CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina lawmakers passed a new state budget Thursday that includes raises for teachers and law enforcement, a statewide income tax cut and a provision requiring some Charlotte-area municipalities to repay money already spent on the now-canceled I-77 South toll lane project.
The I-77 South project had been part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s plans for a decade, with the state already spending $60 million on the project’s design.
Now, the state expects the local governments that voted to cancel the project to pay back those costs. The municipalities affected include Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Davidson, Cornelius, Mint Hill and Huntersville…