City Manager presents $4.5 billion budget, proposes $25 minimum and public‑safety tax increase

City Manager Mr. Jones presented the City of Charlotte's proposed FY 2026 budget to the City Council, calling it "a $4.5 billion budget" and saying the general fund crosses the $1 billion mark. He said the proposal prioritizes public safety, affordable housing, workforce development and strategic infrastructure investments.

Mr. Jones said the budget reflects council direction given at an earlier strategy meeting and uses a mix of reallocated debt‑service/paygo funds and a proposed property tax increase dedicated entirely to public safety. "The property tax increase that I'm proposing for this budget is ... and 100% of it is for public safety," he said, and estimated the equivalent impact for a typical homeowner at about $5.71 per month. He also told the council he had identified $7.4 million in efficiencies in the current budget cycle.

The manager laid out specific public‑safety proposals: a 10% pay increase for police officers through sergeant rank, 35 additional take‑home police vehicles (some funded by federal earmarks), a three‑year plan to replace police dash cameras, and a 7% pay increase for firefighters with two additional captain positions. He said the package includes $4 million for turnout gear replacement and $4.1 million to reduce overtime pressure in the fire department. "These initiatives will help Chief Patterson get the [police department] fully staffed," Mr. Jones said.

On housing and economic opportunity, Mr. Jones proposed reestablishing a steady housing bond program at $100 million per bond cycle and recommended raising the upcoming bond to $125 million to address displacement and affordable‑housing needs. He described leveraging about $150 million in public investment to attract more than $4 billion in private and philanthropic capital.

The manager proposed workforce and employee supports, including expanding a prepaid tuition program (he said 450 city employees participate and 26 degrees awarded to date), a Road to Hire expansion in Title I schools (a $15 million program with the city's 10% contribution of $1.5 million), and a proposal to raise the city minimum pay from $24 to $25 an hour for 40‑hour permanent employees. "I'm proposing that we also increase our minimum pay for employees to $25 an hour," Mr. Jones said.

Mr. Jones framed investment in transportation and Mobility Plus as central to long‑term growth, noting seven shovel‑ready “big‑move” projects and an estimated $5.7 billion in transportation funding coming to the city over the next 30 years. He also reviewed the planned transition of CATS to a regional transit authority, with employees moving to the authority on Jan. 1, 2027, and the city operating the system through Dec. 31, 2026.

The proposed budget includes three fee increases to maintain service levels: solid waste ($1.35 per month), wastewater ($4.41), and stormwater ($0.48). Mr. Jones stressed maintaining the city's AAA ratings and stable enterprise funds as rationale for some adjustments.

The council was given a schedule for public participation and decisions: a public hearing on May 11, a budget adjustments meeting on May 18, straw votes in late May/early June and a final adoption deadline no later than June 30. The mayor closed the meeting after a motion to adjourn was moved and seconded and carried without opposition.

The council will now take public comment at the May 11 hearing and consider councilmember adjustments at the May 18 meeting; specifics of any adjustment or final vote were not decided at this session.