Mecklenburg County

Mecklenburg County commissioners heard Wednesday night from the developer behind a long-delayed project the county pinned its hopes on to revive a big slice of uptown. It’s been more than eight years since county commissioners voted to partner with the Peebles Corporation to build Brooklyn Village. Peebles has blamed rising costs and interest rates for the yearslong delay in construction. The company now plans to start vertical construction on the first 552 apartments by June 2026.

Mecklenburg County commissioners unanimously approved a $2.5 billion budget Tuesday night for the fiscal year that starts in July. The budget includes an additional $56 million for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, about a 9% increase in local funding, as well as money to cover higher wages for county employees and other rising costs.

Mecklenburg County commissioners voted Thursday to postpone part of a planned property tax hike. Instead of rising by 1.5 cents, the property tax rate will go up one cent in the fiscal year that starts in July.

Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio is recommending a budget that requires a 1.5-cent tax increase and fully covers increases requested by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Central Piedmont Community College. The property tax increase would mean about $57 more a year for the owner of a median-priced home. It comes in a year when the city of Charlotte is also considering a 1.5-cent property tax increase.

Mecklenburg County got an "F" on an annual national report card of air quality released Wednesday. But there's actually a positive side to the story.

Mecklenburg County is preparing to borrow billions of dollars for new facilities, but some commissioners said at a Tuesday budget workshop that they’re worried the county isn’t spending enough to meet community needs.

Most property owners across Mecklenburg County will see a big jump in their tax bills after the 2023 revaluation. But the heaviest burden could fall on owners of lower-priced homes.

Mecklenburg County tax assessor Ken Joyner told county commissioners on Wednesday that the line between the two counties is in dispute because the maps they’re using don’t match. The problem first surfaced in 2001.

Another COVID-19 wave is hitting the Charlotte region. Just last week the county announced Mecklenburg County moved to the CDC’s high COVID-19 community level. Slipping into this category, which is driven by reported cases and hospital admissions, may feel a bit like flipping the calendar back to 2020.

The HIV diagnosis rate in Mecklenburg County have returned to pre-pandemic levels of 29.3 individuals per 100,000.