Transit officials concerned light rail expansion may fall apart

Transit officials have spent years planning out where they will expand the light rail throughout Mecklenburg County.

Channel 9 has learned the investment from taxpayers and years of planning may suddenly fall apart.

The Metropolitan transit commission has decided to send a letter to congress asking them not to derail their light rail expansion plans.

President Donald Trump wants to slash part of the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program to save money.

Transit commissioners planned on using that money to extend the light rail to Lake Norman, Matthews and Charlotte Douglas Airport.

The Metropolitan Transit Commission is so concerned about the proposed cuts, it will decide on Wednesday if it is going to send a letter to Congress to ask it not to derail the expansion plans.

"If you pay your taxes, I think they should expand it,” said Clara Rogers, a Huntersville commuter.

For two decades, residents in Lake Norman have been paying a transit tax to help fund the expansion of the light rail from Charlotte to Mooresville.

Some commuters worry the years of planning and taxpayer dollars could now go to waste if the federal cuts are approved.

"Right now, these federal dollars, it goes back right to another study. Nothing is getting done,” Huntersville Mayor Pro Tem Danny Phillips said.

Phillips doesn't think the Metropolitan Transit Commission has used federal dollars wisely in the past. He points out that it has been 20 years and Huntersville is still waiting on the light rail.

"We're to the point we need to repeal the transit tax," Phillips said.

The commission will decide if it will send a letter to Congress to ask it not to kill the transit plans.

In the letter, Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts said, “...it is vitally important that we can continue to count on our partners at the federal level."

The 2018 federal budget year starts in October, so transit officials hope they have enough time to influence Congress before the budget is approved.

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