Legislation to authorize a countywide referendum regarding supplemental sources of revenue for local government transportation system financing

Mecklenburg County, N.C.—August 9, 2025. The managers of Mecklenburg County government, the City of Charlotte government, and a majority of the six towns within Mecklenburg County have successfully concluded meetings leading to the preparation of draft legislation enabling a countywide referendum on a one-percent local sales tax to fund mobility initiatives countywide, and the ability to establish a regional transit authority.

Elected officials for each jurisdiction will now consider the draft legislation and, after review, will be asked to pass resolutions supporting its advancement to the North Carolina General Assembly. If approved, the request will be formally submitted to the N.C. General Assembly. Local government, business, and community leaders hope to gain adoption of enabling legislation to allow the voters of Mecklenburg County to determine their transportation future by making a choice for increased regional transportation infrastructure investments for both roads and transit.

If the referendum is authorized, local leaders will engage the broader community about how previous mobility plans, including those for expansion of our public transit network, may be modified to match available resources and support the continued growth our region is experiencing. That process will be essential to winning broad public support for the mobility plan. This is a vital step toward meeting our region’s numerous mobility needs over the coming decades.

Media contact: Alex Burnett, Mecklenburg County Public Information Department, Alex.Burnett@MeckNC.gov or 980-445-8716