Charlotte leaders will hold a nonbinding straw vote on next year’s $3.6B budget, with proposed fee increases, pay raises, and no property tax hike on the table.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Charlotte City Council will cast straw votes Monday night on a proposed $3.6 billion budget.
It touches nearly every corner of daily life for Charlotte residents โ from trash pickup and water bills to employee pay and long-term investments in affordable housing and public safety.
The FY2026 budget, introduced by City Manager Marcus Jones in early May, represents a 5.2% increase from last year.ย
RELATED: Mecklenburg commissioners pass straw vote on proposed budget, but concerns remain about property tax hikes
Despite the bump, the budget does not include a property tax increase.
Instead, the city is leaning on cost recovery strategies to close a $6.5 million shortfall in sales tax revenue. That includes eliminating 17 vacant positions and modestly increasing monthly fees for city services.
If approved, most Charlotte households will see an average monthly increase of $7.49 in utility and service fees:
- Solid Waste Removal: +$1.35 a month
- Water Service: +$5.47 a month
- Stormwater Service: +$0.67 a month
The solid waste fee is part of a four-year plan to raise cost recovery to 50% for residential curbside collection by splitting the current fee into curbside and dumpster components.
The budget includes a range of employee pay and benefit enhancements:
- Raises the cityโs minimum wage to $24 an hour
- 4% pay increase for hourly employees (1.5% in September and a 2.5% merit pool in November)
- 3% merit pool for salaried employees
- Police and Fire: Most sworn employees will receive a 6.5% raise, while those at the top pay step get a 1.5% increase plus a 1.5% one-time bonus
The city is also investing in infrastructure to support public safety:
- $11 million for a public safety radio replacement program
- Expansion of the 911 Call Center and training academy
- Funding for five firehouse projects, a new commercial burn building, and 15 more hybrid take-home vehicles for police
As part of a structural realignment, Animal Care and Control will move out of CMPD and into General Services โ a shift officials say will improve efficiency. The budget also commits:
- $30 million over four years to a satellite adoption facility
- $2.5 million for sustainable infrastructure in city buildings
- $1.8 million toward urgent home repair and affordable housing support
- $1 million to launch a Community Benefits Fund tied to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan
The city is also setting up a new Office of Youth Opportunities, and continuing the Education to Employment (E2E) program that helps CMS graduates secure entry-level city jobs.
During a public hearing on May 12, residents and city employees shared several concerns including staffing shortages at Animal Care & Control.
RELATED: Charlotte’s animal shelter would separate from police department under city manager’s proposal
“With animal intake as high as it is and animals staying longer, and the shelter expansion project a couple of years away, those positions are desperately needed now,” one speaker said.
City employees are also continuing to push for a $25 an hour minimum wage.
“City workers are still struggling because over the past years, they have been behind as far as getting advances, raises, and also a minimum wage,” another speaker added.
The straw vote on Monday, June 2 is nonbinding, but it will offer a clear signal of where council members stand ahead of the final adoption vote on June 9.
Contact Destiny Richards at drichards5@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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