CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio unveiled the proposed 2023 fiscal budget Thursday. The budget is proposed at $2.1 billion -- this budget is $111 million more than the 2022 fiscal budget.
To add, there is no tax increase this year even though the budget is much larger. This is the fourth straight year without a tax increase. Instead, the county is bringing in more money from the already determined sales tax.
A priority this year is employee retention. The proposal grants a 5% increase for all salaried county workers and sets the county employee minimum wage at $20 an hour.
County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell said she hopes the pay bump will deter people from taking their talents outside the county.
“The worst thing, we put money into training people and they go into the private sector where they could earn a lot of money," Rodriguez-McDowell said.
While some sectors are seeing more money, others are not. If passed, there will be changes to the Jail North Facility of Mecklenburg County. A spokesperson for the Sheriff's office told WCNC Charlotte, "if and when it is adopted, MCSO WILL discontinue operating the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) STARTING December 1, 2022."
This move would save millions. This announcement comes after a WCNC Charlotte report highlighted overcrowding, inspection failures and dangerous situations at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.