Former Mecklenburg manager: Transit tax benefits diverse people, places in our county | Opinion

Having served as the Mecklenburg County manager for 11 years, I have a unique perspective on the overwhelming community support that led to the placement of the transportation referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot. The choice before you has been years in the making by those who have worked diligently to ensure that our county grows in a way that ensures opportunity, quality of life and economic mobility for all.

Though I retired this summer, I am excited to vote “Yes for Meck” and want to share what you should know about the investment that will move us forward together.

Let’s talk about what’s in the referendum and what you’re voting for.

The referendum on the ballot is to approve a 1% tax, or a penny on the dollar, spent on purchases made in Mecklenburg County. This excludes SNAP-eligible purchases, prescription medications, utilities, rent and most food. An average family of four will pay an additional $20 per month. With funding from this referendum, Mecklenburg County will have nearly $20 billion to improve our transportation infrastructure over the next 30 years.

The tax creates opportunity for the most vulnerable. Some critics say the tax proposed is regressive, but I see it differently.

On average, low-income families will pay about $11 per month for an investment that is estimated to create 1.3 million jobs that can empower them to increase their economic mobility. Better access to jobs, education, healthcare and more will help the most vulnerable in our community not only stabilize but also improve the quality of life for them and their families.

All the public money collected for this effort will be invested in transit countywide.

The $20 billion investment will be divided into three buckets: 40% for rail transit, 40% for roads and 20% for buses and microtransit. While parts of the plan, especially rail, will take time to complete, some changes will happen quickly. If the referendum passes, you should see immediate changes like popular bus routes running more frequently and green lights timed to keep traffic flowing, especially during rush hour.

The “Yes for Meck” website answers frequently asked questions and has detailed plans you can review.

This plan represents the majority and addresses as many concerns as possible.

In a community as diverse and large as Mecklenburg County, it is difficult to find consensus and please everyone. Those who oppose the plan are quick to point out what the plan will not accomplish. While this plan does not prioritize everything, it effectively provides the tools needed to address and improve traffic congestion, safety, economic mobility, county-wide connectivity, sustainability and growth. The original vote was approved by over 97% of the county’s population, as represented by their local elected officials.

This transportation plan is the result of years of collaborative planning.

County, city and town managers spent countless hours over five years working on this comprehensive transportation planning effort. We worked in collaboration and good faith to craft a bill that would both serve the people of Mecklenburg County and get support from the N.C. General Assembly. It did, and if we vote “no,” then that opportunity may not come around again. Now it’s your turn to be part of the solution that brings the county together.

This comprehensive transportation plan is the first step toward a safer transit system.

To best address safety on our public transportation, this comprehensive plan will provide the flexibility and resources needed to reenvision security on our public transportation system. This will be vetted and coordinated by a special group of 27 citizens called the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA), for which more than 100 people have already applied. These are neighbors of yours and mine, who refuse to be frozen by fear and are ready to make decisions to keep us safer.

This vote is for Mecklenburg County, by Mecklenburg County.

If you have heard that this plan is an initiative led by lawmakers and officials in Raleigh, I can assure you that is absolutely not the case. The diverse, entirely local and rider-represented make up of the MPTA will ensure that every town and city in Mecklenburg County has a voice. As a taxpayer, accountability and spending oversight are important to me. If you value transparency like I do, I encourage you to vote “Yes for Meck.”

We have the opportunity to invest in ourselves to help Mecklenburg County grow responsibly, equitably and collectively. I am voting “Yes for Meck.” Let’s pass a plan that connects us all.

Dena Diorio served as Mecklenburg County manager from 2014 to 2025.