A bill that could dramatically reshape transportation funding and planning in Mecklenburg County took a key step forward this week as House Bill 948—the “PAVE Act”—cleared a House Transportation Committee.
The legislation, titled the Projects for Advancing Vehicle Infrastructure Enhancements (PAVE) Act, would authorize Mecklenburg County commissioners to place a 1% local sales tax on the ballot this November. If approved by voters, the measure would fund a range of transportation projects, including road improvements, bus systems, and rail development.
“This is the first time we have so much buy-in, so much support,” said Rep. Tricia Cotham, R-Mecklenburg, the bill’s lead sponsor. “We all know road money is hard. It is political. This creates a very tailored space for the funds coming within Mecklenburg County and must go out. Everything is very secure in that process, and I believe that’s why you have so much buy-in.”
Under the plan, 40% of the sales tax revenue would be allocated for road planning needs in the county’s six towns, which include Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Pineville, the City of Charlotte, Mint Hill, and Matthews. An additional 40% would be spent on rail projects, and the remaining 20% would be spent on the bus program.
With over $5 million in road funding on the line, officials in Matthews have been hesitant of the plan due to the bus line. Lawmakers acknowledged that more discussions are needed to bring Matthews fully on board with the latest bill draft.
The bill creates a new 27-member transit authority to oversee how the transportation money is spent. It will include members appointed by the Governor, state lawmakers, Mecklenburg County, and local towns and cities. No elected officials or lobbyists can serve on the board. The group will focus on big projects like rail lines and bus service, and it must finish at least half of the Red Line rail project before starting any new rail lines.
Cotham said that the bill was shaped with input from local leaders, town managers, and business groups throughout the region. It’s backed by a bipartisan group of 10 Mecklenburg County lawmakers, with Rep. Tricia Cotham as the primary sponsor.
Business leaders also showed support during the hearing. Peter Pappas, a longtime Charlotte developer, called it a “multimodal investment” essential for sustaining the region’s economic growth.
Ultimately, lawmakers emphasized that the final decision rests with voters.
“Keep in mind, at the end of the day, it’s going to be up to the citizens. They’re going to have the vote,” said Rep. Brenden Jones, R-Columbus. “So if they don’t like it, they’ll vote no. If they think this is the right way to go, they’ll vote yes. I highly urge you to vote yes on this bill. It’s a good step forward to doing right by Mecklenburg. The state cannot continue the path that we continue. We can’t afford to fund everywhere. So this is a great opportunity to give the citizens of Mecklenburg an opportunity to have a say in funding their transportation needs.”
The bill now heads to the House Finance Committee.
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