CHARLOTTE — From New light rail routes to improved bus service, the sales tax increase going into effect in July is supposed to fund it all. The board in charge of it is called the Metropolitan Public Transit Authority.
Community Activist Colette Forest with the Charlotte Black Voter Project is organizing a chance for the public to hear from the MPTA on what has been done since the vote narrowly passed in November. It’s Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Reeder Memorial Baptist Church.
“I hope to hear inspiration,” Forest said. “I hope to hear economic opportunity. I hope to hear safety and equitable distribution of the resources and the infrastructure as they’re building it.”
Forest is bringing together MPTA Chair David Howard and County Commission Chair Mark Jerrell to answer questions.
Forest was originally opposed to the transit tax. Now that it is going forward she’s focusing on making sure the funds raised from it are properly and transparently used
“We want to figure out, find out and talk about what happens next,” she said. “There’s billion dollar projects that are being proposed. How is that going to benefit the least of these? How is that going to benefit the crescent? How is that going to benefit the Black community? How’s it going to benefit Black homeowners and Black entrepreneurs?”
Forest says the community has big expectations from the new transit funds.
“We want everyone, Black, brown, white riders, to have their fees to be kept competitive and to make it affordable,” she said. “We want them to ride safe. We want them to ride safe without fear of being attacked or being assaulted, and, God no, not murdered.”
The event is on Monday, April 20, at Reeder Memorial Baptist Church. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. The forum will begin at 6 p.m.
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