Transit tax referendum has supporters and skeptics

CHARLOTTE AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM

Mecklenburg County’s business and nonprofit communities are rallying support for a 1-cent sales tax referendum to fund transportation initiatives. Grassroots advocacy groups, however, oppose the measure for transparency regarding the tax’s length and makeup of the board that would oversee the investment.

Backers of Mecklenburg County’s transportation tax referendum are rallying support as critics demand transparency.

A coalition of business and civic leaders announced their support for the measure, which Mecklenburg commissioners were scheduled to vote Aug. 6 on whether to place it on the November ballot. The referendum would commit Mecklenburg to a 1-cent sales tax for roadways and public transportation. The proposed tax, which would raise Mecklenburg’s tax from 7.25% to 8.25%, is projected to generate $19.4 billion over 30 years.

“Charlotte-Mecklenburg is growing rapidly, and our infrastructure must keep pace,” former Charlotte City Council Member and former NCDOT deputy secretary David Howard said in a statement. “This referendum represents a rare opportunity for residents to directly shape the future of mobility, safety, sustainability, and economic opportunity across every corner of our county.”

The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance is collaborating with nonprofits to back the referendum. Corporations like Bank of America and Atrium Advocate Health as well as nonprofits Crisis Assistance Ministries and Urban League of Central Carolinas are supporters.

“We know transportation is more than just getting from Point A to Point B, it’s about opportunity, freedom, and a higher quality of life,” said Sherri Chisholm, executive director of Leading on Opportunity, a referendum advocate. “This plan is a forward-looking investment in the systems that make our communities safer, stronger, and more connected.”

The referendum has critics, too. Robert Dawkins, pollical director at Action NC, contends the legislation doesn’t provide enough detail on what is included in the tax or whether it is permanent. 
“We do not believe this is by accident,” Dawkins said. “This entire process seems to be contrived, dishonest and downright unfair. We already have no idea of individual project cost, benchmarks or accountability measures but to not even give clarity on the ballot and expect the voter to be informed is horrible and Mecklenburg residents are advised to take note.”  

Grassroots advocates also have concerns about a lack of diversity on the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority’s board of trustees.

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice is pushing Charlotte City Council and Mecklenburg commissioners to appoint commuters from diverse backgrounds to the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority.

Jacob H. Sussman, chief counsel for justice system reform and chief counsel for environmental justice Anne Harvey David wrote a July 24 letter to the city and county that transit-dependent commuters should be appointed to MPTA’s board, which create and execute the region’s transit policy in the region.

“We urge you and the powerful lobbyists supporting this initiative to be transparent with the public about who will truly hold decision-making authority if the referendum is approved,” they wrote.

Referendum supporters contend the transit tax is necessary to keep pace with growth for a county expected to add an estimated 600,000 people in the next 20 years. The investment in mobility is also seen as a vehicle to lifts economically underserved communities. 

“This plan boosts economic mobility by opening up more pathways to opportunity,” said David Longo, chair of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and CEO of CBI Workplace Solutions. “We will have the ability to connect people to jobs, schools and services. It will help our businesses tap into a larger labor force and provide more jobs for residents.”  

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