-Photo by Dale Johnson
Last week, we learned that the city spent $8,460 of your tax dollars for 940 pots of tulips it displayed in planters along Tryon Street two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the tulips are dead now.
But don't despair. Your oh-so-broke Charlotte city government, the same folks who raised your taxes last year because they claimed they couldn’t afford to hire more police officers, have additional floral wonders in store for you uptown. Coming attractions include $23,000 worth of summer annuals and $6,000 potted mums.
The total budget for uptown planting is $55,000. A special fee paid by uptown property owners covers 38 percent of that. Taxpayers are on the hook for the rest of the bill, which totals about $35,000.
Meanwhile, in a police services study presented to city council this week, city residents say they are frustrated that police officers don't have more time to spend investigating property thefts and home break-ins when citizens report them ...