Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners Chair George Dunlap shared their vision for the city and county with Charlotte Regional Business Alliance investors on Wednesday. CLT Alliance Board Chair Kieth Cockrell, president of Bank of America Charlotte and head of sports sponsorships, moderated the conversation.
When addressing their top priorities in office, both Lyles and Dunlap emphasized the significance of addressing homelessness and its impact on the Charlotte business community. Lyles said that affordable housing is more than a passion for her, it’s something that is critically important to the vibrancy of Charlotte.
Dunlap addressed the challenges of housing evictions, highlighting the county’s responsibility in reducing these occurrences and striving for affordable housing solutions.
Both speakers addressed their respective city and county budgets and programming. A particular focus of the conversation was on economic advancement through small business and workforce development. Dunlap brought up the Get Up and Grow program while Lyles highlighted her Racial Equity Initiative and Corridors of Opportunity, in addition to an overall emphasis on helping small businesses succeed.
Lyles said, “Your tax dollars pay for infrastructure, both human as well as physical infrastructure in the city.” Dunlap later added, “If you look for talent, you’ll find diversity.”
Both Lyles and Dunlap highlighted their collaboration between the city and county as well as the business community. Dunlap noted Medicaid expansion as an example of the business community stepping up to collaborate with policymakers, resulting in a key victory in North Carolina.
Dunlap discussed the school bond referendum, put on the ballot by the county. He said the community has a responsibility to take action to address the various needs in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system due to the region’s growth, noting that the proposed investments are needed now.
During the conversation, Lyles acknowledged she is running for her fourth term as mayor and outlined her priorities going forward.
