The Charlotte Ledger Podcast16 Loka 2025

The case against Mecklenburg's transportation referendum

In this episode, we talk with Robert Dawkins of Action NC, who explains why he believes raising Mecklenburg's sales tax to pay for transit and transportation is unfair and misguided. Dawkins advocates for a "NO" vote on November's referendum, arguing that the plan puts too heavy a burden on low- and middle-income families, lacks accountability and repeats a pattern of broken promises from previous city transportation initiatives.

In a conversation with Charlotte Ledger editor Tony Mecia, Dawkins shares stories from his work with displaced residents, outlines concerns about transparency and oversight and questions whether the city’s mobility plan truly serves those who rely on public transportation the most. He urges voters to take a closer look at who benefits—and who bears the costs—of the proposed tax.

Dawkins also wrote a column expressing his ideas in a recent edition of Transit Time, a weekly newsletter on transit and transportation produced by The Charlotte Ledger and WFAE.

THE OTHER SIDE: This episode and accompanying column are part of a two-part series exploring the arguments for and against Mecklenburg's transportation referendum, which is on the Nov. 4 ballot. Be sure to check out the perspecive of the "VOTE YES" side, in a conversation and column with Shannon Binns of Sustain Charlotte.

Together, these different perspectives provide a balanced look at both sides of the transportation sales tax debate.

The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is produced by Lindsey Banks.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thecharlotteledger.com/subscribe

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(204)

Charlotte's new political era

Charlotte's political landscape is shifting.Mayor Vi Lyles is preparing to leave office after nearly nine years, a new mayor is stepping in and City Council is wrestling with some of the biggest issue...

26 Kesä 22min

Everybody's moving to Charlotte, with filmmaker Duvale Murchison

The Charlotte region adds roughly 150 new residents every day, but beyond the statistic are thousands of individual stories about why people choose to make the region home.In this episode of The Charl...

19 Kesä 33min

Charlotte's moment at the table, with Kristen Wile of Unpretentious Palate

Kristen Wile has spent more than a decade documenting Charlotte’s restaurant scene, and in that time she’s watched the city transform from a place searching for its culinary identity into one drawing ...

12 Kesä 36min

Charlotte through a developer’s eyes, with Adam McMichael and Paul Zarian

Charlotte’s growth has made it one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. But what does the city look like through the eyes of the developers betting millions of dollars on its future?In t...

5 Kesä 37min

Reporters Roundtable: Charlotte's month of May in review

May was one of the busiest months Charlotte has seen in recent memory. Mayor Vi Lyles announced her resignation, city leaders reversed course on the controversial I-77 toll lane expansion, data center...

29 Touko 35min

Turning tragedy into support for Charlotte families, with Meg McElwain

After losing her 2-year-old son Mitchell to leukemia, Meg McElwain found herself navigating unimaginable grief while also trying to help her surviving son process the trauma that had reshaped their fa...

22 Touko 37min

The story behind Charlotte’s most talked-about restaurants, with Jamie Brown

Charlotte’s restaurant scene has changed dramatically over the past two decades, and few people have helped shape it more than Jamie Brown. Alongside her husband, Jeff Tonidandel, Brown has built some...

15 Touko 35min

Redefining the New South in Charlotte, with Richard Cooper

The Levine Museum of the New South is preparing for a major new chapter — one that museum leaders hope will help redefine how Charlotte engages with history, community and public conversation. After y...

8 Touko 24min