Meck commissioners approve sales tax increase for arts referendum

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County Commissioners voted 7-2 Tuesday to put a quarter-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot. The no votes were from commissioners Pat Cotham and Elaine Powell.

There were changes made to the original proposal, shifting money towards parks and greenways from the arts.

For months, county commissioners have been weighing their options whether to put a quarter-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot for voters to decide.

If approved by voters, the sales tax could generate $50 million a year. Many supporters advocated for the tax during last week's Mecklenburg County Commissioner's meeting.

"When someone walks in our city, what is the heartbeat that they feel? They're not looking at a building. They're looking at the art and that is an imitation of what we reflect," Elsie Mufuka said.

Officials said if the tax is approved, it can be calculated as if you spent $100 at the store each week, it would cost you an extra $13 per year.

Here is a breakdown of how the money would be spent: 

• Arts and Science Council would get 45 percent
• Parks and Greenways would get 34 percent
• The Teacher Supplement would get a 16 percent boost
• Individual towns would get the remaining 5 percent for culture or park purposes

Before the vote, Powell said she is not completely on board though, and Channel 9 has been told she wants more money to go toward parks and greenways -- with some set aside for mental health.

Cotham explained why she voted against the proposal by saying, "I'm an arts supporter and I contribute to the arts, but I have yet to have a single mother come to me, a struggling single mother who's working two jobs, saying 'If we could just have money for the arts, you know, my life would be so much better.'"

Cox Media Group