NC: Tricia Cotham files her own transit bill with key difference for east Mecklenburg

Mecklenburg’s only Republican House member’s take on Charlotte’s transportation plan offers a glimmer of hope for a long-awaited light rail project.

Rep. Tricia Cotham introduced a bill Thursday that would allow Mecklenburg County to put to a vote a sales tax increase to pay for road, rail and bus projects and establish a new public transit authority for the region. Similar bills were introduced in recent weeks in the state Senate after a majority of Mecklenburg leaders endorsed a draft plan.

Officials previously indicated the southeast Mecklenburg legislator, who narrowly won reelection last year in her first race since her controversial party switch, would shepherd the bill on the House side. Fellow Charlotte-area Republican Vickie Sawyer has led efforts in the state Senate as the region’s Democrat-heavy delegation tried to woo a skeptical GOP conference.

But Cotham’s version doesn’t include a cap on rail spending included in the Senate bill and local draft legislation. That cap made it impossible to build the full Silver Line, originally slated to run from Belmont to Matthews, as light rail in the next 30 years.

The House bill also calls for the new transit authority to study the feasibility of the eastern leg of the Silver Line, including potential additional funding sources.

Cotham’s district includes Matthews — where some town leaders have vocally opposed Charlotte’s plan over the Silver Line’s fate.

Could Cotham’s bill save Silver Line?

The Charlotte Area Transit System previously laid out four scenarios for what could be affordable under the Senate bill.

The first option called for the Silver Line to be built as light rail from the airport to Bojangles Coliseum in east Charlotte, with the option to extend it in both directions in the future. The other options converted all or some of the Silver Line to bus rapid transit — with buses in dedicated lanes that have traffic signal priority, elevated platforms and enhanced stations.

But the funding breakdown in Cotham’s bill could provide more revenue for rail than used in those calculations. Where the Senate bill caps rail spending at 40% of new tax revenue, Cotham’s proposal caps all public transit spending at 60% of new dollars.

Her bill also calls for “a value engineering study” into the eastern leg of the Silver Line running from Charlotte’s center city through Matthews to the Levine Campus of Central Piedmont Community College. The study would “include efforts to identify and, if possible, procure the funding needed to establish the Silver Line East as a light rail line.”

Additional revenue sources could include additional local taxes or fees, municipal service districts, tax increment financing, public-private partnerships, naming rights, station rents, station air rights, advertising revenues, private donations and the sale of amenities on public transportation such as Wi-Fi or priority seating, according to the bill.

The new transit authority would have to conduct the study within a year of the legislation becoming law.

Like its Senate counterparts, Cotham’s bill drew swift praise Thursday from Mecklenburg leaders, including the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and the managers of Mecklenburg County, the city of Charlotte and the towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Mint Hill and Pineville.

“We appreciate the thoughtful considerations that Rep. Cotham has taken, and the managers look forward to working with her and her colleagues in the House and Senate to advance legislation that increases mobility choices for the people of Mecklenburg County and our visitors,” the managers said in their joint statement.

The only Mecklenburg town not included in the statement was Matthews — the only municipality whose leadership voted against draft legislation last year.

Matthews' position on Silver Line

Matthews’ August resolution opposing the draft bill called for either a bigger sales tax increase — 1.4 cents — to help pay for the full Silver Line as light rail or for all rail projects to be converted to bus rapid transit.

Mayor John Higdon repeatedly slammed the idea of bus rapid transit, saying it wouldn’t generate the same economic benefits as light rail and that he doesn’t have faith in CATS’ ability to put together a high-performing system.

But the town’s resolve softened slightly in recent weeks when multiple commissioners said voters should make an informed decision through a referendum. That led to a heated debate over whether the town should keep paying a lobbyist to advocate against Charlotte’s plan.

Higdon told the Observer Thursday he’s still reviewing Cotham’s bill but “will continue to work with our partners in Raleigh to advocate for what’s best for Matthews.”

Asked about Matthews’ opposition the same day the first Senate bill was introduced, state House Speaker Destin Hall mentioned Cotham’s ties to the southeast Mecklenburg community.

“Tricia has a voice that carries great weight in our caucus, and I imagine that her opinion on this bill is going to carry a lot of weight with members of our caucus,” he said.

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