WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC-Dozens plead against county budget cuts; with one notable exception

Dozens plead against county budget cuts; with one notable exception

By Tom Roussey - bio l email

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - What do the library, the Council on Aging, New Beginnings, mental health, the sheriff's office, and a whole lot of other agencies have in common?

At least one person from all of them came Thursday night to tell Mecklenburg county commissioners not to cut their budgets further.

Commissioners held a hearing in which anybody could speak their mind about the budget.  Although around 50 people took advantage, not one person came specifically for the purpose of talking about CMS.

This despite the fact the district is in the process of laying off hundreds of teachers.

Among those who did show up, Mecklenburg sheriff Chipp Bailey came to ask for no more cuts to the sheriff's office.

"Everyone needs to share the burden proportionately," Bailey said.

A number of folks asked for the same thing.  Many seem concerned that the county won't cut CMS as much as the county manager recommends, and in the process force other county services to suffer more than they already are.

County commissioners will use the next several weeks to make any changes they want to the budget.  They're scheduled to vote on the final budget on June 16.

For more on the budget, click here.  For more on what gets cut, click here.