If They Can't Even Fund the Study, How Can We Trust Them With $20 Billion?
Before a single dollar from the proposed Mecklenburg County sales tax increase could be spent, government officials would need to conduct multiple feasibility studies. The problem? They don’t even know where that money would come from. That’s right, there's no clear plan for how to pay for the studies required to implement the tax, let alone manage a $20 billion transit project over the next 30 years.
This glaring oversight begs a simple but serious question: If local leaders can’t handle the basics of planning, why should we trust them to deliver a multibillion-dollar project that spans decades?
Mismanagement Starts at Step One
Voters are being asked to approve a tax increase with no transparency on how implementation will begin. The lack of upfront planning raises red flags for anyone who has ever had to balance a budget or manage a project. No blueprint, no timeline, no accountability, just vague promises and a plea for more money.
We’re not talking about a neighborhood sidewalk or a park renovation. This is a 30-year, $20 billion transit overhaul. And the people pushing it can’t even outline how they’ll fund the initial studies required to launch it. That’s not bold leadership. That’s mismanagement hiding behind slogans.
Trust Is Earned, Not Assumed
When you ask families in Mecklenburg County to spend an extra $858 a year through a permanent tax hike, you need to offer more than vague ideas and political buzzwords. You need a clear plan. You need fiscal discipline. And above all, you need trust.
But how can voters trust a project when even the first step, the funding for the required groundwork, is missing in action? The truth is, they can’t. And they shouldn’t be expected to.
The Wrong Plan at the Wrong Time
This isn’t the first time residents have seen big ideas come with bigger price tags and disappointing follow-through. Schools remain overcrowded, safety is a huge concern, and housing costs keep climbing. Yet we’re now being asked to fund a 30-year transit expansion that doesn’t even have its paperwork in order.
It’s not about being against progress. It’s about demanding competence. Before launching a generational tax burden, local leaders should prove they can deliver on the small stuff first. Instead, they’re rushing voters into a high-stakes decision without showing any signs they can handle it.
What Voters Deserve
Mecklenburg County families deserve answers, not assumptions. They deserve leadership that respects their money and earns their trust through clear, transparent action. Until then, any talk of a $20 billion transit future is just that, talk.