CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -
The Charlotte City Council voted to put off budget decisions until next spring. Council members say they need more time to study the projects, review the costs, and see how the city can pay for them. The council decided to send the projects to committees for review.
Council members have to decide whether to vote for an elaborate budget that would include the street car extension or a pared down budget.
"We can continue to kick the can down the road but that doesn't help Charlotte grow and prosper", says Council member John Autry.
Council member James Mitchell says the decision to delay budget action is "us doing our homework and not feeling so much pressure that we have to do something now".
The City Council has been trying to make budget decisions since earlier this year. Discussions at previous budget meetings centered around the street car extension. Some Council members believe the street car project is critical to the revitalization of east and west Charlotte. Other members refuse to raise property taxes to support the project.
Some Council members say the budget discussions have caused tension on the Council.
"I do think it's the right time to bring our city together, citizens together. Let's focus on the holiday season. Let's hug our children tighter after the tragedy in Newtown, CT. We'll come back together in February. We'll categorize, prioritize projects and get it done", says Council member Beth Pickering.
Some Charlotte residents attended the special budget meeting hoping to hear some decisions.
Mary Klenz says "we need to move forward on this. We're very impatient, disappointed in that this cannot be solved and resolved in a way that is good for all of Charlotte".
Mayor Anthony Foxx, citing the uncertainties of the fiscal cliff and the federal budget, a new state government and money concerns for local municipalities, and Mecklenburg County's revaluation problems as reasons for the City Council to sit back and wait before taking action on the budget.
On the street car extension, Mayor Foxx says committees should study if street car "is the most catalytic investment that can be made to revitalize east and west Charlotte"?
The Mayor says council members also need to know if street car "can be paid for in a way that reduces the burden on property taxpayers"?
Council member Warren Cooksey says he proposed delaying the budget vote months ago so members could study the projects. Cooksey says "I've pledged I don't want to vote to raise anyone's tax bills but tax bills have to be raised to make the capital investment plan work".
Cooksey says he doesn't think anyone wants to "create a burden on taxpayers but the debate as the Mayor framed it is - which is the burden - a tax hike now or lack of projects later? I tend to think that tax hike now is the greater burden".
