Four months and two budget workshops later - city council members still can't decide how to pay for streetcars in the budget.
The Charlotte City Manager put forth a 926-million dollar capital improvement plan that includes a street car extension to the Beatties Ford and Central Avenue corridors.
Members of the Council say they all agree the two and a half mile street car extension would help improve economic development in those communities. But they disagree on how to fund it.
Some council members are reluctant to pay for the transit project solely on raised property taxes. Mayor Anthony Foxx held a special budget workshop Tuesday. Council members discussed ways to find alternative sources of revenue.
Council member Michael Barnes says he believes the private sector should help bear the cost for this transit. He says businesses, universities and colleges in the corridors where the street cars would run will benefit from the project and should help pay.
"While we have people expressing an interest along this proposed stretch, no one has really stepped up yet to add anything to the pot", says Barnes.
If there is no private sector money, Barnes says "it will be hard for me to envision streetcars in the budget".
It will take a majority vote to pass the capital improvement plan.
Mayor Foxx says "one thing I think you did hear today is folks are interested in looking at alternative revenue sources. If we can either develop a combination of sources or assure ourselves there will be private sector investment that comes along with public investment, we may have figured out a way to get it done".
At the end of November the City Council will decide which items to keep in the budget.
