That new digital kiosk idea is… interesting, man.
Alright so check it— the city wants to put up these interactive digital kiosks all over Charlotte, right? They're asking for public input on what exactly these things should do. The ideas floating around range from showing you where to grab some grub or do some shopping, to finding events, even job postings, and civic resources. Sounds high-tech, sounds like what a "world-class city" would do, I guess.
### Why This Matters for Us
Real talk, I'm trying to figure out if this is another one of those things where we invest a bunch of money trying to look like somewhere else before we fix the stuff that actually matters for folks living here. Like, we still out here struggling with a bus system that doesn't really connect the city like it needs to, especially for folks trying to get to work from places like the Historic West End or even out towards Eastway Drive where you got all those incredible immigrant food spots. Are these kiosks going to help Mrs. Jenkins get to her doctor's appointment on the other side of town?
* **Information Overload?** We've got phones in our pockets, man. Are these kiosks really going to give us information we can't already get? * **Accessibility:** Who are these really for? Tourists looking for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, or folks who actually live and work here? * **Cost vs. Need:** What's the real cost, and could that money be better spent on, say, expanding the Blue Line further, or fixing some of these potholes?
Man, I just hope they're not putting these things up and then all of a sudden the budget's too tight to address some of the real, tangible issues that folks across Charlotte, from Plaza Midwood to Steele Creek, deal with every single day. Let's make sure we're building a city that works for everybody, not just one that looks good on a postcard.
Queen City on the wire — morning's looking right.
My co-hosts on the morning show dive into these city decisions every single day, you gotta hear their take at mornings.live.