CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte City Council is in the process of adopting the fiscal year 2025 budget. The proposal looks to invest $300 million in transportation and neighborhoods while increasing property tax by 1.5% to support capital investments.

What You Need To Know

  • The City Council is scheduled to adopt the annual and Capital Improvement Plan budgets on June 10

  • $25 million would be eliminated from strategic investment areas 

  • $30 million would be cut from sidewalk funding 

  • $5 million would be removed from center city transportation improvements

While the budget improves funding in various areas, local organizations are pushing back against $65 million in cuts to projects that would improve areas such as sidewalks and bike paths.

In contrast, Sustain Charlotte has been urging more funding. The nonprofit organization advocates for smart growth and transportation solutions within the city, and has been using events like the Charlotte Sustainability Summit to educate residents on the importance of aligning transportation choices and walkable communities.

“There's so much to do in cities and we have a real opportunity to make cities much more sustainable,” said Meg Fencil, director of engagement and impact at Sustain Charlotte.

Fencil believes that educating the public about sustainable efforts is necessary to highlight the importance of restoring the $65 million in funding that was cut from the budget.

“We are way behind where we need to be as a growing region because we haven’t invested in all-ages and all-abilities bike lanes for years at the level that we need to. So this is really the time that we need to catch up," she said. "We also really need to invest in sidewalks all across the city. A lot of our streets were built with inadequate or just completely missing sidewalks.”

The proposed capital budget shows that sidewalk funding was slashed from $50 million to $20 million, $5 million was eliminated from center city transportation, and $25 million was cut from strategic investment areas.

“We really think it's important that they increase the amount of funding in the budget,” Fencil said.

Through education, Fencil hopes that not only will residents implement more sustainable choices in their lives, but that it will also result in action within the budget.

“We still have a lot of work to do, so it's really critically important that people educate themselves about these issues and that they act and talk to their elected officials and they vote,” she said.

Fencil is also urging council members to add at least $2 million to the $8 million allocated for the Bike Program.

For more information on Sustain Charlotte, click here. 

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