Senate Bill 145, filed Monday, must be approved by lawmakers before voters cast ballots. The sales tax increase would fund years of transit expansion.

A long-awaited bill that would allow Mecklenburg County voters to vote on a one-cent sales tax increase for transportation has been filed in the state Senate.

Legislators filed Senate Bill 145 Monday, which could allow Mecklenburg County to put a 1-cent sales tax on the ballot this year.

Three North Carolina legislators have officially introduced a bill for Mecklenburg County to put a 1-cent sales tax increase on the 2025 election ballot. Why it matters: This is the furthest Charlotte has gotten in making its transit dreams a reality in five years and marks a significant milestone.

Three state senators today filed a bill seeking approval for a sales tax referendum in Mecklenburg County that would generate $19.4 billion for transit and roads projects. The bill’s sponsors, all Republicans,