State money falls short of what CMS, local courts need, Mecklenburg leaders say
Mecklenburg County leaders again aimed criticism at state officials Wednesday as the local courts system and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools pitched their 2027 budgets.
Representatives from the courts and the school district want millions of dollars from the county for the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. The county provides a significant portion of both groups’ annual funding.
The courts system is asking for about $9.3 million, up 7% from what they got in fiscal year 2026. The money would help pay for improvements to the county courthouse and new positions in the District Attorney’s Office and Clerk of Superior Court’s Office.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools wants about $699 million for operating expenses from the county, an increase of $25.1 million from what the district received in the current fiscal year. That money would go towards teacher pay and other expenses, including replacing devices for students. The district is also asking for about $33 million for capital improvements.
Commissioners appeared largely supportive of both asks, but they questioned why the state isn’t covering more of the costs.
Mecklenburg County covers about 35.5% of the school district’s operating budget to the state’s 54.6%, according to Wednesday’s presentation. The county pays for 14% of the courts system’s budget, while the state pays for 84%.
Multiple commissioners pointed to another statistic in Wednesday’s presentation: funding for the judicial branch accounts for less than 3% of the state budget. Court officials told commissioners a lack of money leads to delays in handling cases and overworked, underpaid employees who are harder to retain and difficult to replace if they leave.
“I just want to remind everyone who’s listening who says they care about public safety, if you cannot process cases, if you cannot support the orderly administration of justice, we cannot take people off the street who should be. We cannot protect constitutional rights that we have a moral and legal duty to protect,” Vice Chair Leigh Altman said. “There should be nothing more bipartisan than adequately funding all of this here.”
CMS said Wednesday the county funds 15% of district positions and 7% of teachers. With just state money at the current funding level, according to Wednesday’s presentation, CMS could only afford 89% of its teachers, 46% of its assistant principals, 60% of its instructional support positions and 58% of its clerical and custodial staff.
“What we know to be true is that county commissions across our great state of North Carolina have been overly supplementing what the state is required to do,” Superintendent Crystal Hill said.
Commissioners and CMS leaders noted the district is one of just eight across the state that doesn’t receive supplemental funding for teacher salaries. In North Carolina, the state pays teachers a base salary while districts can provide an additional supplement.
Many commissioners have levied similar complaints in recent budget cycles.
Board Chairman Mark Jerrell told The Charlotte Observer Wednesday he wants to take a more direct approach to appealing to state leaders.
“It’s my responsibility as chair to get my butt up to Raleigh and to make sure that I am having constructive conversations with our state legislators, so that they really understand what’s happening here on the ground,” he said.
Jerrell also expressed a willingness to put pressure on the city of Charlotte to chip in money for the courts system. Charlotte currently pays for about 1% of system, according to Wednesday’s presentation.
Commissioners will formally decide what to do with both requests as they work through the full county budget in the coming weeks. Mecklenburg County Manager Mike Bryant will present his proposed budget 11 a.m. Thursday.
