Mecklenburg County passes transit sales tax, measure heads to state legislature

Mecklenburg County leaders voted in favor of a proposal to increase the county's sales tax to fund future transit projects.  In particular, the money would fund the future Red Line commuter rail line, which the city of Charlotte purchased from Norfolk Southern earlier this month. The future train line is intended to link Uptown Charlotte with the suburban commuters in northern Mecklenburg County, including Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson.  County commissioners voted 6-3 in favor of the measure on Tuesday. With Mecklenburg County's approval, the proposal heads to the North Carolina legislature. If approved by the legislature, the sales tax would then be voted on by the public in 2025.The Red Line project included the $91 million purchase of the existing Norfolk Southern tracks between Charlotte and Davidson. The tracks, which the freight railroad calls the O-Line, are part of the 2030 regional transit plan.Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/mecklenburg-county-vote-red-line-transit-projects/275-c81a6c51-a9cd-47f3-af2d-c1f2aa642490 WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with news that impacts you from the team at WCNC Charlotte.  SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeartAll of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.