In response to: The proposed tax hike for the arts (and, yes, other things) is the dominant issue facing voters in the upcoming local elections
“I couldn’t think of a more useless act than raising taxes for art. If you want art go buy some coloring books. Stop coming here escaping northern taxes just to continue to vote for more taxes.” – M
“There are a lot of deep pockets in this city. Private money can pay for the arts.” – K
“I wholeheartedly support the sales tax increase. Do you like art along the Rail Trail? Murals on Uptown buildings? Free music and dancing around town? Then, you and I must support the artists and organizations who create them! Vote Yes!” – S
“Why is it whenever we want to tax people to help the rich, it’s always to make the city more attractive to fuel grow? So we are taxing poor people to pay for operas, symphonies and concerts for the wealthy while almost half the people in Charlotte are struggling to pay to live here and will never enjoy what the ASC is funding.” – A
“Real cities fund the arts. It’s time for Charlotte to step up.” – D
“As a non-profit executive who can barely afford to live in Charlotte and whose daughter attends 4th grade at a CMS School in a class of 30 I find it disgusting that education is slated to only receive 16% of this money. Our schools are overcrowded, our teachers are overwhelmed and underpaid and we are going to give 45% to the Arts and another 34% to parks and greenways?” – A
“I have two young kids, and fully support these types of initiatives for our area. But I’ll be hesitant to vote yes for this because our government has continued to bungle projects.” – B
In response to: A Charlotte man named Lucky just opened Walmart’s first black-owned, black-operated barbershop
“Fantastic service. I drive all the way from Fort Mill for his impeccable service.” – T
“I was in the Wilkerson Boulevard Walmart and saw what I believe is Da Lucky Spot Barbershop pre-grand opening. I noticed it because it had a different feel than the normal Walmart business — it was unapologetically a black barbershop. What a huge opportunity to a deserving, business and community-minded individual who can genuinely and sincerely provide guidance to those who want to chart a different path.” – A
“Absolutely the most uplifting article I’ve read in a very long time! Amazing to see this gentleman doing great things for the community.” – J
In response to: At what age do people become millionaires in Charlotte?
“Many of my clients are millionaires in the Charlotte area and this article seems pretty true, although 80-90% of them created something (ex, a company) but some are just great savers. In my experience most are also great and very humble people.” – P
“At what age do local people become thousandaires?” – J
“I would have loved to hear a little more about not just their income, but the rate at which their wealth accumulated. It doesn’t matter how much money you make if you spend it all. Kind of sad example: I worked with a couple that made upwards of $400k a year for at least the last five years who had to take $100k out of their retirement accounts last year to pay off credit card debt. ” – A
“And at the end, we all end up in the same dirt. Ask someone who is about to die if they wish they had more money or more time and see what they say.” – B
“Ah yes, very relatable article.” – T
“The majority of folks reaching millionaire status achieve it through years of investing in vehicles like a 401k. That on top of significant equity in a home or a paid off home.” – J
“As a CPA working with a lot of individuals, it’s amazing to compare your first impressions of people to the money they make. I’ve seen guys (sorry, but they’re inevitably guys, and almost inevitably young guys) come in here like big shots only to see a very middle-of-the-road W-2. I’ve also had people come in looking like modest, middle-class people only to find they cleared well over a half a million dollars last year.” – A
In response to: Blind Date: 29-year-old banker and 33-year-old financial analyst catch a baseball game, but strike out on love
“LOL at the investment bro… Looking for a ‘natural beauty’ that ‘controls the room with her presence’ … i.e. so hot that when she comes into a room everyone turns and stares (and if not, must be super into running cross country).” – F
“Some days I am very glad my husband and I got together in college. It took me two years of knowing him to develop that chemistry. Dating apps and blind dates would never have worked for me.” – J
In response to: Cash Confessional: A week of spending on a 24-year-old digital marketing consultant’s $49,000 salary
“Stop your 401k contribution until your credit cards are paid off. If you received a tax refund this year, adjust your withholding so you increase your paychecks immediately. Line up all of your credit card balances in order from smallest to largest, put all extra money each month towards the smallest balance until it’s paid off, then the next, then the next (debt snowball). Create a budget (Mint, Everydollar or YNAB) and stop justifying eating out because it clears your brain. You should only step foot in a restaurant if you’re working there. Completely remove the idea of a new car from your mind. Tell your fiancé you love her and there’s going to be some short-term pain for long-term gain.” – H
“Mexican food 3 times in 2 days… are you sure your wallet is the only thing being torn up?” – S
“Where is this $759 apartment? Asking for a friend.” – J
In response to: The recent bankruptcy of BrewPublik reveals the Charlotte startup’s deep-rooted problems
“I will never understand why investors give 20-somethings with 0 business experience hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.” – R
“We were one of the first to sign up for home delivery of their beer. We looked forward to surprising ourselves with whatever new beer they brought to us and had our own home beer tastings. We loved it and were very disappointed when they discontinued home delivery in favor of corporations.” – C
“I delivered beer for them last summer and they were pretty unorganized.” – D
“Sad. Just leave everyone you owe holding the bag.” – F
“Never heard of them. Unlike Total Wine & More.” – M
“I just don’t understand these aggressive growth strategies, especially cross-country like this one turned out to be. Just because it works in Charlotte doesn’t mean it’s going to stick in more metropolitan cities. Seems like 2ULaundry is a local start up that actually understands how growth should work, slow but steady. They could have easily grown to 5-6 locations by now, but they haven’t, and their success is showing.” – C
In response to: Sweet Lew’s BBQ co-owner buys Dish in Plaza Midwood — expect few changes, new brunch menu
“Hands down my favorite restaurant in town. Yeah, it’s not the most amazing food ever, yeah, there were a few years where the quality went up and down, but it’s never too loud, the staff are always pleasant and there is something on the menu for pretty much everyone. I have been a pretty regular customer for almost two decades.” – R
“Please don’t touch the collard greens.” – L
“Don’t touch the meatloaf!” – A
“Don’t touch the pot roast!” – S
“We love Dish, this is a positive move and can’t wait for Lewis to put his touch on it.” – B
“Love this place. The ONLY change I’d make is to get rid of the empty electric sign holder out front. It makes the place look like it’s closed.” – A
In response to: How I Work: 17 questions with TSA officer Dana Burrell
“As a 3-4 time/week flier, I encounter a high number of TSA agents. This young lady sounds like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale environment.” – A
“What an awesome person. I like her perspective.” – M
In response to: The 8 fights every couple has while moving
“My husband and I wielded our tape guns, slapping tape on boxes seeing who could make the loudest tape screeching sound, as we finished our last 50 boxes in aggressive silence.” – A
“I have friends with three kids who are moving soon; I recommended they simply burn their old home to the ground.” – E
You forgot the husband moving his entire 300+ t-shirt collection to the new house.” – W
“Fight #9: Wife takes a break from a few hours of unpacking kitchen to find husband alphabetically arranging his CDs while rest of household is still in boxes.” – L
“I thought millennials didn’t buy houses in Charlotte, only rented luxury condos.” – T
In response to: The world knows Chynna Deese because of how she died. Now her family wants to make sure we remember how she lived.
“Thank you for your beautiful article about Lucas and Chynna. I think I cried all the way through it but somehow it was also uplifting. Lucas was a good friend of ours. Thank you for remembering him. It would have been his 24th birthday next Monday.” – N (from Australia)
“I didn’t know this story but it was beautifully told & has done justice to two beautiful souls.” – S
“This is a beautiful tribute to a woman who deserved better than the end she faced. Thank you for honoring her with this piece. She is inspirational, not in her death, but in the way she lived her life. My deepest sympathies to her and Lucas’s families.” – N
In response to: If David Tepper lands an MLS team, what happens to Charlotte’s other pro soccer franchise?
“MLS teams need a USL affiliate as well as a fully funded academy and a world class training facility to be competitive. There are numerous examples of MLS and USL teams co-existing in the same city.” – B
“NYFC and the Redbulls play in the same market about 12 miles apart.” – J
“It would make me overlook two soccer teams in Charlotte instead of one.” – M
In response to: Quick list of 14 must-try tacos in Charlotte
“The fact that you ordered flour tortillas makes me doubt this whole list.” – L
“Read this just to make sure Tres Amigos on Central and Sabor made the list.” – B
“Everything on the menu at Tacos El Nevado on Central Ave.” – J
“Who spends more than $2.50 per taco? If you go to a place and one taco is more than $2.50 you are in the wrong place for tacos.” – B
