Knew this was coming, didn’t you? Of course you did. Randal O’Toole told you this was coming back in 2007 when he came to Charlotte.

Ignore the inside baseball dust-up between Becky Carney and Dan Clodfelter — Clodfelter always had the last word on the issue, not to mention more than a passing understanding of the issue. Carney just introduces whatever bills she is told to — and the Triangle wants their transit half-cent. Clip-n-save these details from Jim Morrill:

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican, said the city has no immediate plans to ask voters to raise the sales tax. But he said Clodfelter is playing politics with transit.

“It’s very discouraging that political demands are being made to make transit decisions based on politics, not on where transit experts say it would best work,” McCrory said. “I refuse to let transit politics become like state road politics.”

Carney’s bill would allow urban counties to levy a half-cent sales tax for mass transit; other counties could levy a quarter-cent. She said it’s important for the Triangle and Triad to be able to expand their bus systems as Charlotte did, and to possibly build light rail. … The Charlotte Chamber was a strong supporter of keeping the half-cent transit tax in fall 2007, but it’s not enthusiastic about a second half-cent sales tax for transit.

“Our first priority is for roads,” said chamber president Bob Morgan.

Morgan said the region needs local funding for roads – perhaps a sales tax or a toll on Interstate 485. Once that is secured, Morgan said he might support more for transit.

If CATS were to ask voters for more sales tax money, it would be breaking a pledge made in 2007, when the transit system said it could build its plan with the half-cent tax. McCrory also said CATS wouldn’t “go outside” the half-cent tax to expand.

But the mayor said he objects to Clodfelter’s move on principle.

“Right now I wouldn’t ask for it anyway,” he said of any new tax, “because I think we need to live within the half-cent that we have now. What I object to is someone saying they want something in return.”

OK. Deep breath. Calm. We are not living within the half-cent right now! Not with the city looking to spend property tax money on streetcars! Not with the official North line financing plan utterly dependent on property tax money! Jeebus!

Oh, and the Chamber might support additional dedicated revenue — on top of the half-cent and car rental tax hike? Really. Unless and until Bob Morgan and the Chamber man up and call for a do-over of the $9.5b. plan, their default position is support for additional taxes. The current plan cannot be built and operated with the current revenue stream.

Bonus Hypocrisy: Pat McCrory is upset someone is playing politics with transit?