Mecklenburg County commissioners on Wednesday voiced broad support for County Manager Mike Bryant’s proposed $2.6 billion budget.
The plan includes a 1.8% spending increase and fully funds Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ nearly $700 million local funding request. It does not raise property taxes.
Commissioner Arthur Griffin said he was struck by the proposal when he first reviewed it last week.
“I’m sitting in the auditorium with my granddaughter, and I said this guy made an elephant dance,” Griffin said. “This guy made an elephant dance!”
Commissioner Elaine Powell asked whether future budgets would include significant cost-of-living raises to keep pace with inflation. Bryant’s proposal would raise the lowest-paid county workers from $20 an hour to more than $25 an hour.
Bryant said continuing that level of increase is a goal but not something he can guarantee.
“It is indeed my interest to be the standard and continue to pay a living wage to all employees,” Bryant said. “I just don’t know what the future entails, so I don’t want to be on record saying each year when the cost of living goes up the county’s going to move with that.”