What Sharon Hightower's Neighbors Think of Her

This sign is hanging on a beauty salon on McConnell Road just around the corner from the home of Greensboro, District 1 City Councilwoman Sharon Hightower. Click on the photo to enlarge.

You can find the Facebook thread by clicking here, express your opinion of Sharon Hightower and join the many who are sharing the thread.

What The City Isn't Telling You About The Core Technology Molding Expansion

On June 29, 2017, the City of Greensboro issued a press release entitled, City Welcomes New Tenant to Gateway University Research Park. In it Carla Banks wrote:


"The City of Greensboro is supporting the project with a $1.2 million commitment. “This is a major endeavor for District 1 and East Greensboro as this project is the result of the City designating funds from the 2006 and 2016 bonds earmarked specifically for the enhancement of the east side of town,” said Councilwoman Sharon Hightower.

Gateway University Research Park facilitates collaborations between researchers and businesses. Through the universities’ Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Gateway University Research Park provides access to state-of-the-art capabilities for product development, analytical services, materials testing, analysis and evaluation.

“The expansion of Core Technology is another example of a successful public/private partnership, boosting our local economy by adding good paying jobs to the City,” said Mayor Nancy Vaughan."

East Greensboro shownuff needs the jobs. For that I'm thankful.

Now here is what they are not telling you.

Core Technology already operates a plant in Greensboro. As there is no mention in the press release as to how many jobs will be added one cannot help but wonder if this is really an expansion or simply a move to another building that happens to include $1.2 Million in incentives?

I mean, it's a valid question, right?

Gateway University Research Park was entirely funded with taxpayer dollars that were first borrowed from Newbridge Bank and is owned by NC A&T University and UNCG. You, Dear Taxpayers, are probably still paying back the interest on the loans.

Gateway University Research Park competes with privately owned properties for the same companies.

Gateway University Research Park pays zero property taxes, meaning you must pay more. Whereas currently Core Technology's landlord,  AMBROGIO DELACHI LTD PARTNERSHIP is paying a total of $42,505.70 per year in property taxes for the one property Core occupies, no property taxes will be collected on the new building as it will be owned by Gateway University Research Park, a non profit owned by two North Carolina state owned universities both exempt from paying property taxes.

While a handful of companies have rented offices in the 2 existing Nanocenter buildings where the school and officers are housed, Core Technology is the first company to announce plans to build in Gateway University Research Park since its opening in 2008.

Back in 2007, NC A&T announced plans to launch its first spin-off biotech company, called Provagen. First on the campus of NC A&T and then to move to the Gateway University Research Park. As it turns out, "Provagen is estimated to generate $197,413 in annual revenues, and employs approximately 5 people at this single location" not in East Greensboro but at 3801 Friendly Acres Dr in West Greensboro. Oh, and their product turned out not to be the leading edge pharmaceutical they had hoped it would be but a supplement.

So when Greensboro Mayor Nancy Baracat Vaughan says, "The expansion of Core Technology is another example of a successful public/private partnership, " just remember: things never turn out the way they say they will. And when it comes to Sharon Hightower, I wonder if she is still calling the folks at the Nanocenter to complain about snakes in her driveway and demanding they send someone to come get them.

Who knows, maybe in 8 more years these geniuses will land another tenant whose product has nothing to do with nanotech.

Sharon Hightower Speaks Out On Greensboro Operation Transparency

Found this reply from Greensboro City Councilwoman Sharon Melvin Hightower at EZ Greensboro Posts Only on the records Greensboro Operation Transparency was seeking to have made public so I snapped a screen grab and posted it for everyone to see:

So Councilwoman Hightower wasn't the only council member who saw the records. Now if Councilwoman Hightower would be so kind as to clarify her relationship with a certain Mr McCants and explain his part in the recent $300,000 MWBE study she voted to fund, we could put those nasty rumors to rest.

What The Media Isn't Telling You About GSO Operation Transparency

Councilwoman Sharon Melvin Hightower was shown the records GSO Operation Transparency is asking to see but Councilwoman Sharon Melvin Hightower IS NOT a supervisor or in any way does she have supervisory capacity over any City of Greensboro employees the files might reflect. The only employees Sharon Melvin Hightower has any supervision over are City Manager Jim Westmoreland and City Attorney, Thomas Carruthers.

Therefore, IF there is a "personnel records" issue as the Greensboro City Council claims there is, the Councilwoman Sharon Melvin Hightower, the City of Greensboro, and the Greensboro City Council, by virtue of having voted to allow Sharon Melvin Hightower to see the records, HAS ALREADY VIOLATED PUBLIC RECORDS LAWS.

Now Sharon Melvin Hightower, which is it? Have you already violated public records laws or are you and the rest of the Greensboro City Council hiding something?

Susan Ladd on Greensboro City Council's "cover-up" of illegal closed session vote on Police records

Greensboro's City Council and Jim Westmoreland destroyed Charlotte Jackson's career

by illegally releasing her personnel information to the public

"Stonewalling on Cole investigation deepens mistrust"

...When made aware of the incident, the council’s reaction was outrage, and rightly so.

With the support of Westmoreland and Police Chief Wayne Scott, [City Council] voted to release police body camera footage of the incident and “all disciplinary actions and personnel actions related to GPD’s interaction with Yourse,” finding it “essential to maintain public confidence.”

William Hill, attorney for the Police Association 

said the city violated NC Personnel Privacy Act, 

committing a misdemeanor by releasing Jackson’s portion of the video.

“It’s a misdemeanor to release anything from a personnel file

 without the consent of a person. 

She did not consent. 

Without a court order or without certain finding being made. 

None of that happened, “said Hill. 

“With this being blasted all over the news, it violated her due process rights.”

WFMY

...When the incident first was disclosed on Sept. 20, and when the footage was aired publicly a week later, Councilwoman Sharon Hightower asked for all the records from the investigation.

Cole tried to question Yourse about any outstanding warrants

...to which Yourse responded, “not that I know of.”

Mr. Yourse also stated he is not afraid to go back to prison

After Yourse was in custody, 

Cole and Jackson discovered two active warrants for his arrest. 

Greensboro Police Officers Association

...Community anger and frustration spilled over at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, when Hightower revealed that her request to see the investigative files was denied by a “consensus” of the council in a closed session.

The [Greensboro Police Officers Association]

claims the context of the video was twisted by the council.

WFMY

...People who had come to repeat their request for more information on the 42-day investigation stood, shouted and jeered.

Not that I blame them for doing so, but some of the folks who objected 

were/are probably agitating to cause a nationally covered event 

for the causes they represent, which could bring a good bit of chaos to Greensboro.

...why was this a matter for closed session? Council members weren’t discussing a personnel matter; they were discussing whether a council member should be allowed to see investigative records related to a personnel matter involving a former employee.

The state’s open meetings law 

prohibits the council from taking votes in private.

Margaret Moffett 

The discussion should have taken place in open session with a legitimate vote.

Agreed

Consensus, by the way, means agreement.

So why not just say "vote" Susan?

Is someone trying to imply a "consensus" was legal

and a vote would have been illegal?

Did Hightower say "consensus"?

According to Mayor Nancy Vaughan, she, Hightower, Yvonne Johnson and Jamal Fox were the only council members in favor of Hightower’s request, which means that Mike Barber, Justin Outling, Nancy Hoffmann, Tony Wilkins and Marikay Abuzuaiter were not in favor.

The state’s open meetings law 

prohibits the council from taking votes in private.

Margaret Moffett

That’s a 5-4 vote, not a consensus.

Agreed, so what's the bit about "consensus"?

Did Hightower say the vote was a "consensus"

to prevent the closed session vote from being determined illegal?

Why not say the closed session vote was illegal

like Margaret?

...what was their basis for denying Hightower, or any other member of council, the opportunity to see the records?

Yourse is heard yelling several times 

that he was not resisting and at one point turned to Jackson 

and told her “you better not lie for him,” referring to Cole.

WFMY

A few months ago, Wilkins asked during a public council meeting to see the personnel file of former Police Chief David Wray, and he was granted that request.

Good point, but Tony didn't leak the information to anyone, 

and it appears Sharon Hightower is informing Nelson Johnson's crowd 

of confidential information, which may have led to the resignation of Charlotte Jackson

...“That’s why I felt she should be able to see the file,” Vaughan said during a break in the meeting. “It would have been consistent to address this in the same way. I think council should have the ability to review sensitive documents because we set policy.

It was also discovered Yourse was charged

with breaking and entering into his mother’s house, 

2 Mistywood Court, twice in the past.

Mayor Nancy Vaughan expressed her disdain for the video after it was shown, 

calling it “brutal” and apologizing to Yourse.

How can we do that and arrive at the right decision if we aren’t seeing all the information?”

Agreed, but the information would probably have been leaked by Hightower.

...the community is right to question exactly how that process unfolded and whether there was any attempt by any member of the department to minimize or dismiss this matter.

As for the association’s claims that the council broke the law

in releasing Jackson’s video, 

Hightower responded “Seven of us voted for it.”

WFMY

...A wholesale release of names could lead to a rush to judgment of the officers involved before it’s clear whether they acted properly.

Which already happened with the illegal body camera release

which Susan doesn't address.

Pulling back on their promise to release the information — even to one of their members — and trying to hide that decision in a closed meeting inflames suspicion of a cover-up.

http://www.greensboro.com/blogs/around_town/susan-ladd-stonewalling-on-cole-investigation-deepens-mistrust/article_1ed2d564-df58-51f1-b9bf-6df17005c158.html

Greensboro's City Council and Jim Westmoreland destroyed Charlotte Jackson's career

by illegally releasing her personnel information to the public

Greensboro Police Officers Association on Greensboro's City Council, Charlotte Jackson and Travis Cole

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/10/greensboro-police-officers-association.html

Greensboro City Council accused of breaking the law by releasing body cam footage

http://wncn.com/2016/10/01/greensboro-city-council-accused-of-breaking-the-law-by-releasing-body-cam-footage/

Billy Jones; "What Greensboro Didn't Tell You About Dejuan Yourse

I have it on good authority that as of this afternoon, Greensboro Police Captain James Hinson called Greensboro Police Officer CN Jackson-- seen  in the video below-- demanding her immediate resignation under threat of being fired for her part in the incident in the video.

...The assault of  Dejuan Yourse by Officer Travis Cole was wrong and the City of Greensboro has already paid Mr Yourse a cash settlement despite the fact that Mr Yourse's mother had a restraining order against her son to keep him away from her home.

...Captain Hinson needs to explain himself and explain to the public why he is demanding officer Jackson leave the Greensboro Police Department."

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/09/what-greensboro-didnt-tell-you-about.html

Greensboro's City Council and Jim Westmoreland destroyed Charlotte Jackson's career

by illegally releasing her personnel information to the public

Greensboro Police Officer Charlotte Jackson in the video below:

The Greensboro City Council held a special meeting yesterday followed by a press conference and posted the meeting online in 3 parts.

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/09/adding-to-rochs-pile-part-14.html

Roch Smith Jr.; "Greensboro police body cam video shows officer attacking man

...Council members Tony Wilkins and Mike Barber were the only two representatives who voted against releasing the video."

http://greensboro101.com/greensboro-police-body-cam-video-shows-officer-attacking-man/

Roch Smith Jr.; "Guilford County District Attorney Howard Nuemann decided charging Cole would be “inappropriate” according to a memo from Greensboro City Attorney Tom Carruthers to city council members."

http://greensboro101.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Tom-Carruthers-to-greensboro-city-council-cole-memo.pdf

Adding To Roch's Pile: Part 13

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/09/adding-to-rochs-pile-part-13.html

Updated; Greensboro Police Officers Association on Greensboro's City Council, Charlotte Jackson and Travis Cole

"...The police department continued to investigate Jackson’s role in the Yourse incident, when she resigned from the department, two days after the video was released.

...The association said it supports the due process of Cole but did not support the “violation of Jackson’s legal right.”

...The association claims the context of the video was twisted by the council.

...the association said Yourse provides conflicting information to Cole, including the correct pronunciation of his name, whether or not he has ID on him and if he is a legal resident of his mother’s house. The statement (attached below) reads Cole tried to question Yourse about any outstanding warrants he might have access to which Yourse responded, “not that I know of.”

“Mr. Yourse also stated he is not afraid to go back to prison, which further heightens Officer Cole’s suspicions,” the statements reads.

...Cole said he perceived the phone call to a friend, in which Yourse claimed the police were harassing him, as a safety threat.

During the struggle, both officers reported they felt Yourse grab for items on their duty belts and reported sustaining injuries. Jackson reported Yourse put pressure on her wrist during the struggle...

After Yourse was in custody, Cole and Jackson discovered two active warrants for his arrest. It was also discovered Yourse was charged with breaking and entering into his mother’s house, 2 Mistywood Court, twice in the past.

...Mayor Nancy Vaughan expressed her disdain for the video after it was shown, calling it “brutal” and apologizing to Yourse.

...As for the association’s claims that the council broke the law in releasing Jackson’s video, Hightower responded “Seven of us voted for it.”

City council members also voted unanimously (8-0) to ask the state to revoke Cole’s law enforcement certificate."

http://wncn.com/2016/10/01/greensboro-city-council-accused-of-breaking-the-law-by-releasing-body-cam-footage/

https://www.facebook.com/tony.wilkins.94/posts/10207690366478172?pnref=story

The comments at the link are quite illustrative

https://www.facebook.com/tony.wilkins.94/posts/10207690366478172?pnref=story

What Greensboro's City Council and Staff didn't/don't/won't watch out for, for their own employees' retirement plan

"...Paying too much: You have to care about expenses. They are the most predictable characteristic of explaining future returns of funds, experts say. And expenses are a more reliable signal than past performance.

They don't care about their own employees

Choosing the right mutual fund is different from choosing stocks, because you're effectively choosing a money manager rather than a management team. Controlling costs is key to successful fund investing.

They had the chance to do the right thing, 

and they didn't do it

It can’t be said enough: with funds, costs matter. Annual expenses eat into total return, year after year. With high-cost funds, you pay more and pocket less. Moreover, studies show that low-expense funds are more likely to outperform their costlier counterparts over time..."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-to-buy-mutual-funds-2016-07-24

If you are a City of Greensboro employee,

Nancy Vaughan, Nancy Hofmann, Tony Wilkins, Justin Outling, Jamal Fox, 

Mike Barber, Yvonne Johnson, Sharon Hightower, Marikay Abuzuaiter, 

Connie Hammond, Rick Lusk, Jim Westmoreland 

Mary Vigue and Donnie Turlington are directly responsible for your not making more

in your ICMA-RC 457 retirement plan

They chose Wall Street over those they have a responsibility to represent

Sharon Hightower abuse of power

"There is no official report on this but plenty of unofficial, off-the-record reports from reliable sources that City Councilmember Sharon Hightower stepped over the line on Sunday.

According to various sources, Hightower arrived at the Parks & Rec Fest at Gillespie Park on Sunday after the parking lot was full and they were using a shuttle to transport people from off-site parking to the event.

Hightower insisted that she be allowed to park in the area reserved for handicapped parking.  She was told by a female police officer that she could not park in a handicapped space.  Hightower insisted that she was a city councilmember and had to be allowed to park in the handicapped space.  The police officer reportedly stood her ground and didn't allow Hightower, who is not handicapped and has no handicapped sticker, to park in the handicapped space.

The sources also say that Hightower filed an official complaint against the officer..."

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/rhino-times/august-4-2016/2016080302/#4
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And elsewhere btw;

"At the very beginning of the meeting Hightower and Barber got in a back and forth, talking over each other, after a speaker from the floor, Sandra White, complained about the way city prime contractors treat subcontrators.

A legitamate topic which City Council has failed to address

by not providing transparency concerning subcontractors

which a tech fellow expert on the subject told me a few years ago was totally doable

right before City Council didn't do it, as the action would mess with campaign cash

from prime contractors

Barber said that he had been chairman of the state contracting licensing board and what she was complaining about was covered by state statute.  He suggested that she contact him and he would direct her on how to file a complaint.

Hightower interrupted saying to White, "Are you one of my MWBEs?"  Hightower said that they should not be pushing her off to the state but should handle the issue "right here."

Barber said that the laws concerning MWBEs were state statutes and the city was prohibited from interfering with state laws.

Mike Barber makes money off of poor black kids with City taxpayer monies

at Gillespie golf course, owned by the City, which is sponsored by Jim Melvin

who Mike was nice enough to vote for his and Roy Carroll's Megasite soon to be fiasco

Hightower responded, "Mr. Barber has never helped an MWBE person.  You have never helped anybody."

Always and never...

tbs, Mike is not one of the good guys

with a documented history of lying and using City resources for his personal benefit

without consequence, as the rest of Council is just as compromised by our oligarchy

Vaughan stepped in and said that the council needed to behave the way they expected the audience to act."

After Nancy and Don made about $10,000 per month for years

from the City giving free White Street Landfill money to Wilbur Ross' Cone Mills [ITG],

while Nancy paid one of Don's law firm employees under the table

in violation of applicable laws

Sharon Hightower

If you think the residents of East Greensboro don't recognize when you're playing both sides you're wrong.

Jamal Fox And Sharon Hightower Are Lying About The Animal Shelter

And I've Challenged Them To Prove Me Wrong

Over the course of the weekend I asked some of the County Commissioners the following questions concerning the property Marty Kotis is attempting to buy-- the same property where Greensboro City Councilwoman Sharon Hightower and Councilman Jamal Fox have been expressing opposition to a proposed East Greensboro animal shelter:

“The answer is no,” Greensboro City Councilmember Jamal Fox said of a recent proposal by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners to build the county’s new animal shelter at 3307 Burlington Road in east Greensboro.
 

“No, we don’t want it over there,” Fox added.  “I object to everything about it.”

The Rhino article I linked to mentions Hightower as well:

“I don’t support it and I will not support it,” an animated Hightower said this week.  “I’m sick and tired of people trying to come dump every negative thing on our community.  I’m pissed off and, if you want, you can put that in the paper.”

Hightower said she felt as though the majority of the Greensboro City Council would refuse to go along with putting the animal shelter on that spot.  She said the City Council had been working for a long time to bring positive changes to the area, and they had been working hard to lure beneficial businesses back to east Greensboro – so, she said, she didn’t believe they would support such an egregious step backward."

So what did I ask our County Commissioners?

"Who else has bid on that property besides Kotis?

When and where was the property advertised for sale?

Were the County Commissioners advised before Kotis first attempted to buy the property last year?"

Our County Commissions, not knowing the answers, forwarded my questions to the current Guilford County Property Manager, Robert McNiece who wrote:

"The property has not been advertised. The only offer is an unsolicited proposal."

 So apparently Marty Kotis thinks he can just buy any municipal property he wants to buy even if it's not for sale. And with nobody bidding against him.

As to Councilmembers Fox and Hightower: On Friday I challenged them in a Facebook thread at Greater Greensboro Politics to tell me who objects to the animal shelter besides themselves who have both benifited greatly from Marty Kotis campaign contributions:

It's Monday, I'm still waiting on replies from Fox and Hightower. But just to make sure I eventually get a response from someone I submitted the following public information request to the City of Greensboro on Friday as well.

"Please provide me with all communications to the Mayor and City Council Members voicing opposition to Guilford County's efforts to build a new animal shelter on county owned property in East Greensboro.

Thank you
-Billy Jones"

We'll find out where the objections are coming from and/or prove Fox and Hightower to be the bought and paid for liars I believe them to be.

And finally, in my conversations with these county commissioners which were forwarded to John Hammer. Jeffrey Sykes, Alan Johnson and others in local media I pointed out that the last time Mr Kotis and I spoke with one another the conversation was about that particular piece of property.

In that conversation Kotis relieved to me that his intentions were to build a shopping center there in 10-20 years, not anytime in the near future. As I pointed out to Mr Kotis in our angry conversation my East Greensboro neighborhood will starve to death before 10 years and his was no plan to solve our food desert issues.

In my final e-mail to the County Commissioners, Hammer, Sykes and Johnson, I suggested they ask Kotis about his timeline for construction. I also recommend the Greensboro City Council and citizens of Greensboro do the same and that a requirement for quick development be placed on any purchase of municipal properties.

And finally, may I remind you that 40 years ago, Marty's father purchased a property 3 miles east of the proposed animal shelter site at the intersection of East Wendover @ the Interstate Bypass and two years ago the City of Greensboro gave Marty Kotis taxpayer dollars to defray the cost of developing a shopping center there and to date there remains nothing there and not one shovel of dirt moved.

Marty Kotis isn't investing in East Greensboro-- Marty Kotis is investing in a portfolio for Kotis Properties buying up cheap land where he can find it and using the power of political graft to avoid competition.

Prove me wrong-- I dare them.

Update: Monday May 23, 2016, 1:20 PM. Got the following reply from the City of Greensboro:

"Dear Mr. Jones,

Thank you for your public records request (PIRT 5761) in which you asked for “all communications to the Mayor and City Council Members voicing opposition to Guilford County's efforts to build a new animal shelter on county owned property in East Greensboro.”

Please provide the time frame that you would like us to use for your email search.

Sincerely,

Katherine Carter, Public Records Administrator

Communications and Marketing Department - 336-373-3282

City of Greensboro

PO Box 3136, Greensboro, NC 27402-3136

www.greensboro-nc.gov"

My reply to Ms Carter:

Do a 60 day time frame ending on Friday May 20, 2016 and I'll be very happy.

Thanks

-Billy"

Let's see what this brings, shall we?

Update 2: Sunday, June 6, 2016. I'm still waiting having gotten no response from Council members Jamal Fox, Sharon Hightower or the City of Greensboro.  Guess it's really hard to forward communications that never existed in the first place.

Update 3: June 15, 2016: Still no word. From May 23 until June 15, almost a month, this has remained one of the most well read posts here at EzGreensboro.com and still neither Jamal Fox, Sharon Hightower, Mayor Vaughan nor any other member of the Greensboro City Council has produced communications showing objections to placing the new and bigger Guilford County Animal Shelter and the jobs that come with it in East Greensboro.

 I promise you, if you elect me Mayor of Greensboro I will continue to call these liars out publicly and will do so in front of the television cameras. I'm not scared, are they?

Update 4: July 6 2015: May 19 to July 6 and still no reply from Jamal Fox, Sharon Melvin Hightower or a reply to my public information request #5761: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=3765

Is anyone still willing to make the claim that Fox and Hightower have the best interest of East Greensboro in heart? Share this post, show me any who still believe in them.

Update 5: July 6 2015 PM. I decided to push the issue today and force a reply and in just a couple of hours I got 9 copies of a single e-mail that I had sent to Mayor Vaughan and the rest of City Council in support of the Animal Shelter. Seems that's all they had and no one was opposed.

Six weeks and one day to receive copies of one e-mail that I sent and already had a copy of.

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

"What John Oliver learned [which Greensboro's City Council and City Staff Didn't] while setting up a 401(k) plan for his employees"

"John Oliver, who has famously exposed the questionable practices of various industries on his HBO show “Last Week Tonight” ...recently took a look at the onerous fees that some retirement plans charge.

When presented with the opportunity to do right by City of Greensboro's employees, 

Tony Wilkins, Marikay Abuzuaiter, Nancy Vaughan, Mike Barber, Yvonne Johnson, 

Jamal Fox, Sharon Hightower, Rick Lusk, Mary Vigue, Connie Hammond, Jim Westmoreland 

and Zack Matheny, who was a stockbroker and knew better, 

supported cronies connected to the financial industry

instead of more than 2,800 employees who are still getting skimmed off of by ICMA-RC, 

the administrator for the City's 457 retirement plan.

“As a favor to your future self, it is worth watching this for 20 minutes because you could easily make small mistakes that could seriously cost you down the line,” he says toward the beginning of the June 12 episode.

Those current and former City employees mentioned above are thieves

They stole from those who they are supposed to look out for

He goes on to say that most actively managed funds don’t beat the market, and that anyone can call himself an investment adviser whether he has official credentials or not. And he explains what it means when an adivser is bound by a fiduciary standard: “It’s currently legal for advisers to put their own interests ahead of yours unless they’re a fiduciary.”...

The News and Record refused to look into Greensboro's retirement plan

and North Carolina State's retirement plans

for the benefit of Warren Buffett, who owns the paper and Wells Fargo

of which Berkshire Hathaway owns more than 10%

...he dedicates much of the show to what he learned after asking his production company to set up a 401(k) plan for his employees. Namely, that there are a lot of fees.

Susan Ladd betrayed City of Greensboro employees 

and our community by inaction, while she tries over and over to save some trees

instead of thousands of residents millions over time

“Compound interest works both ways,” he says. The company managing the show’s 401(k), John Hancock, gave him and his staff a presentation. After looking at the plan’s paperwork, “Last Week Tonight” realized there were the following fees: A combined 1.69% fee, plus a $24 per person per year fee, plus a fee for a broker who was acting as an intermediary. The broker received 1% of assets the first year and 0.5% every year after that. Oliver points out that if his 35 employees saved $6,000 a year for 30 years, it would cost them $1 million in fees overall. In addition, the broker said he was not a fiduciary, and when he sent the show a table showing how much the plan could grow, he was off by more than $10 million because of bad arithmetic, according to Oliver.

ICMA-RC is not considered a fiduciary for Greensboro's employees,

letting City Management including Jim Westmoreland, Mary Vigue, members of ICMA,

mislead and overcharge City participants with the active help of ICMA member Jamal Fox

and the rest of City Council.

...A spokeswoman for John Hancock told MarketWatch via email that the show’s 401(k) plan was placed with it after “an open and rigorous competitive review,” and it was competing against other prominent companies for the account. She said John Hancock disagrees with the way its business practices were characterized.

ICMA-RC doesn't act in the best interests of the City of Greensboro's employees,

but the best interests of ICMA-RC with the help of Council and Staff

“We feel that the analysis and presentation of fees and services by the show is flawed and misleading,” she said, adding, “We believe in the value of the services we provide and feel they add to the success of the plan in helping participants for retirement.”

By not making an endorsement for the NC Treasurer Democratic primary,

Greensboro's News and Record, along with most of the other state papers

fucked hundreds of thousands of municipal employees out of more than $500,000,000 per year

and most don't know.

In the end, Oliver offered five tips for people saving for retirement. You can see these starting around the 18-minute mark of the video, where they are much more humorously presented than they are here:

1. Start saving now
2. Invest in low-cost index funds

The City of Greensboro lied in response to a public records request,

has been caught red handed, and our local press won't report it

for the benefit of local City executives and entrenched City Council incumbents

to the detriment of City employees and they are going to get away with it

because it may harm the financial industry's profit margins.

3. Ask if your adviser is a fiduciary
4. Gradually shift investments from stocks to bonds as you get older
5. Keep your fees under 1%

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/what-john-oliver-learned-while-setting-up-a-401k-plan-for-his-employees-2016-06-13
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The News and Record didn't report how Clayton Homes rips off poor people.

Jeff Gauger didn't report how Wells Fargo makes money from North Carolina's retirement plans.

The News and Record didn't report how mimicking the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan
 could save Greensboro's employees more than $500,000 per year, 
to preserve Warren Buffett's profitability at the expense of their readers.

Jeff Gauger and friends steal hundreds of millions from their readers 
via lies of omission so Warren Buffett can make more money.

Joe Killian and Jeff Gauger betrayed North Carolina's employees
for Warren Buffett

Allen Johnson and Doug Clark betrayed North Carolina's employees
for Warren Buffett
.
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How to save $20,967,663 for the City of Durham's employees invested in ICMA-RC's 457 retirement plan

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/how-to-save-20967663-for-city-of.html

Greensboro's News and Record is directly responsible 

for North Carolina and the City of Greensboro's employees 

paying more for pension and retirement investments than necessary,

as they have known for years and did nothing

Now Mary Vigue is in charge of a legal Ponzi scheme called Say Yes to Education and Say Yes Guilford whose business model skims profits for administrators and vendors meant for college scholarships for Guilford County students with monies donated by local foundations, managed for a profit by the Community Foundation of High Point, and the Community Foundation of Greensboro, who's Walker Sanders lied to get additional taxpayer funding for Greensboro's STPAC with the help of Matt Brown, City Council and City staff, including Rick Lusk.

The City of Greensboro shafted their own employees; "401(k) Fees, Already Low, Are Heading Lower"

"Employers, advisers shave retirement-plan costs as they face pressure to monitor expenses

Companies are stepping up efforts to offer lower-cost 401(k) retirement plans, a trend that has already sharply driven down average fees and is likely to continue.

But the City of Greensboro didn't lower costs

with the help of Tony Wilkins, Nancy Vaughan and Hoffmann, Jamal Fox, 

Mike Barber, Sharon Hightower, Marikay Abuzuaiter, and Yvonne Johnson

for the benefit of Jim Westmoreland's plan management providor

An explosion of information about plan fees has helped increase bargaining power for companies in negotiations with fund providers. And a wave of successful lawsuits against companies alleging their plans had high charges has also led many to seek out lower-priced options for employees.

Yet the City of Greensboro chose to betray their own

for Wall Street

...Plan administrative costs fell to their lowest level in a decade last year..

Except the City of Greensboro's fees went up

While the changes are adding up a few hundredths of a percentage point at a time, the reduction can make a big difference. According to Vanguard Group, investors in a plan that charged 0.25% a year could in theory amass 20% more money over a four-decade career than they could in one that charged 1.25%, all else being equal...

On average, the fees 401(k) participants pay for funds that invest in stocks fell from 0.77% of assets in 2000 to 0.74% in 2009, before dropping sharply to 0.54% in 2014...

But not th City of Greensboro with the help of Tony Wilkins, 

Nancy Vaughan and Hoffmann, Jamal Fox, Mike Barber, Sharon Hightower,

Marikay Abuzuaiter, Connie Hammond, Yvonne Johnson and Jim Westmoreland

Chobani LLC, a Norwich, N.Y. yogurt manufacturer, reduced its annual plan expenses from about 1.5% of assets in 2013 to about 0.50% in 2014 as it switched mainly to index funds...

Which was suggested and ignored by the City of Greensboro

More than 60% of 144 large employers said they were very or somewhat likely to move money this year into less-expensive share classes of the mutual funds on their plan menus

Not Greensboro

14% said they would switch some or all of their investment options from actively managed funds to index funds, which generally cost less.

Not Greensboro

...an Edwardsville, Kan., food distributor, reduce administrative fees from about 1% of plan assets a year to 0.41%. In all, the plan will save more than $17,000 a year in fees on the $2.9 million employees have invested...

Not Greensboro

http://www.wsj.com/articles/401-k-fees-already-low-are-heading-lower-1463304601

Tony Wilkins, Nancy Vaughan and Hoffmann, Jamal Fox, Mike Barber, Sharon Hightower,

Marikay Abuzuaiter, Connie Hammond, Yvonne Johnson and Jim Westmoreland

betrayed their employees by keeping fees high

These folks are thieves

They stole from those who they are supposed to look out for

Let's play "how sold out Greensboro's local press and so called fiscally 'conservative' City Council members are"

http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentID=30824

About $449 million in 2014-2015 divided by about $520 million proposed for the next fiscal year 
= about 13.7% more than two years ago

Next time you hear Tony Wilkins talk about saving money after he oversaw another $55 million in new debt without calling for a referendum or some kind of sanity, tell him he is a fucking misleading asshole for selling out to his campaign contributors.

Tony is no different than Mike Barber and friends.

Leaches

Water and Sewer for Randolph County based on hidden tax increases served up as increased fees by Tony Wilkins
.
.
Greensboro City Manager Jim Westmoreland recommends regressive tax increases on Greensboro's poorest citizens


http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/greensboro-city-manager-jim.html
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Tony is for fucking poor people more than they already are to pay for handouts to his financial backers.  Touting "no property tax increase" as he shafts Greensboro's poorest along with Justin Outling, Yvonne Johnson, Marikay Abuzuaiter, Jamal Fox and Sharon Hightower among the others.

Nancy Vaughan, Hoffmann, Tony and Barber don't mind kicking 'East Greensboro' in the nuts a little bit more, but that City Council's African American league is in on it is disgusting.

They are shitting where they eat.

Why North Carolina Treasurer Janet Cowell isn't running for reelection, and how the City of Greensboro's retirement plan committee betrayed their co-workers

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/12/pensions-investment-editorial-savages-trustees-for-failing-to-perform-fiduciary-duty-over-private-equity-fees.html
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When presented with the opportunity to do right by City of Greensboro's employees, Tony Wilkins, Marikay Abuzuaiter, Nancy Vaughan, Mike Barber, Yvonne Johnson, Jamal Fox and Sharon Hightower supported cronies connected to the financial industry, Jim Westmoreland, Mary Vigue, Rick Lusk and Connie Hammond rather than more than 2,800 employees who are still getting skimmed off of by ICMA-RC, the administrator for the City's 457 retirement plan.

Same thing only different.

When presented with the opportunity to report to the public how the financial industry rips off local investors and retirement plan participants, the News and Record's Joe Killian, Susan Ladd, Stephen Doyle, Jeff Gauger, Margaret Moffet among others including the Rhino Times John Hammer and the Triad Business Journal's Mark Sutter didn't lift a finger for their readers against the parasitic interests who prey upon their readers.

These folks let the banking and investment system steal from you.

And they know it.

And they didn't bother to tell you, as it would upset their benefactors.

Now Mary Vigue is in charge of a legal Ponzi scheme called Say Yes to Education and Say Yes Guilford whose business model skims profits for administrators and vendors meant for college scholarships for Guilford County students with monies donated by local foundations, managed for a profit by the Community Foundation of High Point, and the Community Foundation of Greensboro, who's Walker Sanders lied to get additional taxpayer funding for Greensboro's STPAC with the help of Matt Brown, City Council and City staff, including Rick Lusk.

Rick knew better and went along to keep his job as far as I can tell.

He must throw up a little every time he has to go along with the facade.

Sharon Hightower Wants You To Move To Randolph County

Sharon Hightower exposed her true self in this week's Yes-Weekly by expressing her support for the Greensboro-Liberty Megasite located in Randolph County:

"Hightower also supports the spending $22 million to run city water infrastructure to the Randolph Megasite Project. The route will follow the US 421 corridor, which is in District 1.

“We’re going to get our return back on that $22 million, in both the money paid back and in the people,” Hightower said about the project’s potential to create jobs for her constituents. “I wanted to invest in the people in Greensboro, particularly in District 1, and that’s where I saw that $22 million going.” 

Hightower has shown she is in the pockets of Kotis, Carroll, Melvin, and the rest of Greensboro's elites by completely ignoring the facts:

The megasite is to be located entirely in Randolph County-- Greensboro can neither annex or tax it ever.

If successful-- and that's a mighty big if-- those who get hired by companies located in the megasite will move outside of Greensboro to be closer to their jobs and reduce their personal tax burdens by not having to pay city taxes.

The mass exodus of workers will place a bigger economic burden on those of us who are left behind.

High paying manufacturing jobs are most needed in East Greensboro-- the district Sharon Hightower represents. But Sharon Hightower prefers Marty Kotis build shopping centers filled with minimum wage jobs. I guess when your pockets are fat with developers' money you can afford to go shopping.

The Greensboro High Point Metropolitan Statistical Area, of which Randolph County is a part of, leads the nation in hunger.

The Greensboro High Point Metropolitan Statistical Area is also #4 in the nation for MSAs of comparable size in empty industrial parks proving that building more industrial parks does not necessarily bring in more business.

These are all documented facts that I have looked up and linked to many times on this blog, made the Greensboro City Council aware of and yet they still plow ahead like Sharon Hightower planning to spend over $22 Million in City Tax Dollars and over $100 million in State Tax Dollars on a folly designed only to enriches the lives of a few rich developers.

Dear Councilman B#^%$... Sorry was choking on Methane Gas while being Racially Profiled in East Gboro

Dear Councilman B&$#%

Hello, how are you? It’s interesting that when I ask questions when I see you at events, I don’t get a response. I’m looked at as if English my secondary language and is inaudible to your ears. I am one of many of your disgruntled tax paying constituents of District 2. You remember that district? The district you said you would bring about change and represent us at the council? The district you said you wanted to be the CHANGE and instead became FOR SALE? Yeah I had to Google your candidate survey as well to remind myself. The excerpts below were taken from your candidate survey back when you had integrity and a duty to the community.

Sincerely

Half Blank Police Report

http://www.greensboro.com/district-questionnaire-jamal-fox/article_e9472d78-3663-11e3-8242-001a4bcf6878.html

Policy issues

How do you react to recent criticisms of the Greensboro police? How should the city respond, if at all?

Councilman B: The only way to move forward is by improving the police professionalism, accountability, and promoting stronger partnerships and dialogues with communities in our city.

District2Says: LIES AND LACEFRONTS! You refused to support House Bill 193 sponsored by Cecil Brockman. Black Young Men should support Black Young Men doing positive things to advance equality. But when you abuse your power with the police and have them clean up all your " alleged" domestic violence issues than it wouldn't seem right to stress the police with the bill! What is even more embarrassing is this headline from Fox 8 * See Below*

Greensboro City Council passes on opportunity to support Prohibit Racial Profiling bill

http://myfox8.com/2015/05/05/greensboro-city-council-passes-on-opportunity-to-support-prohibit-racial-profiling-bill/

Direct Link to Bill

http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2015/Bills/House/PDF/H193v1.pdf

In summary (1) Prohibit the use of discriminatory profiling by law enforcement officers in the performance of their duties (2) Amend the types of information required to be reported by certain law enforcement agencies concerning traffic law enforcement (3) Require certain law enforcement agencies to report certain information concerning homicides; (4) Require law enforcement officers to receive annual education and training concerning discriminatory profiling; (5) Authorize the use of citizen review boards to investigate or review allegations of certain police misconduct; and (6) Require that certain training be provided to members of neighborhood crime watch programs established by counties and cities.

Here is what our GLORIOUS City Council had to say. (Direct Copy and Paste)

City Councilman Jamal Fox said while some of these measures are “common sense” he’d also like to see community meetings held to determine what issues are being seen in Greensboro.

The council decided not to put a resolution supporting the state guidelines for police departments and sheriff’s offices to a vote Tuesday night.

City councilmembers said there are good elements to the bill but said they didn’t want to give blanket support to measures that weren’t specific to local issues.

“The will to create change is there and we need to keep it there,” said Councilwoman Sharon Hightower.

Now according to the East Greensboro Study Committee Summary Report; Greensboro population is 40% black, East Greensboro’s population is 68% black making up 2/3 of total black population of Greensboro. Now for some reason, which since Sharon Hightower is the chairperson of this committee can answer why isn’t there any statistics regarding crime rates in the survey??  The only mention of crime in this 40 page report is “Aspiration” to reduce crime, Reduce crime, safe area/ less crime, “crime”, etc. (You get the point). Now residents that give a damn in East Greensboro really know the areas of crime and the raw numbers. The GOPD does as well

**Shakes Bob**

Ian Mance wrote in article in June 2012, regarding racial profiling in general, but specifically NC from 2000- 2011.

http://www.unc.edu/~fbaum/papers/Trial_Briefs_Ian_Mance_2012.pdf

The numbers show black drivers are more likely to be stopped by police than white drivers; they show significant disparities in treatment once these motorists are in police control. Statewide, blacks are 77% more likely to be searched. This data doesn’t come from a sample of data like the Crooked Council, (excuse me I mean City) like to use. This data was taken from ALL STOP AND SEARCH ACTIVITY IN NORTH CAROLINA! Over 3,800 CONSECUTIVE DAYS!!!! The report provides powerful evidence of profiling and differential treatment of minority drivers. This report lists several counties surrounding Guilford County and the council is under the impression regarding HB193

******see below again*******

City councilmembers said there are good elements to the bill but said they didn’t want to give blanket support to measures that weren’t specific to local issues.

So let me understand this Jamal, Sharon, Mary, Mike, Tony, Mayor Vaughn, Yvonne, Justin, and good ole Nancy.
Wake County, Durham County, Cabarrus County, and Mecklenburg County were dealing with racial profiling as a local issue in 2011. So it’s safe to assume than it’s still a very real issue for those counties in 2015… So Guilford County has been delivered and set free from the bondage, illegal police searching and stigma caused by racial profiling, by who? JESUS!!???
***Speaks in inaudible Pentecostal tongue***
Maybe Jesus had mercy because Councilman Fox works at Belk’s? Black people in East Greensboro and police get along and there is mutual respect?? I’m sorry I must have been inhaling the methane in my backyard from the White Street Landfill that District 2 isn’t making ONE THIN DIME FROM!
(I have gas money in my backyard but none in my car) #ALLGASMONEYMATTERS

Now riddle me this Batman? What district is showing the highest Citizen Generated Calls for Service? The most man-hours by police? Yep, that’s right you guessed it!

DISTRICT 2 YOU ARE THE WINNER AGAIN!

So let’s put this all together to prove my point.

·         68% of the black population is in East Greensboro

·         25.5% of man-hours for police are spent in District 2 (which is the highest)

·         District 2 Citizen Priority Level 1, 2, 3 calls from May1 –June 13 2015 where the highest was 26.6% of the total city in 43 days.

·         In 2011, a complete review of all stop and search activity in NC showed 77% of blacks stopped in surrounding counties were profiled and stopped and searched

·         Greensboro City Council went on record and said those are not our local issues

·         Councilman Fox wants to have more meetings and "forget" ( I mean discuss these issues)

·         Some council members might be open (allegedly) to buying food stamps from the spouses and baby mommas of East Greensboro who get EBT because their spouse or, child’s father was profiled and locked up. ( She cant draw them anymore)

·         Nancy has one of the best bob’s in Greensboro. Seriously it moves and swings perfectly every time she thanks concerned citizens for their support and outcries at council and reminds them this isn’t the forum for that type of talk and directs them to the City Attorney. (Seriously though Nancy I do need your stylist # my stylist in East Greensboro can’t understand I want the privileged white woman with good credit bob).

Come out to Bennett College this Sunday @ 3pm at Pfeiffer Chapel or Hall. (Look for the signs) and hear your local candidates debate on why they need that 13K a year and HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND REFERENCE THIS BLOG!!!