One Cent for Mobility
“One Cent for Mobility” is the Funding recommendation the Charlotte Moves Task Force will present to Charlotte City Council on December 14.
Task force members will advise the City of Charlotte in the creation of a new Strategic Mobility Plan that integrates and updates current vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle, transit and safety plans, and sets mobility goals for the city and immediate region. As key community representatives, members will be guiding forces in shaping the Strategic Mobility Plan’s vision, and realizing that vision by recommending a catalytic network of projects and a funding strategy to the Charlotte City Council. - Charlotte Moves (see information on taskforce meetings and members)
Final Taskforce Funding Recommendation: $6Billion
What Happens Next
Step One: Charlotte City Council needs to approval (or modify) the recommendation (see time above).
Step Two: The City of Charlotte needs to lobby the North Carolina General Assembly pass authorization legislation to allow a sales tax referendum on the Nov 2021 election ballot.
Step Three: Mecklenburg County Commissioners will need to vote to create a sales tax referendum. They will also determine the sales tax amount. However, the sales tax amount will be limited by what was granted through the General Assembly’s authority.
Step Four: Mecklenburg County voters will need to vote in favor for the referendum.
Plan B
There are 2 options available if the General Assembly does not grant Charlotte the sales tax authorization or does not give the full 1 cent taxing authority.
Option 1: Raise property tax and use Bonds to pay off the debt. This option can fund portions of the Charlotte Moves plan, but not the full $6Billion. The authorization for the city use Bonds also requires voter approval. A Bond referendum could be held in just the City of Charlotte or for all of Mecklenburg County.
Option 2: Use the existing Mecklenburg County 1/4 cent sales tax authorization. This sales tax authorization was used in the failed 2019 Art Tax referendum, and is still available to the County as an optional funding source. Mecklenburg County Commissioners could vote to create a referendum that would allow the 1/4 cent tax to be applied for transit in the 2021 election.