The Corruption Behind the Politics

As promised, here is the follow up to the I-77 project with a bit more of an editorialization, but still fact based, of what’s really going on. 

Let me start off by saying what many on Facebook are already saying. Why does the mayor of Monroe care about a highway project happening in Charlotte? Or, why does a State Senator plan to punish her own constituents for voting against her wants?

If you read part one, you saw that the CRTPO voted, as a supermajority, to put an end to the I-77 toll road project. This was after years of planning and years of protest. 

At the end of the day, the vote was made for one simple reason. The people didn’t want it. Here in Monroe we are not used to having a city council that listens to their constituents so this may seem like a foreign idea for many folks living here. But the city of Charlotte listened to their residents. 

And for the record, there is a precedent for this exact project. Does anyone remember the I-77 North Toll Lanes? Many people attribute Governor McCrory’s 2016 gubernatorial loss to this unpopular project. (Read about it here.)

What started out as a political game for Burns to get his name in the paper may backfire completely. 

Following the CRTPO vote to pull the plug on the new I-77 toll lane project, Mayor Burns went on a social media bender accusing our representative on the CRTPO of malfeasance. His biggest issue was that our CRTPO representative, Councilwoman Anthony, never consulted with the city council before conducting her vote. While one can see the point that he’s making, he’s definitely playing a game that should not be taken seriously. 

This project was in Mecklenburg County. Charlotte City Council voted to withdraw support at the urging of their constituents. The CRTPO's vote just supported Charlotte and its residents. This vote was well within the boundaries and rights of Councilwoman Anthony to make without consulting the city council for two reasons:

1) THIS WAS HAPPENING IN ANOTHER COUNTY. At no point was Monroe directly affected by this project. And that’s the easiest explanation. If I want to put up a fence in my yard, the last person who should tell me I can’t is some asshole seven blocks away in another development.

2) When the City of Charlotte voted to withdraw their support, the CRTPO took their lead from them. Their city, their property, their project, their rules. A different vote from Councilwoman Anthony would have flown in the face of the residents of Charlotte and their City Council. 

Again, listening to the wants of the people isn’t really Burns’ strong suit. But neither is seeking consent.

So, Mayor Burns’ first reaction was to act like Councilwoman Anthony acted outside of her scope of responsibility.

She did not. But Burns needs press that isn’t a picture of him standing in a park recording people using a public restroom. So he went after Anthony, his friend Dotson’s opponent in the upcoming election. He tried to spread stories of wrongdoing when there was none. Enter Senator Vickie Sawyer. 

State Senator Vickie Sawyer immediately drafted an amendment to a bill in the North Carolina General Assembly. She was demanding that anyone who voted no on the I-77 project would be on the hook to pay back the state. She was trying to recoup a total of $60 million. 

Why was State Senator Sawyer taking up this fight? Was her father a toll lane and she felt some family connection? 

Nope!

$12,800

CAPA, otherwise known as the Carolina Asphalt Pavement Association PAC made two donations, one in 2023 and the other in 2024 for a total of $12,800. (2023 & 2024). Gee. I wonder if an asphalt/paving PAC would want a huge road project to go through?

And there you have it. Sawyer used extortion to make her donors happy. Was Burns aware of this financial connection before he sold out Monroe? We may never know, but Burns already knows that we’ll be paying close attention to his financial reports during his gubernatorial race. 

But here’s the fun part. The Burns sycophants are now stuck. Do they back up their idol and his horrible decision? Or do they stick to their conservative small government/saving tax dollars morals?

Here are some of the Facebook posts from the media. WSOC: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BURfZpZr7/ WBTV: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HBXFfyZ48/ WFAE: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1H7mYQUTKi/

Go to the comments section. Read what everyone is saying. Republicans, Democrats, Liberals, Leftists, and MAGA are all coming out to mock the mayor’s decision. And the reasons are varied.

One. This project is nowhere near Monroe. 

Two. The people don’t fucking want it!

Three. “Stop building toll roads!”

Four: “All toll money would go to a foreign [Spanish] company!”

I’m telling you folks, it’s glorious to see him getting eaten by his own. Either his advisors told him this was a bad idea and he didn’t listen to them or he should tell them to go back to Stanly County and stay out of Monroe politics. 

To summarize:

Mayor Burns tried to take an easy layup against a political opponent. 

State Senator Sawyer gets paid $12,800 to make sure this project happens no matter how unpopular it is and then calls for all “no votes” to pay a combined $60 million to the state.

Mayor Burns cowardly forces a vote to show that the City of Monroe submits to empty idle threats from big government. 

The pay back amendment is removed. Mostly because it didn’t have the support and it violated federal law according to the Matthews City Attorney. (Here) (Wish we had an attorney or council that would stand up to illegal extortion…)

The whole Monroe City Council still shows their ass by voting to support a project people don’t want under threat of a bought and paid for State Senator. 

Nothing changes. 

The project is still not going forward and now our city is once again the target of mockery. 

At least this will hurt Burns’ election chances… 

…and you too, William Dotson.