Talk of the Town (QC Nerve)
House Bill 948, known as the PAVE Act, passed the NC House. The bill, introduced by Rep. Tricia Cotham (R-Mecklenburg), would allow Mecklenburg County voters to decide whether to raise the sales tax by 1 cent to pay for a multi-billion-dollar roads and transit plan. If approved by voters, the new funding would be split across key transportation priorities: 40% for road improvements, 40% for light rail expansion, and 20% for bus service upgrades. A light rail extension to Matthews was included in earlier drafts of the county’s transit plans but later removed from the bill.
If approved by the state Senate, the bill would allow Mecklenburg County commissioners to hold a referendum on whether to increase the sales tax in November. Sustain Charlotte praised the bill’s passage: “The NC House’s overwhelming 102-6 vote to pass the local option sales tax bill brings us one big step closer to giving residents the opportunity to invest in a more connected, accessible, and thriving future.”