North Carolina General Assembly
Coverage (14 articles)
Charlotte's 1% Transit Tax: What It Does, What It Costs, Who Runs It, and Where City Council Candidates Stand
The 1% transit sales tax would fund roads, rail, and buses through a new regional authority with strict gates on the Red Line. Here's how it works, who controls it and where candidates stand.
CMS Set Aside $6.6 Million for a State Raise That Might Not Cover It
CFO Kelly Kluttz told the board the district's $6.6 million salary reserve covers them to about 5 percent — but bills in Raleigh propose up to 9, the state hasn't passed a budget, and the county can't backfill after June.
Three Governing Bodies, One Room, and a Restaurant That Started It All
CMS Board Chair Stephanie Sneed convened the BOCC, City Council, and CMS Board with the General Assembly delegation for the first joint legislative breakfast in at least 20 years.
CMS Board Unanimously Approves Hill's Amended Budget — Two Weeks After Denying It 8-1
Two weeks after rejecting Superintendent Crystal Hill's $2.1 billion budget 8-1, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education unanimously approved her amended version on Tuesday. The same operating envelope now carries six negotiated changes — including the elimination of the $2.4 million Capturing Kids Hearts contract and the reinstatement of all four CMS-DSS educational liaison positions. The state budget remains the variable holding everything else still.
Charlotte Council Approves Both Faith in Housing Rezonings.
Council Member LaWana Mayfield, the architect of Charlotte's Faith in Housing initiative, voted against a Faith in Housing petition Monday night. Both rezonings passed. The second carried on the bare minimum: six yes votes, no mayor in the chair.
After Ten Months Without a Budget, NC Republicans Found a Framework. Most State Workers Get a Raise Below Inflation.
Senate Pres. Pro Tem Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall announced a budget framework Tuesday afternoon, ending a ten-month standoff. Teachers get an 8 percent raise and a $48,000 starting floor. Most state employees get 3 percent — below the 3.8 percent inflation rate reported the same morning. The income tax steps down through 2034, and a constitutional amendment capping the rate at 3.5 percent goes on the November ballot.
North Carolina Is Last in the Country. Mecklenburg's Board Said So Out Loud.
The state ranks first for business and last in school funding. On Tuesday night, Mecklenburg's board said both things out loud.
A Teacher Got Three Minutes. The Board Got the Rest of the Night.
A CMS teacher brought documented facts and a specific ask to the Mecklenburg County Board. The board did not respond. Three hours later, four commissioners said the same things he'd said — to each other.
Political Events in Charlotte, NC July 27 - August 3, 2025
From veto overrides to local council contests, Charlotte's political pulse quickened July 27–Aug 3. Here's what mattered and why.
Charlotte at the Ballot Box: When Crime Becomes Currency
Three weeks before one of Charlotte's most consequential elections in a decade, a murder on the Blue Line became the story that wouldn't let go. Somewhere between Iryna Zarutska's death and the November 4 ballot, tragedy was transformed into campaign currency.
Charlotte's $19B Transit Tax Vote: Federal Shutdown and NC Redistricting Set the Stakes
Federal shutdown hits day 34 as Charlotte votes on $19B transit tax. How Washington chaos, Raleigh redistricting, and local politics collide three weeks before Election Day.
North Carolina Is Last in the Country. Mecklenburg's Board Said So Out Loud.
The state is ranked first for business. Four commissioners spent the end of a long meeting sitting with what that means for public schools.
Charlotte Police Union's National Guard Plea Signals Staffing Crisis
Charlotte's police union asks leaders to request National Guard troops after a string of homicides and staffing shortages; officials push back, citing crime reductions and new transit patrols.
CMS Board Denies Hill's $2.1B Budget 8-1, Gives Her Two Weeks Without Saying What to Change
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education voted 8-1 Tuesday night to deny Superintendent Crystal Hill's $2.1 billion budget and gave her two weeks to come back with a revised version — without saying, in open session, what to change. After the vote, Hill asked four times for direction at the dais. Chair Stephanie Sneed declined and adjourned. The revised budget is due May 12.