Follow the money behind Charlotte's transit tax campaign
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Pamphlets from Alex's mailbox. No, that's not how you spell Mecklenburg. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios
Charlotte Regional Business Alliance's "Yes For Meck" campaign has raised and spent roughly $1.7 million so far this year, according to the latest campaign financing, first reported by the Charlotte Ledger.
Why it matters: The campaign that's filling your mailbox with pamphlets and your neighborhood's right-of-ways with yard signs is largely fueled by big corporate donors.
Driving the news: Mecklenburg County residents are voting on a 1% sales tax referendum this Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4.
- If passed, it would generate $19.4 billion over 30 years for various road, bike, pedestrian, bus and rail projects.
- The combined sales tax rate in Mecklenburg County would rise from 7.25% to 8.25%.
The other side: Action NC is running the largest organized opposition to the tax, arguing it's "regressive" and will hurt low-income communities. The group tells Axios it's spent no more than $8,000 on its radio advertisements, text messages and 500 yard signs.
- That's chump change compared with the $3 million that the Alliance has said it intends to raise, which has the backing of companies like Atrium Health, American Airlines and Coca-Cola Consolidated.
Follow the money: The biggest contributor, by far, is Atrium Health, chipping in $250,000 through at least Oct. 20, the end of the reporting period. Atrium Health CEO Gene Woods is a co-chair of the campaign.
- The General Assembly has appointed the campaign's other chair, CLT Alliance's board chair David Longo, to serve on a 27-member transit authority that will oversee spending if the referendum passes.
- Giving $105,000, the second most generous donor is HNTB, a national infrastructure firm that the city has contracted with on construction projects, including the Blue Line extension.
What they're saying: Matthew Panik, chief advocacy officer of the Alliance, told Axios in a statement that the high level of fundraising "is a testament to the shared belief that Mecklenburg County must make bold investments in our region to ensure we can meet the challenges of the future."
Top 16 for-profit contributors
- Atrium Health — $250,000
- HNTB Corporation — $105,000
- Hornets Sports & Entertainment — $55,000
- Ally Financial — $50,000
- Charlotte Motor Speedway — $50,000
- TTX — $50,000
- Sonic Automotive — $50,000
- Carolina Panthers — $50,000
- Nucor — $50,000
- National Gypsum Company — $50,000
- Hendrick Automotive Group — $50,000
- HDR — $50,000
- Duke Energy Corporation — $50,000
- Compass Group North America — $50,000
- Coca-Cola Consolidated — $50,000
- Charlotte Pipe And Foundry Company — $50,000
Top 5 expenses
- Nexus Strategies — $1.2 million — consulting, digital media, direct mail, digital, phones, radio
- D. Wilson Agency — $294,734.69 — signs, stickers, buttons, tees, cards, banners, booth, table covers and business systems, among other expenses
- Loch Creative/CS Media LLC — $41,500 — media production, digital ads and a press conference
- Gamechangers Strategies (a new Charlotte firm by former Sen. Thom Tilis aide Jordan Shaw) — $30,000 — consulting
- Spiracle Media — $30,000 — video production