Rhino Times editor Mark Pellin relates that the floodgates are open for more spending from Charlotte city council. Something called a Transportation Action Plan will spend $3.57 billion. Tucked in that massive number is $10 million for an air quality control and congestion mitigation program — funny, I thought the $500 million choo-choo would do that — and $30 million to finish transit stations.
So that half-cent sales tax is not going to pay for everything, huh? Now that is out in the open, can we get a vote on that Mr. Mayor? Quite the change from what voters were told in 1998. Mr. Mayor? Hello?
And city councilman Pat Mumford has taken all the drama out of the budget process. There will be a Charlotte property tax hike. There has to be because there is no way the city could possibly reduce spending, actually the rate of spending increases, by $30 million. The money quote that Mark relates from Mumford:
“We’re not going to be able to cut ourselves to prosperity,” Mumford said.
Well, so by all mean lets tax ourselves to prosperity then. That has worked well elsewhere, now hasn’t it? Say goodbye to the Queen City, folks. Get ready for Detroit-on-the-Catawba.