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INSIDE ▼ Bourbon for Booty returns PAGE 1B Friday, August 15, 2025 • Vol. 25 • No. 33
thecharlotteweekly.com
@southcltweekly
Sales tax referendum heads to ballot by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – The Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners voted Aug. 6 to place a referendum on the Nov. 4 election ballot asking residents if they support an additional 1-cent sales tax to fund transportation projects.
The 8-1 vote came after several residents, including current and former elected leaders, from across the region spoke during a public hearing that spanned nearly three hours. Mecklenburg County Manager Mike Bryant told commissioners the resolution “offers
the people of Mecklenburg County the opportunity to decide for themselves whether they want to make a historic investment of almost $20 billion into our community as well as establish a new authority to guide these new investments.” The county gained the authorization to pursue the sales tax increase July 1 with the signing of the PAVE Act into law. The legislation, introduced by N.C. Rep. Tricia Cotham, outlines how the money will distribute funding. Former Charlotte City Councilman Braxton Winston acknowledged the plan would raise revenue for much-needed infrastructure but said it comes with strings attached and
falls short of moving people throughout the county. “For more reasons than can be explained here, the City of Charlotte and the (Metropolitan Transit Commission) failed to do the work to effectively create the regional buy-in for regional transit and transportation solutions,” Winston said. “Because of this failure to do the important work of coalition-building, we went to Raleigh in desperation and we were handed an option that charges our people the most while giving them the bare minimum.” He recommended Mecklenburg County use an available quarter-cent sales tax to support a regional transportation network to
fully invest in the transit system. Former Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts described the 1-cent sales tax as a “regressive tax” in a year when people are losing healthcare, food benefits and jobs. She worries hourly workers will pay a larger proportion of their incomes and get the least out of the deal the way that it is structured. She also supported using the quarter-cent sales tax. Former Charlotte council member and state legislator John Autry expressed concerns about Raleigh overriding the region’s transportation plans because someone outside of Mecklenburg County said the area Story continues, see TAX page 3A
Kindness is Free Partnership expands Boys and Girls Club
South Charlotte Partners to explore education this month CHARLOTTE – Crystal Hill, superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, will talk about priorities, initiatives and challenges facing south Charlotte at the next South Charlotte Partners Breakfast Club meeting.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with CMS school board members Lisa Cline (District 5) and Summer Nunn (District 6). They’ll be available to answer questions and listen to community feedback. The program, “Back to School with CMS Leadership,” will include an overview of successes from the 202425 school year and highlights from local schools. In addition, Hill will address the importance of workforce development programs and provide an update on the Capital Improvement Plan/Bond projects (2017 and 2023). “We’re excited to offer this free event as an opportunity to stay informed about our strong Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools,” said Ben Mears, board chair of South Charlotte Partners. “This timely presentation from Dr. Hill is a great opportunity to learn more about CMS’s ongoing efforts to help create the best learning environment for our children in south Charlotte.” The event takes place from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Aug. 21 at AC Hotel Charlotte Ballantyne. Registration is required at eventbrite.com. A limited number of networking tables are available. Interested businesses can email scltpartners@gmail.com for details. South Charlotte Partners is a nonprofit advocacy organization. Learn more at southcharlottepartners.com .
Children learned how kindness builds confidence and connection. Photos courtesy of Kindness is Free
CHARLOTTE – Kindness is Free joined forces with the Boys and Girls Club of America to create the Buzz City Kindness Zone during the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Back-toSchool Celebration.
The event, held Aug. 9 at Truist Field, offered an interactive space for families to experience “a day in the life of a Club Kid,” meet Boys & Girls Club leaders, and learn how practicing kindness builds confidence and connection. The collaboration doesn’t stop there. Kindness is Free will help Boys and Girls Club of America launch six new club locations across North Carolina this month.
Why she voted no
Area rep is lone vote against putting sales tax measure on ballot By Susan Rodriguez-McDowell Contributor
Editor’s Note: Mecklenburg County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell explained Aug. 6 why she voted against putting a referendum on the November 2025 ballot asking voters if they approve an additional 1-cent sales tax for transportation I want to begin my comments by stating that I believe people of good faith can have different perspectives on this issue. I will be voting against including the referendum on the ballot. This is not a decision I come to lightly. I definitely have mixed feelings because I absolutely believe in investing in the future and investing in transit, and I really believe it is a dire need.
But in my view, this is not the right plan for our community, and therefore I cannot support putting it on the ballot. In the past, I stated that I would vote to put it to a referendum even though I thought it was a bad plan because I believe in democracy and letting the voters decide. But since then, I was challenged by a constituent who asked, “Why would I vote to put something on the ballot that I believed was detrimental to our goals, especially knowing the corporate community would be funding a $3 million campaign to convince voters to vote for it while never presenting the downsides, only happy talk? It’s not a fair fight.” This constituent pointed out that I have done the deep dive that I was elected to do. I have attended many, many meetings; read many, many articles and binders full of information. I have gone on trips with the
alliance to Austin and Miami to learn about their transportation plans. Voters have voted for me to do that work on their behalf, and now I have to take a stand. If the plan were actually going to solve our transportation issues, it would be worth it. But with 40% being allocated for roads, I do not believe it will. We will still be stuck in gridlock. That 40% for roads was never part of the plan this community was working on until roads first became mandated by the GOP. It became the key to getting something passed with the notion “something is better than nothing.” In my view, that is a dealbreaker that goes way too far. I don’t believe in settling for better than nothing. I believe it is a false choice to say this is our only chance. I’ve heard this reasoning too many times
before when we are led to believe we are at the brink of something and we have to make a terrible choice. I just don’t buy it. Some have written letters to us saying, “just pass the plan for now and amend it later.” Well, the mayor of Matthews asked repeatedly for other formulas to be studied, and he was met over and over with a brick wall. There is no way that the people can trust a “pass now, amend later” plan. That’s called an okey-doke. The town managers and mayors do not want to give up a monetary injection into their budgets. We can all understand why, but that was never part of the original plan. This plan perpetuates economic inequality. Consider this: The funding model for the Blue Line was 50% federal, 25% state and Story continues, see VOTE page 3A