CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte City Council members voted on the city manager’s proposed budget Monday night. The budget, which was approved, is $2.6 billion.
The budget calls for a one-cent property tax increase, which ends up being about $25 more a year for someone with a $250,000 house.
The budget includes a raise for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. This is the department’s first raise in five years and they will see a five percent increase.
[RELATED: City looks at options for CMPD pay raises]
Senior officers in the department will see a four and a half percent increase.
To help fund the police department’s raises, the council is planning to scale back CMPD’s take-home car program by 11 cars.
In addition to an officer pay increase, the budget clears the way for a record housing bond. The vote will allow voters to decide in the fall if they want to increase the city’s affordable housing trust fund from $15 million to $50 million.
The budget also discusses three small rate hikes for stormwater, solid waste, and Charlotte water.
The city council approved a major project connecting the south end rail trail to Uptown. The pedestrian bridge will be built over I-277 and would cost $11 million, $3 million would come from the city. The county, NCDOT, and private donations would foot the rest of the bill.
Officials hope to begin construction in 2021.
raises, affordable housing to be addressed in CMPD[RELATED: budget presentation]
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