MATTHEWS, N.C. — Multiple Matthews commissioners say they no longer support a resolution in opposition of Mecklenburg County’s transit plan. Matthews is the only Mecklenburg County town resisting the effort and until this point, was a unified effort.
Channel 9 first reported Mayor Pro Tem Gina Hoover’s email to state leaders informing them of her decision to reverse her stance.
In an interview with Channel 9 on Monday morning, Mayor Pro Tem Hoover clarified she is not ready to endorse the sales tax increase. She is planning to study its impact more, and she is no longer opposed to it. Commissioner Mark Tofano also confirmed to Channel 9 that he sent a formal withdrawal of support email to the Board of Commissioners and town management. Hoover and Tofano say Commissioner Leon Threatt no longer supports the resolution as well. But Commissioner Threatt has not responded to a request for comment.
Last August, the town commissioners of Matthews passed a resolution opposing the sales tax increase in large part due to the absence of light rail service to the area.
Mayor Pro Tem Hoover says her new stance is in large part due to the realization of the impact from road funding if the tax is passed. She says the town will receive an estimated $5.4 million annually plus incremental increases each year.
“We were always told the town’s not going to receive anything,” she said. “$5.4 million, my God, that’s huge. That’s huge. I mean, you talk about sidewalks and roads, but it’s not just when you when you say $5.4 million, it’s annually, indefinitely, and it will go up in increments.”
Hoover takes issue with the resolution’s language stating, “This lopsided plan will see some taxpayers pay and get nothing - while others pay nothing and get everything, creating communities of winners and losers that is the antithesis of a regional transit solution for all.”
She says the statement is misleading to Matthews residents. In her email to state leaders, Mayor Pro Tem Hoover said she was unaware “30 percent” of the sales tax would be paid by tourists. She also said she was unaware of the $5.4 million expected annually for roads.
Mayor John Higdon says he is disappointed that Matthews is no longer unified on this issue. He released an email from last May from the town manager that stated Matthews is expected to get $4 million annually for roads, “plus a fancy bus.” In the email, the Matthews town manager said she believed this is “a raw deal” for Matthews.
Mayor Higdon claims the reversal of positions weakens the ability for Matthews to negotiate changes to the transit plan
“It’s so incredibly frustrating because we were on the cusp, we think, of getting some major concessions,” he said.
Mayor Higdon says the opposition is not rooted in being anti-transit. He says he doesn’t think Matthews is getting enough out of the proposed tax increase.
“I think Matthews gets kind of a bad rap that we’re anti transit, or whatever,” he said. “We’re very much for transit. We just wanted to be equitable.”
Mayor Higdon has proposed a 1.4 cent tax increase that would allow the entire Silver Line to be funded. State leaders have not publicly indicated they are willing to consider it. The resolution also proposes Bus Rapid Transit for all lines as opposed to light rail, since Matthews isn’t slated to receive it.
Other than the Red Line to Lake Norman, no rail projects are committed to in the proposed legislation. The bill’s sponsor, State Sen. Vickie Sawyer, declined to comment on the reversal of positions by these commissioners.
VIDEO: Transit momentum: Newly filed bill would allow sales tax increase for transit
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