Mecklenburg Could Lose $100 Million Under State Plan
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Β CHARLOTTE, NC — The bad budget news just keeps coming for the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Β The county, and its cities and towns, could lose $100 million a year under a new state legislative proposal.
The city is already facing a $15.6 million revenue shortfall for 2016 after a county property revaluation, and the state taking away the Business Privilege License Tax. Β Now the state senate is planning a sales tax overhaul that would distribute more money to rural counties, and Β bring another budget hit to Mecklenburg.
“Completely eliminating the local sales tax and turning it into a state revenue that the state can turn on the spigot, or turn off the spigot, whenever it chooses to do so,” said Mayor Dan Clodfelter. Β “That would be devastating for cities all across North Carolina.”
“Ideas coming out of Raleigh right now are very damaging, not just to Mecklenburg and to Wade County, but to the entire state,” said County Commission Chair Trevor Fuller (D). Β “You can’t cut off your nose to spite your face.”
Sales tax is the second biggest source of revenue for the city, making up 15 percent of the annual budget.
