MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners voted 7-2 Tuesday night to pass its roughly $2 billion county budget, including a controversial provision, that will restrict $56 million from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Behind the restricted contingency
Prior to the final budget vote, commissioners Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, Laura Meier and Ella Scarborough voted in favor of an amendment to the budget that would have removed the condition around the restriction from CMS, but that amendment failed.
"Schools and teachers take a beating and we are holding the bat," Meier said.
"This issue with school funding is so egregious in my view, that it has overshadowed much of the good that we're doing with this budget," Rodriguez-McDowell added.
Last week, the board approved the provision in the budget with a 6-2 vote. A majority of commissioners have said withholding millions from CMS holds the district accountable, forcing them to produce a measurable plan on how they will close achievement gaps for minority students.
"Let's make it better for everybody," said Vilma Leake, who voted in favor of the restriction, arguing it will hold CMS accountable.
Community members spoke out about the controversy for weeks during county board meeting, including minutes before leaders voted to approve the budget.
"We do not have a crisis in finance, we have a leadership crisis" said Rev. Jordan Boyd with the African American Faith Alliance for Educational Advancement. "Thank you commissioners for taking a stand."
"Schools are a reflection of our society and can't fix what society has broken. If we repair our communities, then our schools will reflect that," resident David Taylor argued.
CMS says they already have a plan, developed in 2018. Rodriguez-McDowell and Meier have previously argued that withholding funds from CMS isn't the answer to improving outcomes. CMS has signaled it will challenge the hold on funds.
Below are details of the $56 million allocated to CMS:
- $56 million is conditionally allocated to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and can be expended once the district provides an educational attainment plan to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners that articulates the district’s plan for the spending of County dollars to address gaps in educational attainment. The plan should include quantifiable goals, strategies, targets, and timeframes to:
- Improve the performance of the 42 low performing schools within the school district
- Improve performance scores and grades for all individual disaggregated subgroups including economically disadvantaged students and students from major racial and ethnic groups
- Ensure that that at least 75% of students within all demographic subgroups graduate with at least one State endorsement by the end of the 2024 school year
- Limit the achievement gap disparity of college and career readiness to no more than 10% for each demographic subgroup by 2024
CMS responds
In response to the budget being passed, CMS released a statement confirming the district will "formally initiate the dispute resolution statute." CMS said in a statement that many students are already behind schedule due to the pandemic, and this restriction could make things worse.
"Our students would be better served if our two boards could collaborate as good-faith partners -- respectfully, truthfully, and strategically, each in accordance with the roles assigned to us by statute," Elyse Dashew, chair of the Board of Education, said in part in a statement. "We hope this sort of relationship will be The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education Press Release Mecklenburg County Commissioners Budget Vote possible in our future. The stakes could not be higher."
The full statement from CMS can be found below. Can't see it? Click here.
Disengaging with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare
The board of commissioners also voted unanimously to disengage with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare at the meeting Tuesday. Cardinal Innovations Healthcare oversees behavioral health treatment in 20 counties across North Carolina. County officials accuse the organization of being inaccessible to people who need their help the most.
Commissioner Mark Jerrell did not vote due to a conflict of interest.
Breaking down the rest of the budget
The board of commissioners $2 billion county budget also includes plans to:
Expand affordable housing:
- $7 million to support annual rental subsidy funding. This includes $1.6 million to expand the MeckHome Program.
- $1 million to continue funding for the Habitat for Humanity Critical Home Repair Program
- $2.5 million to match City funding to support the purchase of a Shelter/Hotel by the Salvation Army
- $512,000 for the Salvation Army Family Shelter
- $750,000 to support expansion of The Relatives new On-Ramp Center
- $250,000 for the HOMES Program. The program helps low to moderate-income Mecklenburg County homeowners keep their homes by providing financial assistance.
- $530,000 for supportive services for those experiencing chronic homelessness. Includes Roof Above, Hillrock Estates and McCreesh Place.
- $82,000 to create a new Real Estate coordinator position to support the Elder Response and Habitat for Humanity Critical Home Repair programs
Advance environmental leadership:
- $20 million for park, greenway, and nature preserve land acquisition
- $3.7 million for facility upgrades including on-site solar, deep energy retrofits, and the addition of two new positions to manage the program
- $2.4 million for the purchase of electric vehicles and the installation of related infrastructure
- $3.4 million for stream restoration to repair stream banks and prevent flooding
- $743,000 for invasive species control and removal
- $40,000 for an Environmental Justice Study
Improve workforce development:
- $884,000 for Road to Hire. The funding will connect 330 low-income high school seniors to programming, paid apprenticeships, college scholarships and life skills support
- $100,000 for marketing to promote the County’s workforce development strategy
- $100,000 for monthly housing stipends for Meck Success clients for four months
- $98,000 to add an additional position in the County Manager’s Office to manage the County’s Workforce Development strategy
- $79,000 to create a Business Retention/Attraction position in the Office of Economic Development
- $77,000 to support the Center for Employment Opportunities to provide job opportunities for residents who were formerly incarcerated
- $75,000 for Youth Conservation Corps
- $75,000 in additional funding for the Center for Community Transitions to continue its work with previously incarcerated individuals
- $75,000 for a new position at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library to work on the digital divide and workforce development. The position will work to reduce the digital divide and develop sustainable workstreams to foster workforce development by leveraging library technology and resources
- $50,000 for the Small Business Consortium
- $30,000 for ASPIRE Community Capital. The nonprofit supports underserved residents who aspire to become or who are already entrepreneurs
- $25,000 for Prospera North Carolina. The nonprofit provides entrepreneurship programming such as seminars, consulting, grant, capital, or other planning services for Hispanic-owned small businesses.
For more information on the 2022 Fiscal Year budget, click here.
Contact Hunter Sáenz at hsaenz@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
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