CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mecklenburg County's transit tax stays in place.

Roughly 70 percent of voters Tuesday chose to keep the tax instead of repeal it. One of the people leading the charge to save the tax, retiring Republican Charlotte City Councilman Pat Mumford, said, "It's sort of how I expected it to go, actually a little bit better. Frankly, surprisingly, about 10 percentage points higher than I had really guessed we would be."

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VIDEO: Election Roundup: Winners Clearly Defined

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He told the pro-transit crowd at Dilworth Neighborhood Grille that voters said “yes” to mass transit twice now -- first when they approved the tax and now by refusing the repeal it. He also said Charlotte's transit officials are the best in the country and Tuesday's vote shows most voters agree.

The vote means mass transit will continue on the same course. Politicians will decide whether to build more rail lines and expand bus service. It also means they should not have to raise property taxes to pay debt on the first light rail line, the south corridor, which is set to open the end of November.

Schools To Get Improvements

Voters have also approved $516 million in bonds for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

The bonds will pay for 40 projects, including 12 new schools. More than half of the items on the list were also on the 2005 bond list.

“Today I think the voters spoke that they want to make sure that kids have the facilities they need. Now we have to work as quickly and efficiently as we can to make sure we get that work out on the street, start that new construction and renovation” said CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman.

In 2005, voters soundly defeated the bonds, but two years later things are very different. Then voters said they did not have faith in the school district.

Now the votes were about two to one in favor of school bonds – 68 percent to 32 percent.

“I think it is a clear message that the community cares about its public schools and that’s a great message for us to send,” Gorman said.

PDF: Project List For 2007 School Bond

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