Leaders with Mecklenburg County, the city of Charlotte and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools warned that a state proposal to limit property tax increases would strain future budgets.
The conversation took place at a joint legislative breakfast between the three boards, staff and Mecklenburg County’s General Assembly delegation on Tuesday.
CMS intergovernmental relations director Charles Jeter told a room full of state legislators and local politicians that a property tax levy limit would dramatically impact Mecklenburg County’s budget and schools. He called it the most detrimental policy he’d seen for education since the Opportunity Scholarship private school voucher.
“If this happens, it’ll almost be impossible to undo and it will have a detrimental impact on every child in this community, every resident in this community and every service that this community provides,” Jeter said.
State legislators have floated a constitutional amendment that would limit the amount local municipalities can increase their property tax levies each year.
But Mecklenburg County officials argued the county is already struggling to meet its needs. They argued for targeted tax relief instead of what they called a “one-size-fits-all” solution. They also argued they tax at rate well below the existing statutory limit.
It wasn’t the only legislative priority the boards discussed. Mecklenburg County’s interim Public Health Director Kimberly Scott called for state lawmakers to consider changing the language of the 2023 Parents Bill of Rights to change dental, vision and hearing screenings to an “opt out” model.
The Bill of Rights changed it to an “opt in” model, meaning parents who wanted screenings would need to sign paperwork allowing it. Scott said it’s led to a significant decline in screenings.
In the 2022-2023 school year, for instance, 71% of students received dental screenings, Scott shared. Only 21% were screened in '25-'26. Officials said vision screenings also fell. CMS Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight said screenings are important.
