Huntersville mayor opposed to CATS' plan to spend millions of tax dollars

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Huntersville Mayor John Aneralla said he’s trying to derail CATS' plan to spend millions of tax dollars to chart a new light rail route in the Lake Norman area.

He's opposed to its plan because he said commuters have much more pressing needs, like better bus stops.

"We could relieve people's pain today rather than study something that we think doesn't have any chance of being viable,” Aneralla said.

CATS wants to spend more than $2 million to find a new corridor for the light rail line.

Initially, it proposed a Red Line extension along an existing freight line, but the owner of the railroad shot down that plan.

"If we can't use it now, we understand that, or maybe it will change, but right now we have real needs,” Aneralla said.

Aneralla said he would rather spend the $2 million on improving bus stops like the one on Highway 115 where there aren't benches or sidewalks.

"It's just more and more and more money,” said Angela Sellie, who takes the CATS bus to uptown Charlotte.

Lake Norman commuters have paid the mass transit tax for nearly 20 years and many are frustrated they still don't have better options.

"The light rail probably would be probably nice,” Sellie said.

While some think CATS’ new plan could finally make it happen, Aneralla said the transit system's study would just waste taxpayers' money.

"We don't want a study for any fixed rail in north Mecklenburg,” Aneralla said. “We want that money to be used to alleviate transportation today."

Cox Media Group