NC: Mecklenburg voters’ take on these 28 words could decide new transportation tax

The Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved language for a proposed 1-cent countywide sales referendum.

The resolution’s approval was a key— but not the final — step toward getting the referendum in front of voters this November. The final count on the ballot language was 28 words.

If passed, the measure would overhaul the region’s transportation system and raise an estimated $20 billion over the next 30 years.

Gov. Josh Stein signed the PAVE Act in June, which allowed Mecklenburg County to place the referendum on ballots. County commissioners must still hold a public hearing during their regular meeting on Aug. 6, then vote the same night on whether to place it on the ballot. Those steps are largely procedural.

The PAVE Act also established a 27-member board of trustees to lead a new public transportation authority in the county and defined parameters on how revenue from the tax increase could be used if voters approve it.

Mecklenburg plans to use that money to help build the Red Line commuter rail from uptown to Lake Norman-area towns, extend the Blue Line to Carolina Place in Pineville, extend the Gold Line streetcar from the Rosa Parks Community Transit Center to Eastland, build the Silver Line from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport to Bojangles Coliseum and improve the bus system.

“This resolution to place the PAVE Act transportation referendum on the ballot is simply a starting point of a multiple-step process,” County Manager Mike Bryant said.

What does Mecklenburg County’s one-cent sales tax referendum say?

The purpose of Wednesday’s meeting was not to advocate for or against the 1-cent tax, said Board Chair Mark Jerrell.

Commissioners approved the resolution in pieces, picking apart supporting paragraphs and introducing edits to clarify the context surrounding the referendum. Some sections were approved unanimously, while others had dissenting votes from Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell and Laura Meier.

Under the adopted language, voters could decide whether they are for or against the following measure: “One percent (1%) local sales and use taxes, in addition to the current local sales and use taxes, to be used only for roadway systems and public transportation systems.”

The multi-page resolution will not appear on the ballot in its entirety. It serves as a framework to provide more context for the ballot language, which is concise and occupied only one sentence of the resolution.

Meier and Rodriguez-McDowell both voted against the ballot language. The two said they did not think it was clear enough to voters that the measure would result in a tax increase.

The resolution also states that, if the referendum is placed on the ballot and passes, 40% of the new money would go towards roads projects, 20% to the region’s bus system and 40% to transit projects including rail.

Rodriguez-McDowell voted against the section of the resolution with the percentage split, saying the language surrounding rail leaves “waffle space” and “wiggle room” to use that money for other things.

Larry Shaheen, a transportation attorney who gave input on the resolution language, told The Observer local leaders would still fund the rail projects they’ve already committed to. The 1-cent tax increase would be permanent, so the language is forward-looking to account for future shifts in transportation strategies.

“Thirty, forty years from now we may have technologies that are not rail,” Shaheen said.