,279 that came down with the storm and now it's dried 229 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:47,759 out right, it's just like waiting to combust. Ten million 230 00:13:47,799 --> 00:13:52,440 dollars to repair, modify, or remove dams that were damaged 231 00:13:52,519 --> 00:13:56,559 by Hurricane Leen. Ten million for dams, twenty million to 232 00:13:56,799 --> 00:13:59,960 Parks and Wreck Trust Fund for state and local park 233 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,000 in the affected area. Eight million to the Department of 234 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:07,480 Public Instruction for the repair of public school buildings, two 235 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,600 and a half million for community colleges that experienced enrollment declines, 236 00:14:12,399 --> 00:14:17,000 seventy five million to repair and replace private roads and bridges. 237 00:14:17,879 --> 00:14:21,000 Out of the seventy five million, twenty five will be 238 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,200 used to reimburse up to half of the cost for 239 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:29,159 projects that are already done, seventy million to continue covering 240 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:33,879 the FEMA state match, twenty five million for unmet local 241 00:14:33,879 --> 00:14:37,200 government needs, as well as fifteen million for local government 242 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,360 capital grant programs for capital projects in the affected area, 243 00:14:41,159 --> 00:14:46,720 twenty million to provide flood mitigation grants and engineering assistant grants. 244 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,480 Fifteen million to the Office of the State Fire Marshal 245 00:14:50,519 --> 00:14:53,919 to provide grants to volunteer fire departments and rescue squads 246 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:58,279 which are all over the place in the mountains, Lots 247 00:14:58,279 --> 00:15:02,759 and lots of volley fire departments. And an additional one 248 00:15:02,879 --> 00:15:09,200 hundred million dollars to the cash Flow Loans for SORRY 249 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,879 four Local Governments program administered by the State Treasurer. Okay, 250 00:15:13,919 --> 00:15:17,039 so helping out local governments. This is going to be 251 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:21,360 like you're small towns that you know, if you've got 252 00:15:21,759 --> 00:15:24,279 devastation in this small town and you don't have people 253 00:15:24,279 --> 00:15:27,600 paying property taxes anymore, but you need to keep your 254 00:15:27,679 --> 00:15:30,799 police right, your city hall open, you need to keep 255 00:15:30,799 --> 00:15:34,559 your fire department running, your water and sewer stuff. So 256 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,320 that's what the one hundred million dollars cash flow loans 257 00:15:37,559 --> 00:15:44,240 go for, is to help the small towns. Also, the 258 00:15:44,679 --> 00:15:51,000 North Carolina Office of the State Auditor has released preliminary 259 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:55,720 information from its ongoing audit of the North Carolina Division 260 00:15:55,759 --> 00:16:02,759 of Motor Vehicles aka the NCDMV. This is just preliminary, right, 261 00:16:02,879 --> 00:16:06,120 This is not a total list of all the problems. 262 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: This is just the first round. Okay. 263 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 2: The big takeaway in this preliminary information is that the 264 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:23,759 current workforce levels are insufficient to meet the needs of 265 00:16:24,039 --> 00:16:28,399 North Carolinians. I am as shocked as you are to 266 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:31,720 learn this information. Here's a great idea. 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Call or text eight two eight three 286 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,519 six seven seventy sixty eight or check out all there 287 00:17:38,599 --> 00:17:41,440 is to offer at Cabins offashville dot com and make 288 00:17:41,519 --> 00:17:47,839 memories that'll last a lifetime. Here's a message from Jane, 289 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,400 who says, Pete, thank you so much for bringing this 290 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,880 to the public's attention. Regarding the Tesla story, I emailed 291 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,839 Councilman Ed Driggs and asked him to provide the names 292 00:17:56,839 --> 00:18:00,240 of one or two other companies on the approved list. 293 00:18:00,519 --> 00:18:02,720 So I can do my own research. I will keep 294 00:18:02,759 --> 00:18:03,200 you posted. 295 00:18:03,759 --> 00:18:04,559 Speaker 1: Yeah. 296 00:18:04,839 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 2: Well that was Driggs's point was that there was no 297 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:10,559 argument made, no data or research, nothing on any of 298 00:18:10,599 --> 00:18:14,960 the other companies. What's their safety records? Are they fighting 299 00:18:15,079 --> 00:18:18,279 lawsuits or whatever. It was just I want to take 300 00:18:18,319 --> 00:18:23,279 Tesla off the list of approved vendors, and six members 301 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:26,160 voted for it, So don't tell me it wasn't political. 302 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,400 Over at the State Auditor's Office, they've been doing an audit, 303 00:18:33,559 --> 00:18:36,880 as they are known to do, of the North Carolina DMV, 304 00:18:37,839 --> 00:18:43,440 and the office put out a preliminary report, some preliminary 305 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:52,799 information because DMV staffing adjustments are being considered as part 306 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:58,160 of the legislative budget negotiations, and so the state auditor 307 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,799 is like, this may be helpful to you guys to 308 00:19:00,839 --> 00:19:04,640 get this information now while you're negotiating a state budget, 309 00:19:05,079 --> 00:19:09,039 because workforce levels are insufficient to meet the needs of 310 00:19:09,079 --> 00:19:13,440 North Carolinians. Here are the preliminary results on DMV staffing 311 00:19:13,839 --> 00:19:20,200 that indicate Number one, additional driver license examiners are necessary 312 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:24,119 to meet public demand and reduce weight times at the 313 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:29,200 offices across the state, so they need more examiners. Number two, 314 00:19:29,799 --> 00:19:35,079 flexibility in current personnel rules is necessary to allow the 315 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:40,160 DMV to hire and retain staff more effectively, and then 316 00:19:40,799 --> 00:19:45,240 more effective strategies are necessary to fill vacancies. The Auditor's 317 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:50,279 Office reports quote the DMV's current reliance on temporary positions 318 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:56,200 creates challenges. Temporary positions are harder to fill, they offer 319 00:19:56,279 --> 00:20:00,599 fewer benefits, and they result in additional training costs. Due 320 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:05,799 to high turnover. Of the DMVs one hundred and forty 321 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:11,759 two temporary examiner positions, ninety seven of them are vacant, 322 00:20:12,759 --> 00:20:17,480 which is two thirds. Two thirds of these positions are 323 00:20:17,559 --> 00:20:23,720 vacant because they're temporary jobs. Giving the DMV Commissioner flexibility 324 00:20:23,759 --> 00:20:28,400 to convert temporary positions to permanent roles and adjusting pay 325 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,759 scales based on local labor market conditions may help attract 326 00:20:32,759 --> 00:20:38,119 and retain qualified examiners. Yeah, let me think about it. 327 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:42,079 If you've got ninety seven positions that are not being 328 00:20:42,319 --> 00:20:47,920 filled because they are temporary, could you conceivably consolidate those 329 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,799 down into like you cut it in half, let's say, 330 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:55,000 and you've got like forty five or so full time 331 00:20:55,039 --> 00:20:59,759 positions instead of ninety seven temporary ones. You would at 332 00:20:59,799 --> 00:21:04,359 least have forty five positions that theoretically would be filled. Right, 333 00:21:04,799 --> 00:21:09,640 even though you've got fewer slots, they're all filled, so 334 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:15,319 you would have actually more bodies. What else they say, 335 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:19,279 Without addressing the workforce challenges, North Carolinians will continue to 336 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:24,759 experience service delays, excessive weight times, and require multiple visits 337 00:21:24,759 --> 00:21:29,200 to driver license offices. The Office of the State Auditor 338 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:33,119 anticipates that the final audit report will identify more details 339 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:37,960 of staffing requirements, including driver license office locations where additional 340 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:42,240 personnel will have the most immediate impact. The full audit 341 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:47,079 is currently going through the Office of the State Auditor's 342 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:51,279 quality control process and it will be shared soon with 343 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:56,119 responsible officials as required by law. Okay, and so they're 344 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,720 almost done, but they wanted this information out there. 345 00:21:58,759 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 1: Now. 346 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 2: If you are somebody who has had to recently deal 347 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:07,039 with the DMV, this is obvious that the North Carolina 348 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:11,720 DMB is among the worst, if not the worst, in 349 00:22:11,839 --> 00:22:19,920 the country. And you know, the Republicans in charge of 350 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:23,359 the legislature, they can try to address some of this stuff. Now, 351 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:26,400 maybe they will do it this time, and funding is 352 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:30,880 probably going to be a big part of it. So 353 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,119 I'm not letting them off the hook. They've been running 354 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:36,400 the legislature for over a decade, like they can devote 355 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,160 more resources to the DMV. Now that being said, the 356 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,559 guy who was in charge of the DMV was a 357 00:22:42,559 --> 00:22:46,640 political hack appointment, Wayne Goodwin. He was the former chairman 358 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:50,519 of the North Carolina Democrat Party and he seemed completely 359 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:59,400 unable to fix the problems in the DMV. So enough 360 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:02,480 blame to go. But that was a Cooper appointment. And 361 00:23:03,279 --> 00:23:06,839 you know my feelings on Roy Cooper, my good friend Ray. 362 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:09,200 Speaker 1: As I like to call him. What else. 363 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 2: Oh, there's also legislation working through the General Assembly about 364 00:23:15,559 --> 00:23:21,279 HOA reform hoa's homeowners associations. There's a story in the 365 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:25,400 Charlotte Observer by Nora O'Neill. A Charlotte resident who has 366 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:28,759 spent years battling his HOA is now advocating for legislation 367 00:23:28,839 --> 00:23:32,359 that could change how similar disputes play out across the state. 368 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:39,440 Jeffrey Baldwin, who faces foreclosure over unpaid HOA fees that 369 00:23:39,519 --> 00:23:42,319 he is fighting, is shifting his focus from his own 370 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:45,160 legal battle to try to rally support for a bill 371 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,039 that he hopes will prevent others from facing the same struggle. 372 00:23:49,599 --> 00:23:54,799 It's Senate Bill three seventy eight, which I have read 373 00:23:54,839 --> 00:23:59,559 through and seems like a good first step. There's a 374 00:23:59,599 --> 00:24:01,480 lot more that needs to be cleaned up. I have 375 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:05,400 when I moved back to Charlotte, moved into our neighborhood 376 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:10,720 and it has an HOA and I had lived in 377 00:24:10,759 --> 00:24:13,279 one house before with an HOA, but it was a 378 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:17,480 very hands off HOA. I think we paid like two 379 00:24:17,599 --> 00:24:22,079 hundred dollars a year and they basically like did an 380 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:25,440 Easter egg hunt event once a year and they cleaned. 381 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,799 Speaker 1: Up some walking trails and that was it. That was all. 382 00:24:27,839 --> 00:24:31,160 Speaker 2: We had no amenities, there was nothing, you know. They 383 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,000 planted flowers at the front entrance. 384 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:35,519 Speaker 1: That was it. This HOA. 385 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 2: Much more. Well, we're still under builder control, and none 386 00:24:41,759 --> 00:24:46,319 of that is actually addressed in this legislation. That's why 387 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:49,279 I say this is a good first step to rein 388 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:57,039 in some of the abusive practices of hoas and management companies. Usually, 389 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:01,319 it seems like these abuses occur when they are resident controlled, 390 00:25:02,039 --> 00:25:06,240 because when a builder is building their development, they maintain 391 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:11,079 control of the HOA until they until they sell a 392 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:14,240 certain number of units, and they get to determine what 393 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:15,559 that number is. 394 00:25:16,279 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 1: A lot of them will go. 395 00:25:17,079 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 2: With like, you know, seventy percent or eighty percent of 396 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:21,559 the units have been sold and then they start turning 397 00:25:21,599 --> 00:25:26,680 it over to the residents. But they can do one 398 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:30,960 hundred percent. That's what mine is. They've been building my 399 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:36,119 neighborhood for over twenty years. It's crazy. So residents have 400 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,880 not been in control of the HOA for the entire 401 00:25:39,079 --> 00:25:43,680 length of the lifespan, and so there are other problems 402 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:46,599 associated with that. But this bill, Senate Bill three seventy 403 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:52,440 eight goes after some of the more egregious violations and abuses. 404 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:55,559 You know, stories are powerful. They help us make sense 405 00:25:55,599 --> 00:25:59,039 of things, to understand experiences. Stories connect us to the 406 00:25:59,039 --> 00:26:02,160 people of our past while transcending generations. They help us 407 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,279 process the meaning of life. And our stories are told 408 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:09,440 through images and videos. Preserve your stories with Creative Video. 409 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,759 Started in nineteen ninety seven in Minhill, North Carolina. It 410 00:26:12,839 --> 00:26:16,319 was the first company to provide this valuable service, converting images, 411 00:26:16,559 --> 00:26:20,599 photos and videos into high quality produced slide shows, videos 412 00:26:20,599 --> 00:26:24,240 and albums. The trusted, talented and dedicated team at Creative 413 00:26:24,319 --> 00:26:26,359 Video will go over all of the details with you 414 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:30,319 to create a perfect project. Satisfaction guaranteed. Drop them off 415 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:32,079 in person or mail them. They'll be ready in a 416 00:26:32,079 --> 00:26:35,079 week or two. Memorial videos for your loved ones, videos 417 00:26:35,079 --> 00:26:39,960 for rehearsal, dinners, weddings, graduations, Christmas, family vacations, birthdays, or 418 00:26:40,079 --> 00:26:43,799 just your family stories, all told through images. That's what 419 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,319 your photos and videos are. They are your life told 420 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:49,920 through the eyes of everyone around you and all who 421 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,160 came before you, and they will tell others to come 422 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:56,960 who you are. Visit creative video dot com. All right, 423 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:01,319 So back to the Charlotte Observer story on Jeffrey Baldwin 424 00:27:01,799 --> 00:27:04,880 who was fighting with his HOA about fees that they 425 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:09,200 were levying against him that he is disputing. Senate built 426 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:13,240 three seventy eight. He is now championing. It has passed 427 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:15,200 through the Senate sitting in the house. It would put 428 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,440 a cap on the amount that a homeowner can be fined. 429 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:24,240 It would require violation hearings. You'd have to go to 430 00:27:24,279 --> 00:27:28,160 a hearing, and it would prohibit hoas from profiting off 431 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:31,519 of fines. That to me is the big one. That 432 00:27:31,599 --> 00:27:34,000 to me, is the biggest part of this legislation because 433 00:27:34,079 --> 00:27:38,000 you should not have an incentive for the HOA to 434 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:46,680 be finding residents and the property management companies, some of 435 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,880 them apparently get a cut of those fines for all 436 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,799 the violations. So not only do you have an incentive 437 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:59,119 to levy the fines, to violate, issue the violations, but 438 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,200 then you also have an incentive to keep the homeowner 439 00:28:02,279 --> 00:28:05,920 in the dark about any potential finds that may be accruing, 440 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,119 because if they don't pay the fine within a certain 441 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,519 period of time, then they start getting fined like one 442 00:28:12,599 --> 00:28:17,359 hundred dollars a day in some cases, and that racks up, 443 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,039 obviously very very quickly, and then you have to fight 444 00:28:20,079 --> 00:28:23,720 the HOA, which they've got much deeper pockets to fight 445 00:28:23,799 --> 00:28:25,079 you in court. 446 00:28:26,519 --> 00:28:27,559 Speaker 1: It would also. 447 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:33,559 Speaker 2: Include new requirements for giving notice to a homeowner and 448 00:28:34,519 --> 00:28:41,559 would require mediation before any foreclosure proceedings. Supporters say the 449 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:45,319 changes would offer more safeguards to homeowners navigating complex and 450 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:49,559 costly disputes like the one that Baldwin is still fighting. 451 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:54,759 He and his husband Levi Baldwin have been battling their 452 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,839 HOA in northeastern Mecklenburg in a development called the Settlements 453 00:29:00,079 --> 00:29:00,519 Odd in. 454 00:29:00,519 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 1: The West Bank. 455 00:29:01,319 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 2: This is this is Northeastern Mecklimburg and the Association of 456 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,599 therefore closed on their home in twenty twenty four. The 457 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:13,759 dispute stems from unpaid fines that they accumulated from having 458 00:29:13,839 --> 00:29:15,799 a vehicle parked in their driveway. 459 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: I don't know what kind of vehicle. 460 00:29:18,079 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 2: If it was like a broken down vehicle or something, 461 00:29:20,279 --> 00:29:22,480 or maybe it was an RV, I don't know, but 462 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,839 it was in violation of the HOA rules. Baldwin said 463 00:29:26,839 --> 00:29:30,359 that he had no idea that he owed thousands of 464 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:33,119 dollars in fines until he went to pay his annual 465 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,640 membership to the HOA. This is why you got to 466 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,000 keep you gotta. I don't know why you do it annually. 467 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:42,519 I would beat, I would pay it monthly, but maybe 468 00:29:42,559 --> 00:29:44,880 they only send out one bill in a year, so 469 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,319 they have a very, you know, low funding requirement. 470 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:48,799 Speaker 1: I don't know. 471 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 2: But he goes to pay the mint the HOA fees 472 00:29:53,319 --> 00:29:55,920 annually and then he finds out he owes thousands and 473 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:59,160 thousands of dollars. Now the HOA has sense agreed in 474 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:03,319 court to drop the fines if he will pay his 475 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:08,319 annual fees and the HOA attorney fees. Baldwin said he 476 00:30:08,359 --> 00:30:11,519 will not accept that, though he says the HOA should 477 00:30:11,559 --> 00:30:15,799 pay his attorney fees, which already total around ten thousand dollars. 478 00:30:16,559 --> 00:30:19,599 Baldwin has spoken to lawmakers, and Raleigh launched a website. 479 00:30:19,599 --> 00:30:24,240 It's called saferhoa dot com. He's asking people there to 480 00:30:24,279 --> 00:30:27,920 sign a petition and support of the legislation. The Senate 481 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,160 bill would reshape the power that hoas have in North Carolina. 482 00:30:31,359 --> 00:30:35,039 Caps finds for violations at twenty five hundred dollars each 483 00:30:35,759 --> 00:30:39,200 and requires a hearing before fins can even be imposed. 484 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,599 Baldwin said this would prevent cases like his, where he 485 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:46,359 was unaware of the accumulation of the fines for a 486 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:50,519 whole year. The bill also prevents hoas from foreclosing based 487 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:55,680 solely on violation finds, and it requires the multiple written 488 00:30:55,759 --> 00:31:00,759 notices before filing a lean against a house because they 489 00:31:00,759 --> 00:31:03,400 can try to take your property as well. The bill 490 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:07,920 requires meetings between hoas and homeowners before anything can even 491 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:12,839 go to court. It's got bipartisan sponsors. It passed unanimously 492 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:18,559 in the Senate. HOA reform has been difficult in North Carolina. 493 00:31:18,599 --> 00:31:22,079 According to The Charlotte Observer, which has previously reported that 494 00:31:22,319 --> 00:31:27,839 HOA lobbyists are often successful in blocking or stalling legislation 495 00:31:28,279 --> 00:31:33,039 that would limit the powers of hoas. There are around 496 00:31:33,079 --> 00:31:40,119 fourteen thousand hoas in North Carolina. That's a lot that 497 00:31:40,519 --> 00:31:47,279 hoas are actually the largest bipopulation, the largest political entity 498 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:52,680 in America. There are more people serving on HOA bodies, 499 00:31:52,839 --> 00:31:57,559 and those bodies are political. I tell the people in 500 00:31:57,599 --> 00:32:01,920 my neighborhood this all the time. People volunteer. I volunteer 501 00:32:02,079 --> 00:32:04,799 do neighborhood stuff on the committees and stuff. These are 502 00:32:04,799 --> 00:32:07,119 political bodies. Yes, we're going through and we're trying to 503 00:32:07,119 --> 00:32:09,599 do stuff for the community and all of that. But 504 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:13,160 you have to understand that there is a political element 505 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,240 to this position, and people who are not good at 506 00:32:16,319 --> 00:32:20,079 politics should probably not be on HOA boards. 507 00:32:21,079 --> 00:32:23,559 Speaker 1: In fact, they definitely should not be on HA boards. 508 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:28,359 Speaker 2: If you don't understand that, please do not join HA boards. 509 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,160 Just stay on like a committee and help plan the 510 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:33,079 Easter egg hunt and just do that. 511 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,799 Speaker 1: All right. That'll do it for this episode. Thank you 512 00:32:36,839 --> 00:32:37,839 so much for listening. 513 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:40,079 Speaker 2: I could not do the show without your support and 514 00:32:40,119 --> 00:32:42,799 the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, 515 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:45,240 So if you'd like, please support them too and tell 516 00:32:45,279 --> 00:32:47,000 them you heard it here. You can also become a 517 00:32:47,039 --> 00:32:51,720 patron at my Patreon page or go to thepetecleanershow dot com. Again, 518 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:54,480 thank you so much for listening, and don't break anything 519 00:32:54,519 --> 00:33:02,279 while I'm gone.