Charlotte Transit Future at Stake as Voters Decide on Sales Tax

A plan to overhaul Charlotte’s transportation system could collapse if voters reject a proposed one-cent sales tax increase in November. The measure would fund billions of dollars in road, rail, and bus improvements across the region.

Mecklenburg County Commission Vice Chair Leigh Altman said a failed vote would leave the future of the plan uncertain. “We don’t know how, or if, we could bring this opportunity back,” Altman told The Charlotte Observer. “It would really set us back.”

The city’s long-discussed transportation plan gained momentum in 2024 after Charlotte reached a deal with Norfolk Southern for old rail lines needed for the Red Line commuter project. Lawmakers later passed the PAVE Act, sponsored by Rep. Tricia Cotham (R-Mecklenburg), allowing county commissioners to put the referendum on the ballot.

Now, Mecklenburg County residents will decide whether to move forward with the major transit investment or send city leaders back to the drawing board.