Mecklenburg transit ‘dream’ moves ‘to the ballot box’ after Gov. Stein signs bill
Charlotte’s long-awaited plan to overhaul the region’s transportation system appears poised to be on the ballot this year after making it through Raleigh.
Gov. Josh Stein on Tuesday signed House Bill 948 — Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham’s bill to allow a 1-cent countywide tax referendum to address transportation needs.
After local officials spent years trying to unlock billions of dollars for road, rail and bus projects, supporters in the legislature cautioned throughout the 2025 session the plan faced a tricky road to passage. But the legislation, dubbed “The P.A.V.E. Act,” raced through the state House of Representatives and Senate by wide margins.
Stein said at Tuesday’s ceremony it will “help the people of Mecklenburg County invest in their future.”
“These investments would help expand mobility and economic opportunity throughout the county,” he said.
Many local leaders and community organizations celebrated the moment, with a procedural vote by county commissioners later this summer now the only thing standing between the referendum and the November ballot.
Mecklenburg supporters celebrate passage
Speaking at Tuesday’s bill signing, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles called the moment a “milestone” for the region’s transportation efforts.
“I know we have a lot more work to do,” she said.
Lyles also credited Cotham for her efforts, less than year after the GOP representative narrowly fended off a well-funded Democratic challenger after leaving the party to become a Republican in 2023.
“I don’t know how you got it done,” Lyles said.
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, a vocal advocate for the transportation plan, said “the positive impact” of the bill’s passage “cannot be overstated.”
“When people work together, amazing things can happen, and this is the result of many years of work from many stakeholders throughout the region and the state,” President and CEO Robert McCutcheon said in a statement.
One of the region’s leading environmental advocacy groups, Sustain Charlotte, applauded state leaders for “clearing the way for Mecklenburg County voters to decide whether to invest a one-cent local sales tax in a modern, equitable and sustainable transportation network.
“Today is a game-changer for our region. For years we’ve dreamed of giving residents the chance to fund more frequent buses and trains, safer bike lanes, sidewalks, and safer streets for all,” Executive Director Shannon Binns said in a statement. “With Governor Stein’s signature, that dream moves from the advocacy stage to the ballot box. When Mecklenburg County prospers with better mobility, every family — no matter their ZIP code or income — gains access to opportunity, cleaner air, and a higher quality of life.”
Referendum now in County Commission’s hands
The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners must officially vote to put a referendum on the November ballot after holding a public hearing. Those are largely procedural steps, despite some on the commission having personal concerns with the transportation plan.
Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell previously told the Observer her vote on the county board will be “to let the people decide” but also to “do my best to educate people on why I won’t be voting for it in the voting booth, because I think it’s a terrible plan.”
County commissioners will begin to formally discuss the referendum language at a special meeting 2 p.m. July 30, according to a decision timeline approved at the board’s Tuesday meeting. The commission will hold a public hearing on the referendum at its Aug. 6 meeting, the first regularly scheduled meeting after its July recess, followed by a vote the same night.
That plan was approved unanimously, though Rodriguez-McDowell expressed concern about the board voting the same night it hears from the public. Commissioners encouraged the public to start submitting feedback now ahead of the formal hearing in August.
The CLT Alliance will lead the charge campaigning for the referendum.
