NEWS

 

May 18, 2024 – Mecklenburg County Manager Dena R. Diorio today presented her recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2024 to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). 

The $2.3 billion recommended budget features a 7.2% increase, or $156.2 million, over the current FY2023 operating budget. To fund the critical services provided every day by Mecklenburg County and invest for the future, the County Manager recommends a tax rate of 47.31 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Following the 2023 property revaluation, the revenue neutral tax rate is 45.71 cents. View budget documents.

The FY2024 budget works to achieve several broad goals: 

• Fund programs and services that align with the board’s priorities, including early childhood development, educational attainment, environmental stewardship, health access, housing insecurity, workforce development, and racial disparities. 

• Demonstrate prudent decisions to protect Mecklenburg County’s financial strength now and for the future. 

• Strengthen Mecklenburg County through investments that build resiliency and ensure a positive impact on everyone.  

• Leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for long-term value investments that will bring a high return for this one-time infusion of funds. 

Capital Improvement Plan 

In FY2024, Mecklenburg County will launch its new $4 billion five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). This year, the County is implementing a rolling CIP, where the County will evaluate the plan each year and adjust to account for changes in construction costs and revenue estimates. The County will add projects each year to accommodate for evolving priorities. The 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan includes: 

• $2.5 billion for up to 30 projects for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. That includes 12 elementary schools, seven middle schools, 10 high schools, and a new athletic complex. The CIP assumes a school bond referendum of $2.5 billion would be placed on the ballot for voter approval in November 2023. 

• $809 million for 10 County projects, including upgrades for court and detention facilities, and a commitment to additional Community Resource Centers, where residents can access services to help with healthcare, economic stability, housing security, education, food security, behavioral health and more. 

• $448 million for 37 Park and Recreation projects, including greenways; a new park at Eastland Yards; improvements for older facilities; lake dredging projects; and new amenities such as skate parks and pickleball courts. 

• $146 million for eight Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library projects, which includes relocation and expansion of the Sugar Creek and West Boulevard branches; a new branch on Nations Ford Road; renovation of ImaginOn; and continued progress on the Main Library in Uptown Charlotte. 

• $107 million for four Central Piedmont Community College projects, including a new public safety training facility. 

Recommended Operating Budget 

The primary theme of the FY2024 recommended budget is maintenance of current services and investing in people. 

Asset and Facility Management 

• $3.9 million for contracted cost increases for security, plus additional security guards and weapons screening. 

• $1.5 million for increases in maintenance and utility costs. 

Information Technology 

• $5 million for cost increases associated with software and hardware contracts and other IT-related services. 

Community Resources 

The Department of Community Resources operates the Community Resource Centers (CRCs) and manages the eligibility of safety net services including Medicaid and Food & Nutrition Services (SNAP). With the expiration of pandemic-era waivers and the coming expansion of Medicaid in North Carolina, the County must prepare for increased demands for service.  

• $4.4 million for 111 positions to meet current demand. 

• $1.6 million for contracted staff to support call center operations.  

• $5.9 million for 75 positions to support Medicaid expansion. 

Investments in People 

The FY2024 recommended budget includes $68.7 million, or 44% of the total budget increase, for investments in the workforce across all entities funded by the County. 

$33.1 million for County employees, which includes a $29.7 million investment in employees for a 3% across-the-board salary increase for all full-time and part-time employees, performance-based pay increases averaging 2.5%, $1.1 million for additional part-time staff at park facilities, and $1 million to increase public health nurse pay.  

• $30.6 million for school employees including certified and non-certified staff.  

• $3.6 million for EMTs, paramedics and other staff at MEDIC.  

• $862,000 for County-funded employees at Central Piedmont Community College. 

• $500,000 for our court officials to provide flexibility to offer competitive salaries to current and new staff.  

MEDIC  

• $6.7 million for equipment including vehicles, technology replacements, and “auto-loading” stretchers, which have been shown to reduce staff injuries during transport by 90%. 

Central Piedmont Community College   

• $45 million for CPCC to continue efforts in education and workforce development, an increase of 4.8% from last year.  

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 

The County Manager recommends funding Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ full $38.9 million request.  

• 79% of CMS’s new funding from the County will go directly to employees for salary and benefit increases. 

• The remainder of the dollars allocated for CMS will fund increases in charter school enrollment, maintenance, and operation of two new schools. 

Board Priorities 

The FY2024 recommended budget includes a total of $144 million in new funding for the Board of County Commissioners priorities: 

• Early Childhood Development 

• Educational Attainment  

• Environmental Stewardship  

• Health Access  

• Housing Insecurity  

• Workforce Development   

Early Childhood Development 

• $1.1 million for N.C. Pre-K.  This funding will match the Meck Pre-K rate at $900 per child, exceeding the state rate, for N.C. Pre-K programs in community-based child development centers.  

• $350,000 for a project manager and consulting services to develop an implementation plan for the pre-natal to 3 strategic plan. 

• Additional investments of $603,000 will support five positions for the Women, Infants and Children’s Program, a child development audiologist, and early literacy programming at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library. 

Educational Attainment 

The FY2024 recommended budget includes $38.9 million to support Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, $2.3 million for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, and three new Community Service Grant recipients that focus on educational outcomes. 

In total, the recommended budget includes $969 million for education and literacy, or 42%. 

Environmental Stewardship 

The FY2024 recommended budget invests $41.6 million to advance the Environmental Leadership Action Plan. Funding includes $31.6 million for open space protection, $5.9 million for facility upgrades and $4.2 million for fleet transitions. These investments include: 

• $30 million for land acquisition.   

• $5 million for solid waste capital investments.  

• $1.5 million for invasive plant species removal.  

• $3.6 million for storm water capital investments.  

• $454,000 to support air quality operating costs. 

• $2.2 million for 90 additional electric vehicle charging stations.   

• $2.9 million for 64 additional electric vehicles.   

• Staff to focus on farmland preservation. 

Health Access 

The FY2024 recommended budget includes $29 million related to health access. In addition to adding resources for Medicaid expansion and economic services, the budget includes funding for healthcare and behavioral health contract increases, expansion of senior nutrition programs, additional staff for assisting our veterans, six new Community Service Grant recipients that focus on health access, and full-time behavioral health services at the Valerie C. Woodard and Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Centers. 

A new partnership with Cabarrus-Rowan Community Health Centers, a federally qualified healthcare provider, will serve Mecklenburg County residents. The County will invest: 

• $350,000 for mobile delivery of medical, behavioral health, and dental services three days a week at the Salvation Army Center of Hope. This will serve 1,000 patients per year.  

• $562,000 in recurring funding for a new location in northern Mecklenburg County and $437,500 one-time investment for renovations and transportation. 

Housing Insecurity 

The County Manager recommends $25 million in new funding to help residents achieve housing security. 

• $14 million for “Helping Out Mecklenburg Homeowners with Economic Support,” or the HOMES program. This program provides grants to qualifying homeowners to help assist with paying property taxes. Mecklenburg County would commit $8.5 million, along with $4.2 million from the City of Charlotte, with operating costs of $1.3 million shared by County and City. 

• Expanded funding for the “A Home for All” strategy, the community’s plan to end and prevent homelessness:  

  • A $222,000 increase in the contract with the United Way of Greater Charlotte, which is implementing the plan. 

  • $350,000 for a planning grant to build a strong system navigation framework.  

  • $150,000 for a planning grant to encourage more vendors to participate in critical home repair programs. 

  • $75,000 for a planning grant to extend emergency rental assistance programs.  

  • $500,000 for landlord recruitment strategies to encourage higher participation in rental subsidy programs.  

  • $1 million to pilot an emergency rental assistance program in Mecklenburg County.   

  • $200,000 increase to Legal Aid for eviction prevention efforts. 

Workforce Development 

• $1.3 million for MeckSuccess, a pilot program designed to help families with wraparound services to achieve economic mobility. 

• $40,000 for patch-based drug testing for prison-involved clients through Criminal Justice Services. 

• $360,000 for the Business LaunchPad program to help small business owners take their companies to the next level. 

Equity and Inclusion 

• $3 million to fund a Child Development Account (CDA) program, where qualifying four-year-olds will receive $1,000 for their 529 Plan account to help plan for college and other educational needs after high school. 

Arts and Culture 

The recommended budget includes $3.5 million for the Arts and Science Council, an increase of $1.4 million over last year. It includes: 

• $113,000 for the costs associated with the public art program.  

• $750,000 for unrestricted operating support.   

• $500,000 for continued expansion of the Culture Blocks program which offers free classes across the County in dance, fitness, theater, pottery, cooking, music, and more. This program brings the arts and art experiences to residents through libraries, recreation centers, parks, and other community spaces in all neighborhoods in the County.  

• $30,000 for artist support grants which funds individual artists access to resources to invest in their creative practice.  

American Rescue Plan Act Funding 

This year’s recommended budget includes the historic utilization of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which contribute to the Board of County Commissioners’ priorities and the goal of making significant impacts to County residents. In January 2023, Mecklenburg County committed $99 million in ARPA funding for 75 programs and initiatives. That totals more than $208 million when combined with $109 million in new funding recommended for the Board’s priorities. 

What’s Next? 

The Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to receive citizen input on the FY2024 recommended budget. The public hearing is scheduled for Thursday, May 25, at 6 p.m. in the Meeting Chamber of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St., Charlotte, N.C. 28202. Speakers can sign up at the meeting. Residents can also register or comment in advance online, by calling 980-314-2914, or emailing [email protected]. The deadline to register or submit comments in advance is Wednesday, May 24 at 5 p.m. 

Following the public hearing, the Board will hold a straw vote sessions on June 1. The Board is scheduled to adopt the Fiscal Year 2024 budget at its regular meeting on June 6 at 6 p.m. The public hearing, straw vote sessions, and adoption meeting can be viewed at Watch.MeckNC.gov. 

The Fiscal Year 2024 budget will take effect July 1, 2023. 

A recording of the County Manager’s presentation of the recommended budget can be viewed at Watch.MeckNC.gov. The recommendation and additional information are a