Commissioner thinks Ballantyne would fare better as its own town

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — A Mecklenburg County Commissioner wants Ballantyne to break away from Charlotte and become its own town.

"The people living out here are separate and distinct enough that they deserve their own town," Commissioner Bill James said.

According to James, Ballantyne taxes would stay in Ballantyne and probably go down.

"All you got to do is pull up the tax rate for Matthews and the towns. I mean look at the town tax rates and compare it to the City of Charlotte's rate," he said.

WSOC looked up the rates for Charlotte and all six towns. Charlotte's tax rate is the highest, almost 44 cents for every $100 of a home's is worth.

Frank Bowers lives near Ballantyne and thinks it should split. "Tax, tax, tax, that's all [Charlotte leaders] know," he said.

But Ballantyne resident Phil Kuitems disagrees. "I think the city's being very fair to Ballantyne," he said.

But there would be many issues to work out before Ballantyne could incorporate. It would need its own police force and trash pick-up. The City of Charlotte has spent millions on water, sewer, and roads in Ballantyne over the years.

Charlotte may not keep paying the debt, especially if Charlotte loses this major tax base.

That's why people who live in other Mecklenburg County towns urge caution.

"I like my small town environment feel," one Huntersville resident said, "But also it's good to have the feeling and the notion that you're belonging to a bigger part of Charlotte."

Even if Ballantyne residents come together and make an official push to split from Charlotte, they would need the state to sign off on it, something experts don't remember the General Assembly ever doing.

State Sen. Bob Rucho, who represents Ballantyne, said that if Ballantyne residents do the legwork, he may help, but "I'm not taking any action until people have asked me to get involved in the process."

Also, WSOC is told many Republicans would like to incorporate Ballantyne because they seem to have a majority there and would be able to control a Ballantyne town council, instead of now, where democrats control almost all Charlotte city council seats.

WSOC