Join 2026 Civics 101
Our signature mini-series about Local and State government!

What You Will Learn in Civics 101

Knowing the correct processes is the first step toward participating as an informed resident. For example, did you know?:

• In North Carolina, local governments operate under authority granted by individual state statutes (Dillon’s Rule). That limits the powers of local governments to those explicitly granted by state law.
• Funding for public school teacher salaries and expenses per student come from the State of North Carolina, not Mecklenburg County.
• Charlotte has the lowest property tax rate of the 13 largest cities in North Carolina.
• Mecklenburg County is responsible for funding all the school buildings and facilities. (And because of our great need for school facility improvements in Mecklenburg County, the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg advocated for the successful $2.5 billion school bond referendum in the Nov. 7, 2023 election.)
• You can livestream all Mecklenburg County Commission and Charlotte City Council meetings on the GOV Channel, or later, through recordings on the government website. You can even review the agenda and fast-forward to the section you are interested in viewing.