New city manager Ron Carlee makes his first big mark on Charlotte Monday night when he presents his 2014 budget and capital investment plan – or CIP - to city council. But speaking at WFAE's recent public conversation, Carlee made clear this budget won't really be his own.
"I came in on the city council's last (bugdet) workshop, which meant that four days later the budget goes into production," explained Carlee. "So there's not going to be much of my stamp on this CIP – it will be very similar to what has been out there previously."
Carlee has already said funding to extend the streetcar will not be in his proposal. But most of the rest of the neighborhood and economic development programs in last year's unsuccessful CIP likely will be.
That would mean a property tax rate increase in the range of 3 cents or about $63 a year on the tax bill of a $200,000 home. Carlee has not ruled out the streetcar entirely, he says he just needs more time to study the plan and will make a recommendation on it in the coming weeks.
A final budget must be approved by the end of June.
Carlee will present his city budget in council chambers at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center Monday night at 7 p.m.
