The North Carolina state House on Monday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow Mecklenburg County voters to decide whether to raise the sales tax by 1 cent to pay for a multi-billion-dollar roads and transit plan.
Going into the legislative session this year, supporters of the bill said it had a 50-50 chance of being approved.
But Mecklenburg Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham’s bill — known as the PAVE Act — passed the full house 102-6 on second reading. Though one final vote in the House remains, Wednesday represents a huge win for Cotham, as well as Charlotte leaders, who have been trying to get a transportation plan for the last five years.
If approved by the state Senate, the bill would allow Mecklenburg County commissioners to hold a referendum on whether to increase the sales tax. The bill calls for 40% of the money to be spent on roads. No more than 40% could go to rail transit, with 20% of the funds going to the bus system and new on-demand microtransit.
Voters could decide on the tax in November.
All members of the Mecklenburg delegation voted in favor of the bill, except for Carolyn Logan, who was absent.
