With Mecklenburg County voters starting to vote Thursday on potentially the biggest local public works program in state history, County Commission Chair Mark Jerrell has some solid reasons to oppose a plan to increase the sales tax by 1 percentage point, or 1 cent per $1 spent, for improved transportation.
He represents the eastern part of Mecklenburg County, which isn’t a priority area for the $20 billion expected to be raised from the extra tax over the next 30 years. He knows that sales taxes are regressive, hitting those of modest means hardest. As a seven-year commissioner and veteran political operator in Charlotte for many years, he knows about the tricky relationship between the all-Democratic, nine-member Mecklenburg commission and the Republican-led General Assembly.
But Jerrell says he is a strong supporter of the plan, which calls for 40% of new money to go for rail transit, 40% for roads and 20% for buses and microtransit, on-demand service. “It’s a responsible decision to make that will help move this region forward,” he says.
His support is in sync with the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, which has said it will spend roughly $3 million to support the tax. Opponents include former Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts and Robert Dawkins, an activist with the NC Action nonprofit. They say the plan will hurt low-income residents more than help.
Elected leaders “don’t have the luxury” to isolate specific groups that might not benefit as much from the plan, but rather must balance the overall needs of the county’s 1.2 million residents, Jerrell says.
The transportation plan has clear economic development benefits, he says, citing both the extensive construction process, which will create a massive number of jobs, and the long-term gains from a commuter rail network in north Mecklenburg and better roads in all parts of the county. He notes that the Charlotte area’s growth reflects “a place where everyone wants to come,” making it important to develop forward-thinking infrastructure.
The higher tax would cost the typical Mecklenburg household an extra $240 a year, officials have said.
Residents relying on bus service will also benefit because supporters of the plan are pledging to improve reliability and add more frequency, Jerrell says. “I believe that time is money and expansion of the bus service will save people a lot of time.”
Gaining public confidence that the Charlotte Area Transit System can effectively manage the extra hundreds of millions of dollars accruing from the tax is critical, Jerrell says.
That’s why he pledges to have “the best and the brightest of our community” serving on the 27-member authority that will oversee the system, pending approval of the tax. Twelve members will be picked by the city of Charlotte, six by Mecklenburg County, one each by six smaller county towns and three selected by state leaders.
Jerrell expects those members to balance an understanding of community needs with an ability to manage funds efficiently. “These appointments are very serious,” he says.
As for relations with Raleigh leaders, Jerrell says his job is to put Mecklenburg first, while always seeking better understanding of the views of others. “I don’t have to go in with a bat,” he says. “One of my gifts is that I’m a bridge builder.”
Other supporters of the ‘Yes For Meck’ campaign include Mayor Vi Lyles and former Mayor Harvey Gantt, the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte, Gov. Josh Stein and Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt.
Three Charlotte City Council members – LaWana Mayfield, Tijuana Brown and Renee Johnson — and council member-elect J.D. Mazuera Arias are opposed. Brown lost her bid for re-election in the September primary and isn’t on the ballot.
Jerrell was elected to the commission in 2018 and became chair earlier this year, succeeding longtime Chair George Dunlap. He has helped manage the campaigns of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Chair Stephanie Sneed; City Councilman Malcolm Graham and James Mitchell, among others.
Those experiences have prepared him for one of the county’s biggest decisions, he says. But that doesn’t make it any easier.
“We still have way too many people in Mecklenburg who aren’t participating in the way we need them too. I go to bed some nights with knots in my stomach thinking about them.”
Charlotte lawyer Larry Shaheen, who has played a key role in promoting the transportation plan, told WFAE public radio he expects the tax will be supported by 65% or more of voters. Opponent Dawkins said the vote is a 50%-50% contest.
David Mildenberg is editor of Business North Carolina. Reach him at dmildenberg@businessnc.com.