Local

Charlotte business owners weigh in on Cannon's plea deal

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte business owners are weighing in on former Mayor Patrick Cannon's plea deal.

They agree it puts the city in a bad light politically, but say that effect will only be temporary.

When it comes to business, they say it won't have any impact on the city's economic growth.

New numbers released by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Tuesday show Charlotte is continuing to grow.

It states we added more than 20,000 jobs within the past year. The unemployment rate of 6.4 percent is 1.9 percent less than this time last year.

Business owners told Eyewitness News the Cannon scandal doesn't change their impression of Charlotte in any way.

"That whole thing is up to him and it's not making any changes as far as our decision (of) coming to Charlotte," said Attila Akat, general manager for Team Creatif.

Business owners say they're ready to move past the issue.

"If you delve into it, you'll realize it really has no impact on the business structure in Charlotte. So I really don't think it should raise any concern other than the fact that it puts us in a negative light," said Terri Deboo, owner of Ideas@Work.

DeBoo says she's confident in Charlotte's business community and said she thinks it will only continue to grow.