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Well, actually, here is the info. I can't link the report b/c it is a PDF. The report is called Charlotte-Mecklenburg Children's Budget: Defining our Investment in Children FY 2010. You can find it by googling. I found it yesterday while digging for budget info.
The total investment in children for FY 2010 was $1,577,832,082. The funding is from all sources, including federal, state, and private. These are budgeted line items but the revenue source is only partially comprised of money from the city and county (wh/ I note below).
Entity investment by focus area:
99% of the Charmeck Housing Authority's funds (spent on children) are allocated to SAFETY, at a cost of $24,686,121
City of Charlotte: $8,725,080 - with 61 % ($5,328,812) going to SAFETY.
Mecklenburg Couty: $137,572,519 - with 38.1% ($52,371,425) going to SAFETY.
There are numerous sources of funding and categories of expenditure.
My point is: how on earth could we be in such a mess in this county/city that we are spending this much money on SAFETY????
The total investment in SAFETY is $85,291,290. So no, that is not $1 billion. It is still an eye-popping figure.
A quote from the report:
Child Welfare & Protective Services received the largest amount of safety funding - $41.5 million (48.7%) of all safety funds. Of the 90 programs in the safety focus area, the largest number - 41 programs - concentrated in the area of housing and homeless services
This draws a picture for me. And it doesn't matter if it is federal funding - that is still taxpayer $$$. What is so shocking is that we have the NEED for that kind of funding to protect children. Where are their parents????
Doesn't anyone else think this draws a picture of fractured families, violence and poverty?
Ani, I found the report and linked it below. I don't think this is what you think it is. This is not an accounting of how our "tax dollars" are spent. It says the report is, "the first comprehensive report that tracks public and private investments in programs serving the children of this community." I'm not pointing fingers at you, I know you always mean well, but I think we have to be careful of the way information is relayed. You gave the impression ealier that "tax payers" in this community are on the hook for $1.0 billion in spending. I'll simply point out again that the city's total budget is only around $1.0 billon. Some less informed person outside this community could really be skewed by the assertion you made. Full report: http://cfcrights.org/wp-content/uplo...udget-FY10.pdf
Poverty in Charlotte is below the state and National average; partly due to the influx of college educated transplants. This is why the murder rate (and the actual murder count) for this growing city is going down.
And since several people like to call Charlotte the "Next Detroit", here are the numbers for Detroit...
Ani, I found the report and linked it below. I don't think this is what you think it is. This is not an accounting of how our "tax dollars" are spent. It says the report is, "the first comprehensive report that tracks public and private investments in programs serving the children of this community." I'm not pointing fingers at you, I know you always mean well, but I think we have to be careful of the way information is relayed. You gave the impression ealier that "tax payers" in this community are on the hook for $1.0 billion in spending. I'll simply point out again that the city's total budget is only around $1.0 billon. Some less informed person outside this community could really be skewed by the assertion you made. Full report: http://cfcrights.org/wp-content/uplo...udget-FY10.pdf
Carolina Blue - as usual - thank you so much for the info. But again, I am not concerned b/c of TAX DOLLARS. I am concerned that this much money - this many resources - are having to be devoted to take care of children whose parents are incapable, violent, drugged out - whatever.
I wish Sunny would let me edit that earlier post b/c I totally agree with you - I didn't phrase it right, gave the wrong impression, and didn't make the point I was trying to make. I screwed up.
However, despite my not relaying the information correctly, my point is not an assertion. It is a fact - this much money is being spent on children whose welfare is at stake.
The question we should be asking is one no one ever wants to deal with on this forum - and in the halls of the city and county chambers, too. We have a mess with people who are sucking up resources but yet are doing nothing to uplift the community. How do we turn that around? By pouring millions of dollars into trying to protect children from their own mommy and daddy? By making sure these derelect parents have a roof over their heads and food to eat and healthcare? We don't tackle the PROBLEM (irresponsible parents). Instead, we enable the problem (irresponsible parents).
ETA: the majority of the money that isn't coming from CharMeck coffers is still tax payer money, tho. Federal and state dollars aren't play money - they are real tax money. I appreciate your distinction, Blue - it is not all money from the city and county.
Poverty in Charlotte is below the state and National average; partly due to the influx of college educated transplants. This is why the murder rate (and the actual murder count) for this growing city is going down.
And since several people like to call Charlotte the "Next Detroit", here are the numbers for Detroit...
The OP asked about Charlotte's future, and you are using current numbers. We are making assumptions here - and many of us see a downward trend for the future.
Plus, may I add . . . if you were able to break that report down into neighborhoods, I am sure you are gonna see a different picture on what areas of the city/county are growing, and what the economic status and education are in those areas. After all, this is all based on AVERAGES. So if a man moves into South Charlotte and makes $200K a year, that means several folks out there who aren't making a penny will have their non-wages offset by one high salary.
I am not interested in arguing, folks. I am GENUINELY CONCERNED for this city's future. I am especially concerned about the growing numbers of children who are in desperate situations. I am extremely frustrated with all the cheerleading that goes on- while the real problems are not being addressed or discussed.
Carolina Blue - as usual - thank you so much for the info. But again, I am not concerned b/c of TAX DOLLARS. I am concerned that this much money - this many resources - are having to be devoted to take care of children whose parents are incapable, violent, drugged out - whatever.
I wish Sunny would let me edit that earlier post b/c I totally agree with you - I didn't phrase it right, gave the wrong impression, and didn't make the point I was trying to make. I screwed up.
However, despite my not relaying the information correctly, my point is not an assertion. It is a fact - this much money is being spent on children whose welfare is at stake.
The question we should be asking is one no one ever wants to deal with on this forum - and in the halls of the city and county chambers, too. We have a mess with people who are sucking up resources but yet are doing nothing to uplift the community. How do we turn that around? By pouring millions of dollars into trying to protect children from their own mommy and daddy? By making sure these derelect parents have a roof over their heads and food to eat and healthcare? We don't tackle the PROBLEM (irresponsible parents). Instead, we enable the problem (irresponsible parents).
ETA: the majority of the money that isn't coming from CharMeck coffers is still tax payer money, tho. Federal and state dollars aren't play money - they are real tax money. I appreciate your distinction, Blue - it is not all money from the city and county.
I think the original statement you made was truly eye popping. The notion that a local municipality would spend $1.0 billion for any “one thing†sounds drastic. But when you look at the actual spending numbers you posted, “City of Charlotte $5,328,812 going to SAFETY, Mecklenburg County $52,371,425 going to SAFETYâ€, I actually don’t think those numbers are eye popping at all, especially when one realizes both of those municipalities individually have billion dollar budgets. What percentage is that of their total budget? It’s minuscule. Obviously an ultra conservative person would say the spending should be “zeroâ€, but we all know that’s not realistic. So my question would be, if those numbers are too high, then what realistically should they be.
Poverty has risen in Charlotte since 2008, when it was only 10.6%. But so has poverty across the US. That is a big rise for only 3+ years though. As more people leave Charlotte and move to the suburbs that will probably continue to rise.
Detroit is an old city, Charlotte will not get there overnight. But if there is not incentive for people to live in the city itself (good schools, low crime, low taxes, etc), the majority of the people would be those that can not afford to move.
I think the original statement you made was truly eye popping. The notion that a local municipality would spend $1.0 billion for any “one thing” sounds drastic. But when you look at the actual spending numbers you posted, “City of Charlotte $5,328,812 going to SAFETY, Mecklenburg County $52,371,425 going to SAFETY”, I actually don’t think those numbers are eye popping at all, especially when one realizes both of those municipalities individually have billion dollar budgets. What percentage is that of their total budget? It’s minuscule. Obviously an ultra conservative person would say the spending should be “zero”, but we all know that’s not realistic. So my question would be, if those numbers are too high, then what realistically should they be.
We all agree - I didn't word the earlier post correctly.
My question would be - why are we not addressing the real problem in this equation - parents who are obviously not parenting.
I also disagree with your assertion that an ultra conservative person would think that number would be zero. I believe everyone is aware that all cultures/societies are gonna have dysfunctional members in the community. Domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse - those things cross all economic and education strata.
You add CMS in with the children's programs cost and you do have an eye popping figure, IMO. And education is definitely a children's program, lol.
Poverty has risen in Charlotte since 2008, when it was only 10.6%. But so has poverty across the US. That is a big rise for only 3+ years though. As more people leave Charlotte and move to the suburbs that will probably continue to rise.
Detroit is an old city, Charlotte will not get there overnight. But if there is not incentive for people to live in the city itself (good schools, low crime, low taxes, etc), the majority of the people would be those that can not afford to move.
That is the way I see it, RDUB. Right now, the wealthier parts of the city/county are subsidizing the poorer parts, but what happens when the needs continue to rise and people start moving out of the wealthier areas? Don't even bother with comparing things to Detroit. I have been spending time trying to figure out what the heck has gone on in Birmingham and Atlanta (and Cobb Co). I think the comparison to those 2 cities may be more viable than a comparison to Detroit.
Last edited by brokensky; 01-06-2012 at 03:19 PM..
Policies and spending by our City Council and County Commission will send this area into the economic abyss of other major cities around the country - Detroit is the most shinning example.
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