MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) -- The November election is a little more than 80 days away.
That's when Mecklenburg County voters will decide whether to approve a sales tax increase to pay for transportation projects.
It's no secret that the roads in and around Charlotte need some relief. County leaders' solution is to generate more than $20 billion over the next 30 years to fund the projects by asking citizens to pay an extra penny for every dollar they spend.
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Opponents worry minority communities will bear the brunt of the cost.
"If we don't do something as it relates to public transportation and standing up more safe options with various modes, then we're going to find ourselves choking on our own growth," said Charlotte Mayor Pro-Tem Dante Anderson.
Charlotte leaders said we're at a point where doing nothing to improve transit options is not an option. It's why they're putting a transit sales tax on the ballot aimed at funding road, bus and rail upgrades across Mecklenburg County. The plan is for those who pay taxes in the area to fund it.
"This tax, which is a regressive tax, has been in the past one tax that did not benefit the minority community, people of color," said Rev. Dr. Janet Garner-Mullins, who spoke out against the tax to county commissioners.
Some people are speaking out against the tax, including activist Rev. Dr. William Barber. In a sermon over the weekend, Barber said, "We're not against tax. We're against being taxed in ways that constantly hurt the poor and working poor while the wealthy and the greedy never pay their fair share."
"Someone on a fixed income, someone that's you know, eating at home, shopping for groceries, things of that nature, they're not really going to be hit by this," said Anderson.
The tax will not apply to fresh groceries, medications, rent or utilities.
"If you're trying to take care of a household, the majority of the funds that you spend will not be taxed with this penny sales tax," said Anderson.
Anderson said it's estimated Mecklenburg County residents will only account for about 40 percent of the revenue expected from the tax. Tourists and businesses will make up the other 60 percent.
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Anderson expects residents to see improvements to bus and micro transit within the first year, with about 90 percent of it completed five years out. The rail will take longer, but Anderson thinks any time saved not sitting in traffic will be worth the money spent.
"If you can give back one hour a day to a wage worker to reduce their transportation, that's five hours a week," she said. "That's 20 hours a month. They could either spend more time at work and make more money, real money, or they can spend more time with their families and have good family time."
If approved, the sales tax would go from 7.25 percent to 8.25 percent, meaning the average household will spend an extra $240 per year.
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