From Staff Reports

RALEIGH — State Sen. Julie Mayfield, D-Asheville, who is running for re-election to the North Carolina General Assembly in November, is the “primary (and sole) sponsor” of a bill to authorize the City of Asheville to hold a referendum to increase the city’s sales tax so that the proceeds can be used for “public transportation”-related purposes.

The bill was filed by Mayfield in the state Senate on March 4, 2021 as SB 179 in the 2021 General Assembly. The bill, which has passed the first reading, is now being considered by the Committee on Rules of Operations of the Senate.

The proposed legislation states that it would include using the increased tax revenues for “interconnected bicycle...infrastructure that supports public transportation.”

This comes at a time when there is substantial public concern and controversy about reducing Merrimon Avenue from four to two traffic lanes in order to provide for two bicycle lanes along Merrimon, as well as a “road diet” for both Patton Avenue and College Streeet to put bicycle lanes on those traffic corridors as well.

The Daily Planet emailed Mayfield for her comment on the bill on March 27, but did not hear back from her by the newspaper’s mid-morning March 28 press deadline.