PRESS RELEASES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 13, 2010
CONTACT: Corey Thompson
PHONE NUMBER: 704-507-3875
EMAIL: corey@coreythompson.us
WEBSITE: www.coreythompson.us

THOMPSON TO ROBERTS: REESTABLISH DECORUM ON COUNTY BOARD
Political newcomer challenges incumbent leadership of a Commission struggling to maintain control

Charlotte, NC- Corey Thompson, a political newcomer and Republican candidate for Mecklenburg County Commission At-Large, is calling on board Chairman Jennifer Roberts to issue a public statement of reprimand to those Commissioners who participated in what Thompson describes as “political irresponsibility” displayed during last week’s board meeting.

The event Thompson was referring to involved a heated confrontation between several board members, during which Democratic Commissioners berated and chastised their colleagues throughout what was originally intended to be a productive dialogue over policies and proposed solutions to critical problems in Mecklenburg County. Thompson added, “Instead of embracing the responsibility of the seat to which they were elected, several Democratic Commissioners turned the dais into a political pulpit, using the time typically allotted for discourse for their own self-promotion and political grandstanding. This took place while Commissioners were holding a regular-scheduled meeting funded by the taxpayers of Mecklenburg County.”

Perhaps the most disturbing moment came when District 3 Commissioner George Dunlap (D) conveyed an ominous warning about what would happen if Republicans took the majority of Commission chairs as a result of the upcoming elections, and then even went so far as to question the religious faith of a fellow board member. Said Thompson, “While there is no rule against using the dais for political posturing, it must be recognized that Commissioner Dunlap’s free political advertisement, and the questioning of a colleague’s faith, were a blatant misuse of the seat with which he has been entrusted.”

Thompson concluded, “Commission Chairman Jennifer Roberts has previously used her position to publicly reprimand Commissioners whose actions and attitudes at the dais have been unbecoming.  She once again has the responsibility to challenge her colleagues, and to show that her leadership is not bound by party lines.  The dais is not the place for mockery and blatant disregard for appropriate decorum. If Chairman Roberts and the incumbent leadership do not address the expectations of the seats to which they have been entrusted, the public may very well use the upcoming election as a referendum on the confidence they have in the current board.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 21, 2010
CONTACT: Corey Thompson
PHONE NUMBER: 704-507-3875
EMAIL: corey@coreythompson.us
WEBSITE: www.coreythompson.us

THOMPSON TIES CMS WOES TO BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Candidate Says County Commission Leadership is to Blame for School District Financial Troubles

Charlotte, NC – Corey Thompson, a Republican candidate for Mecklenburg County Commission At-Large, issued a statement today implicating the current Board of Commissioners’ lack of responsible financial planning and budgeting as a prime culprit in CMS’s financial problems.

Stated Thompson, “The board lost sight of the great responsibility it has to be a good steward of the taxpayer’s dollars, and commissioners neglected to heed the warning signs and prepare accordingly.  The County spent like the ‘good times’ would last forever and failed to provide responsible management in other areas, such as DSS.  This lack of responsibility and foresight has now jeopardized our kids, just as it has our libraries, our public safety, and our recreation services.”

Thompson, a CMS teacher at West Mecklenburg High School, continued, “Combine a misguided budget with an economic downturn and the end result is a public school system that faces certain layoffs for a third straight year and closings at several schools. Quite frankly, I think the public should be embarrassed with where the current board leadership has taken them. The responsibility of Mecklenburg County fiscal discernment rests on the desk of Board Chairman Jennifer Roberts and County Manager Harry Jones. While CMS must also answer some important questions in the days ahead, the County Commission cannot escape culpability in this matter.”

Thompson concluded, “Our teachers, our families, and our students have all been forced to watch helplessly as elected officials discuss the fate of the schools they care so much about.  We owe it to them in the future to prepare for any economic downturns in such a way as to minimize the impact on the classroom.  I plan on being a part of that solution.”

Thompson’s wife Jenny is also a CMS teacher at Shamrock Gardens Elementary School.

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