Do I really have to say anything?
Here are the ways the city of Charlotte can afford to build a $500m. streetcar — a property tax increase, a new property tax district, a diversion of property revenue away from the General Fund, a $30 hike in vehicle registration fees.
Every single one of those options we’ve been warning you about for, oh, three years now as our $9.5b. transit plan spiraled into orbit. City staff is completely out of control, gleefully tossing out revenue increase options as if the streetcar was a vital civic need and city council is manifestly unable to reel them in. Better still we are scant weeks way from a municipal election with the candidates steadfastly ducking the issue of how they would pay for a streetcar they “support” in theory.
Make no mistake, if a majority of incumbents are re-elected to city council, Charlotte absolutely, positively will raise property taxes and/or vehicle fees in order to build a $500m. streetcar.
