Strolling Ballantyne Daily Update – February 25, 2025
👋 Morning, Ballantyne. The wheels are turning in North Carolina politics, and today’s headlines are full of power plays, policy battles, and financial realities. Senate Leader Phil Berger is giving the nod (but not a push) to a sales tax bill that would fund Charlotte’s massive transportation project. Meanwhile, House Speaker Destin Hall reminds us that bills are never final until legislators have their say. On the school front, Stephanie Sneed and Summer Nunn are sounding alarms over potential Medicaid cuts, while Tim Moore and Mark Harris claim there’s nothing to see here. Reid Wilson welcomes a new EPA appointee, even as history suggests that caution might be wise. The city is also gearing up for a memorial event honoring fallen officers, cannabis activists want clarity on North Carolina’s enforcement policies, and Avello Airlines is axing flights faster than a budget committee slashing expenditures.
Buckle up. Here’s what you need to know today.
🚦 Transportation Tax: A Delicate Balancing Act
The North Carolina General Assembly is entertaining a bill that could allow Mecklenburg County voters to raise the sales tax by a penny to fund a multi-billion dollar transportation plan. The catch? The bill won’t move until the state budget passes, which could push the referendum into 2026 if negotiations stall.
- Phil Berger’s careful endorsement: “I’m encouraging my members to look at the proposal, to understand the reasons for it, and to make a decision.” Translation: He’s not fighting for it, but he’s not against it either.
- The bill guarantees 40% of new revenue goes to roads—a must-have for GOP lawmakers.
- House Speaker Destin Hall signals that the bill could still face changes in committee.
Bottom line: Charlotte is trying to fund its transit future. Raleigh isn’t in a hurry to help.
🚰 $265M for Water Fixes, But Is It Enough?
North Carolina is throwing money at water problems—$265 million, to be exact. But how far does that go?
- Mecklenburg County gets $500K to combat PFAS pollution, those infamous “forever chemicals” that never quite go away.
- Kings Mountain receives $2 million to replace lead and copper pipes connecting homes to water mains.
It’s a start, but aging infrastructure and environmental hazards remain a statewide crisis.
🏫 CMS Sounds the Alarm on Medicaid Cuts
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education is worried about potential federal budget cuts to Medicaid. Board members Stephanie Sneed and Summer Nunn say these cuts could impact services for 17,000 students with disabilities and gut $16 million in funding.
- Sneed: “In a tight budget cycle that we’re in now, we would have to move monies around… I don’t know where that particular money would come from.”
- Proposed changes to free school lunches could leave 40,000 students without meals.
Tim Moore and Mark Harris, the lawmakers named in the letter, dismiss these concerns, arguing that the budget doesn’t specify actual cuts, just targets for reducing “wasteful spending.”
🛑 New EPA Appointee: A Clean Slate or a Familiar Story?
President Trump has tapped Kevin J. McUmber, an engineering firm executive, to oversee the EPA’s Southeast Region. His predecessor in Trump’s first term, Trey Glenn, left under a corruption scandal tied to polluter-friendly policies.
Reid Wilson, North Carolina’s Environmental Quality Secretary, is cautiously optimistic about McUmber’s tenure. Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
🚔 Honoring Charlotte’s Fallen Officers
One year after the deadliest law enforcement shooting in Charlotte history, the city is preparing for a memorial event:
📅 April 27
📍 Bank of America Stadium
🏃 Tunnel to Towers Foundation Charlotte Climb
Participants will run the stadium stairs to honor the three U.S. Marshals and CMPD officer killed in the Shannon Park shooting. Spectator tickets start at $5, while first responders can register for $45 before March 26.
🌿 NC’s Confusing Cannabis Laws: A Legal Gray Zone
Cannabis activists are demanding clarity on why THCA, a chemically identical substitute for marijuana, is being sold openly in stores while traditional marijuana remains illegal.
- Barbara Gaskin: “No one should be punished for something that others are legally selling and making profit from.”
- Law enforcement can’t tell the difference, which is leading to unequal arrests.
Legal limbo continues in one of the strictest anti-cannabis states in the country.
🛫 Avello Airlines Shrinks Its Charlotte Footprint
Avello Airlines is cutting flights from Concord-Padgett Regional Airport to the Northeast, axing:
- Concord → Wilmington, DE (Ends Feb. 27)
- Concord → Hartford, CT (Ends March 30)
Both routes flew twice weekly. Looks like budget airline competition isn’t quite working out in their favor.
Ballantyne Spotlight 🔦
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☕ Coffee & Clicks – Where To Stroll Next
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See you on the stroll.
☕ Jack Beckett
Senior Writer, Strolling Ballantyne
Loyal to Summit Coffee, cynical about bad headlines, and committed to keeping Ballantyne in the loop.
