The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing and vote on the potential creation of a Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) during its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 16 at 6 p.m. The session will take place at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, located at 600 E. Fourth St., Charlotte.
This discussion comes before a November countywide referendum that proposes a 1% sales tax increase dedicated to transportation projects such as roads, rail, and buses. The additional revenue would fund these initiatives and establish the new transportation authority made up of community members.
Residents who wish to provide input can sign up to speak or submit comments online at BOCC.MeckNC.gov/Clerk, by calling the County Clerk’s Office at 980-314-2912, or by emailing [email protected]. Special accommodations are available if requested from the Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.
Should the Board authorize formation of the MPTA, applications for membership will be accepted from September 17 through October 13, 2025. This follows the Board’s earlier decision to place the referendum on the November 4 ballot after North Carolina House Bill 948 (the PAVE Act) was enacted to allow such local referendums.
The Board meeting will be broadcast live on Meck TV and can be accessed online at Watch.MeckNC.gov.
In related county matters, enrollment in Mecklenburg County schools decreased by 0.4% in the 2022-23 academic year compared to the previous year. Total enrollment stood at approximately 153,537 students during that period according to state education data (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
