Top Stories for July 30, 2025

1. Roads, Rail, and Buses: The public will have the opportunity to speak on a proposed countywide vote on a 1-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation projects. The Board of County Commissioners will hold the public hearing at its regular meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6, after which it will vote on whether to add the referendum to the November ballot. The Board met on July 30 to discuss the language of the resolution placing the referendum on the ballot. If approved by voters, the funding stream from the penny sales tax would be spent on Mecklenburg County transportation projects, such as roads, rail, and buses. It would also create a new transit authority comprising members of the community.

2. Community Meeting: Residents who would like to learn more about the proposed referendum and transportation issues can attend a second community meeting hosted by Commissioner Vilma D. Leake (District 2). It will be held be held Thursday, July 31 at 6 p.m. at West Charlotte Recreation Center on Kendall Drive in Charlotte. The meeting will feature a presentation from Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and include information on services, plans to expand transit, and the proposed referendum.

3. In the Mail: This week, Mecklenburg County mailed about 458,000 property tax bills. The 2025 bills are due Sept. 1 and must be paid by Jan. 5, 2026, to avoid interest. For property owners with mortgage escrow accounts, their real property tax bills are sent directly to the mortgage holder for payment, with the owner receiving a property tax notification from the Office of the Tax Collector. Taxpayers have several options for paying their property tax bill, including online, by phone, by mail, or in person. For more information about the tax billing process and payments, visit Tax.MeckNC.gov.

4. Free Box Fans: As extreme high temperatures and heat indices persist this week, vulnerable residents are encouraged to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness and take advantage of the programs and services available to help them. Among them is Mecklenburg County’s free box fan program, where fans remain available this summer. The Services for Adults division is offering free box fans to seniors and adults who receive disability income. Residents 60 years of age and older and adults ages 18 to 59 who are disabled can pick up a fan while supplies last. Call 980-314-6800 or email [email protected]. 

5. Absentee Ballots: The Board of Elections is now taking requests for absentee ballots for the City of Charlotte primary election. Ballots will be mailed beginning Aug. 8 and the last day to request a ballot is Aug. 26. The primary election will be held on Sept. 9, when voting will be held in person and all absentee ballots must returned to the Board of Elections office by 7:30 p.m. The general election for all municipalities and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education will be Nov. 4. To request a ballot and learn more about the 2025 elections, visit Vote.MeckNC.gov.