How else to characterize the $55m. raked together by the Uptown crowd for West side schools? What started as a CMS wide initiative quickly narrowed to a West Charlotte feeder focus by the time CMS’ West side school closing list was out by early October. October also being the time the state and local NAACP started to protest the closings and October being a few weeks ahead of the November election which would retain Demcratic control of the Mecklenburg County Commission — thanks in large part to West side votes.
We’ve told you that for weeks the Uptown crowd has been mortified that the bad PR flowing from Rev. Kojo and the local NAACP would scare off the DNC. The DNC Convention being the Official Thing That Will Save Charlotte, according to the Uptown crowd. Well, $55m. should smooth things over, create plenty of positive PR showing just how progressive and wonderful Charlotte can be.
The kicker is no one knows — exactly — how the money would be spent to improve CMS performance. Not that that matters. The PR is all that counts — that and word that the DNC is coming to town. (Psst — wonder what the CRVA has promised to that end?)
Bonus Observation: Why would any shareholder of Duke Energy, Wells, or BAC stand for this kinda political grease? There is no business or philanthropic purpose at all in these gifts.
