A Pattern of Promises Broken
When elected officials and corporate mouthpieces ask the public to approve a new 1% sales tax, they tell us it’s about progress. They promise that “this time” things will be different. But those of us who’ve lived through years of broken promises know better. The reality is that too many questions remain unanswered, and the biggest one is about trust.
Charlotte residents have heard these lines before. Each time new money is demanded, we’re told it will fix the system. Yet riders still wait at bus stops without shelters. Trains are delayed, buses are cut, and the neighborhoods that rely on transit the most are often the ones left behind. Instead of transparency and accountability, we get more slogans and more taxes piled onto working families.
Conflicting Messages About Representation
One of the clearest contradictions is who gets a seat at the table on the new Metropolitan Transit Authority. On one hand, ordinary citizens, including the very riders who rely on the system daily, are told by Charlotte Regional Business Alliance representative Attorney Larry Shaheen, Jr. that they do qualify. On the other hand, elected officials like Councilman Ed Driggs have said that even ten years of bus-riding experience isn’t enough to make someone fit to serve.
Think about that: taxpayers are expected to fund the system, but when it comes to governance, they’re dismissed as unqualified. Meanwhile, business interests and political insiders are given open invitations. This double standard is more than insulting; it proves the system isn’t designed with the public in mind. If this tax were truly for the people, the people would have a voice in how it’s spent.
Why Trust Is Broken
At its core, this referendum isn’t just about a penny on the dollar. It’s about trust. How can voters believe promises of better service when the rules about who has a voice keep changing? How can families already struggling with the rising cost of rent and groceries be asked to believe that this time will be different, when the people shaping the system won’t even let them in the room?
The Choice Ahead
A transportation system should serve the public, not corporate interests. A governing board should reflect riders, not just politicians, developers, and other special interests. Until the promises stop shifting and ordinary citizens are treated as equal partners, this tax is just another broken promise in the making.
When you step into the voting booth, remember: the referendum isn’t just about funding transit. It’s about whether you believe the same voices that dismissed riders yesterday will suddenly keep their word tomorrow.
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.