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Legislation needed for town to break from CMS

MATTHEWS, N.C. — State officials told Channel 9 legislation passed by the General Assembly would be required for Matthews and Mint Hill to break away from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

That could be avoided if CMS guarantees neighborhood schools, officials said.

A bill would have to be drafted on a local level and could ask for people to vote on it or Mecklenburg County commissioners would have to develop a transition plan creating the two districts if passed by the General Assembly.

Rep. Bill Brawley, R-Mecklenburg, who represents the Matthews area, is not at the point of drafting a bill but said he would if it is necessary.

“If you're asking me, ‘Would I be the principal person to have the bill drafted and run it? Yes," Brawley said.

He said the towns of Matthews and Mint Hill would have to present a reasonable plan.

That's the goal of a newly formed task force the mayor of Matthews, Jim Taylor, created after the board passed a resolution that explores breaking away from CMS.

If there was a financial shortfall, the burden would potentially be in the form of a tax increase but the mayor said it would not be that much.

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