CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For residents of Mecklenburg County, raising your personal property taxes to pay for early childhood education is close to becoming reality.
The Mecklenburg County Commissioners are going back to the drawing board and making their final vote on next year’s budget. Tuesday’s vote will also include increasing teachers’ supplement pay.
In May, County Manager Dena Diorio presented her $1.7 billion budget to county commissioners. She then handed over that proposal for any changes the board deemed necessary. Last week, the board voted 9-2 in favor of Diorio’s proposal, which includes the three-quarters of a cent tax hike.
It wasn’t that long ago that teachers stormed a county commissioners meeting, demanding better pay. Now, their collective voice is being heard, as Mecklenburg County leaders are giving Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools an additional $6.8 million for an increase in supplement pay for educators.
“Today, what we’ve addressed is the supplement that we pay Mecklenburg County for our teachers,” said Commissioner Trevor Fuller.
Now, Diorio hopes CMS will spend the extra money, which will come from vacant positions, on guidance counselors, social workers and security enhancements. The commissioners will also vote whether to spend $9 million on early childhood education programs that will be paid for by the property tax increase.
“I feel pretty comfortable that I can make an argument and make the case it’s the right thing to do,” Diorio said. “I think it’s a modest tax increase and I think what we get for those dollars is worth it.”
The meeting is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
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