Applications are now being accepted for residents interested in serving on the proposed Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) in Mecklenburg County. The formation of the MPTA is contingent on the outcome of a countywide referendum scheduled for November 4, which will ask voters to consider a 1% increase in sales tax to fund transportation projects.
The Board of County Commissioners authorized the creation of the MPTA ahead of the referendum. Appointments to the authority would be made by several local and state government entities: Mecklenburg County would appoint six members, the City of Charlotte twelve, each town within Mecklenburg County—Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville—would appoint one member each. Additionally, appointments would come from the N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore, N.C. Speaker of the House, and Office of the N.C. Governor. All applicants must reside within Mecklenburg County.
Residents can apply through the Mecklenburg County Clerk’s office via an online portal at MeckNC.gov. Applications are open until October 13.
The upcoming referendum follows passage of N.C. House Bill 948—the PAVE Act—which allows such local referenda on sales tax increases for transportation purposes.
If approved by voters, revenue from the additional sales tax would go toward transportation improvements such as roads, rail lines, and bus services while establishing and funding operations for a new public transportation authority in Mecklenburg County.
According to county officials: “The MPTA would finance, provide, operate, and maintain for a safe, clean, reliable, adequate, convenient, energy-efficient, economically, and environmentally sound public transportation system for its service area. Members will accomplish these goals through the granting of franchises, ownership, and leasing of terminals, buses, and other transportation facilities and equipment as well as through exercise of other granted powers and duties in order to enhance mobility in the region and encourage sound growth patterns.”
For further information about applying or about MPTA itself residents can contact Mecklenburg County’s Clerk to the Board by visiting VisitBOCC.MeckNC.gov/Clerk or calling 980-314-2939.
Mecklenburg County schools enrolled a total of 153,537 students during the 2022-23 school year according to data from https://www.dpi.nc.gov/. This figure reflects a decrease in enrollment by 0.4% compared with the previous academic year (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
