In order to finance a multibillion-dollar transportation and infrastructure plan, Mecklenburg County voters will decide in November whether to raise the sales tax by one cent, to 8.25%. Even though the referendum is just three months away, the tax has already resulted in some odd political partnerships.
Marshall Terry, host of the WFAE Morning Edition, discussed who supports and opposes the tax with Steve Harrison of WFAE.
Marshall Terry:Steve, give me a quick rundown of the plan before we discuss who is on which side.
Steve HarrisonAccording to the idea, highways will receive 40% of the new sales tax revenue. train transit, particularly the Red route commuter train route to Lake Norman, would get 40% of the funding. Additionally, 20% would use buses and a brand-new on-demand service similar to Uber called microtransit.
According to estimates from the city of Charlotte, the tax would cost the typical household in the county around $240 annually. According to the city, low-income citizens would have to pay roughly $130 annually.
Terry:Alright, let’s begin with those who like the tax. Who is on that team?
Harrison: Marshall, supporters flocked to the Government Center after Mecklenburg commissioners voted 8-1 last week to put the tax on the November ballot. YES FOR MECK was printed on white T-shirts worn by many.
They were drawn from a diverse range of backgrounds in the area, including activists, political figures, religious leaders, and nonprofit professionals.
From the group Leading on Opportunity, this is Sherry Chisholm.
“Tonight, I ask you to let voters decide whether they want to invest just a little more at the register to build a region where their children s children thrive, where we can continue improving.”
Harrison: Throughout the evening, the same theme was reiterated: Charlotte is expanding, and we must make further investments to facilitate people’s mobility.
Terry: However, I am aware that Republicans make up a portion of the largest or at the very least most powerful supporters.
Harrison: You’re correct. Local Republicans played a significant role, including City Council member Ed Driggs, attorney Larry Shaeen, who assisted in writing the draft legislation, and Mecklenburg state House member Tricia Cotham, who sponsored the PAVE Act, because the transit tax required approval from Raleigh’s Republican-controlled General Assembly.
Additionally, a $3 million campaign is being led by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance to persuade voters to support the tax. Although the alliance is nonpartisan, the business community, which makes up the majority of its members, leans more conservative than the county as a whole.
Terry:And did anyone vote against the idea at the public hearing last week only because they didn’t want taxes to be raised?
Harrison: Not many at all. Based solely on their ideology and the outcomes of previous tax referendums, it is probable that a large number of conservative voters will vote against the tax when Mecklenburg casts his ballot in November. However, Republicans no longer make up a significant enough share of the local electorate to be involved in local politics as they were fifteen or twenty years ago.
Terry:Alright, so Republicans are spearheading the tax. Who is against it?
Harrison: John Higdon, the mayor of Matthews, spearheaded the opposition to the tax last year since the plan did not bring the Silver Line light rail to the community. Although he has backed off and refrained from speaking at the public forum, he still opposes the tax.
Some radical Democrats are already complaining that the proposal isn’t doing enough for residents with modest incomes. This includes Action NC’s Robert Dawkins, former Mayor Jennifer Roberts, and former City Council member Braxton Winston.
Terry: Over the weekend, they gained a new ally.
Harrison: They did. William Barber, a well-known civil rights activist who rose to prominence by spearheading the Moral Monday movement against the Republicans in the legislature, delivered a sermon at Charlotte’s First Baptist Church West.
Since the sales tax is regressive and residents of Mecklenburg County have already seen recent hikes in their property taxes, he said that it would disproportionately harm those with lower incomes.
“The bus will arrive a few minutes earlier, they stated. For example, if the bus arrives sooner but you have to pay more in taxes and fees, or if the bus arrives sooner but you are being taken to a low-paying job because the politicians would not fight for you to have a livable salary. You don’t comprehend what Jesus meant if you don’t think the church should be discussing this.
Harrison: Although there is some opposition to the tax, it appears that they do not currently have a lot of funding to spread their message.
