This is an op/ed by Charlotte real estate developer and civic leader Johnny Harris. It originally appeared in The Charlotte Ledger.
Charlotte has long prided itself on being a city of progress — a place that welcomes ambition, invests in its people and plans with intention for the future. That’s why the recent 5-5 City Council deadlock on the Charlotte Airport Safety and Efficiency (CASE) ordinance is more than just a disappointing outcome.
It marks a troubling shift away from the “Charlotte Way” — the spirit of public-private partnership that helped turn Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) into one of the Southeast’s greatest economic engines, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and generating billions in economic output.
This vote reflects a Council increasingly driven by performative activism. The CASE ordinance was not a homegrown idea. It was pushed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a Washington, D.C.-based political organization, with little regard for Charlotte’s distinct values or economic realities. This is bad policy that would have far-reaching consequences for Charlotte residents.
Let’s be clear: the proposed ordinance would have imposed sweeping wage mandates on private contractors doing business with the city — mandates that would increase costs at CLT, eventually driving up ticket prices and weakening one of our region’s greatest competitive advantages. That is not progress. That’s economic malpractice, and Charlotte residents would have to pay the costs of the Council’s virtue signaling.
What’s more, some on the City Council are directly defying clear signals from the North Carolina General Assembly, which has preempted municipalities from enacting local wage mandates on private employers.
The N.C. Chamber recently outlined why such actions not only undermine state law but also chip away at the business-friendly climate that has made North Carolina one of the most attractive states for investment and growth. This wasn’t just an economic overreach — it was legally questionable and politically reckless.
Fortunately, several members of the Council stood tall for Charlotte’s long-term prosperity. Council members Danté Anderson, Malcolm Graham, Marjorie Molina, Ed Driggs and Edwin Peacock — as well as Mayor Vi Lyles — deserve credit for rejecting an approach that would have harmed the very people it claimed to help. They recognized the right path is to continue the collaborative approach that has built Charlotte into the city it is today.
We succeed because we lead with balance, pragmatism, and a commitment to growth through partnership. Our business community, labor advocates, and public officials don’t always agree, but historically we’ve found ways to work together. We must return to that model. Charlotte doesn’t need headlines. It needs leadership.
Johnny Harris is the co‑founder and long‑time president of Lincoln Harris, whose development projects included Legacy Union and Capitol Towers in Charlotte. He has served as president of Quail Hollow Club since 1988.
For 40 years, sharing the stories of North Carolina's dynamic business community.