A bill that would let Mecklenburg County voters decide to raise the local sales tax has passed the House Transportation Committee. The new revenue would help pay for about half of the county’s $25 billion transit plan.
Forty percent of the new money would be split among local municipalities for road upgrades. Another forty percent would pay for rail projects and twenty percent would support bus infrastructure.
Tricia Cotham is a Mecklenburg County Republican and the bill’s primary sponsor.
"We’re doing the tough work, we are doing the work what our locals have asked of this and giving them the opportunity to have this referendum put on the ballot," Cotham said.
Voters could decide on the new sales tax as soon as November 4.