Don’t forget to vote today, Charlotte
A transformative transit referendum is on the ballot for Mecklenburg County Voters
First, the most important stuff: no matter how you vote, go vote.
If you’re a North Carolina voter, click here to find your polling place and sample ballot.
However, if you need a reason to vote other than “everyone should,” there is a major referendum on the Mecklenburg County ballot today. It’s not perfect, but it has the potential to transform public transportation in Mecklenburg County.
Here’s what some friends of Y’all Weekly had to say about it:
The Charlotte Post: The referendum has the support of Charlotte’s corporate community and community advocacy groups. There’s also a vocal cohort of opposition, which we share numerous concerns with. Still, we can’t ignore the very real urgency of new infrastructure for a region that’s adding hundreds of new residents by the week. We can’t depend on a dysfunctional federal government that’s more interested in supporting a would-be king than funding services for constituents and state government led by people who see little use for supporting urban North Carolina, especially if it involves rail.
As a result, Mecklenburg is left with an imperfect, if not impossible, choice: go it alone with a local referendum or do nothing and fall further behind.
We’ll take go it alone and urge voters to support the referendum, although we have reservations.
Clayton Sealey: With state and federal governments increasingly reluctant to invest in large urban areas, we must take responsibility for funding our own future. Sunny days may come again, but we cannot afford to wait for perfect conditions or perfect plans. Incremental steps will not relieve the congestion choking a city where 76% of trips are made by car. This referendum isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress, and about saying that our city, our region, and our future are worth investing in.
Even as a daily transit rider, I recognize the limitations our road network faces when it comes to moving people efficiently. This referendum will unlock a tidal wave of resources for Mecklenburg County — about $260 million a year — to invest directly in improving the roads, intersections, and corridors we all rely on. That level of funding is transformational.
And, of course, our co-founder and publisher:
Sam Spencer: A vote in favor of the referendum is a vote for more time.
Better roads, more railways, and a more frequent, interconnected bus system will not only give us more choices, they’ll give us more quality time — and that’s before noting that public transportation is much better for the environment, air quality, and public health than our car culture.
It’s also much safer. Nationwide, approximately 50,000 Americans die each year from vehicle fatalities. Public transit has a lower crime and crash risk compared to driving, and the fatality rate is less than one-tenth that of cars per passenger mile.
More decades with a loved one who chooses transit is an immeasurable benefit.
There are also reasons to vote against. Sales taxes are regressive. “Opponents, including Action NC, say a permanent tax unfairly affects people who can least afford to pay and that more than $200 per year would be a burden to the working class and low-income families.”
However, we believe the current Metropolitan Transit Commission needs reform, and needs to include the voices of transit riders and community members. The only way to do that is a YES vote on the referendum.
No matter how you vote, however, go VOTE.