Despite a rising demand for services, slower revenue growth and uncertainty in support from the state and federal government, County Manager Mike Bryant's proposed budget for FY 2026-2027 calls for no reduction to services, no property tax increases and strategic new investments. He joins us to discuss how he came up with it.

Legislative leaders break the impasse on the budget. That means state employees and teachers may finally get a raise. In the race to replace Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, calls have come for a Black person to fill that slot. Charlotte City Council withdraws its support for the I-77 toll lanes, and the CMS board approves its $2.1 billion budget.

Ahead of the start of this year’s hurricane season, we hear predictions for the number of likely storms and how to brace for whatever may come our way, plus an update on drought conditions and continued Helene recovery efforts.

Mecklenburg County Sen. Caleb Theodros joins to discuss some of the bills he’s proposed during his first term, including decriminalizing marijuana and helping school athletic coaches recognize and respond to student mental health needs. Then we dive into how area school systems are coping with tight budgets and uncertainty because of the lack of a state budget.

On the next Charlotte Talks, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson joins us. Since taking office, he has worked on opioid crisis litigation, consumer scams and housing-cost reforms. He also recently won a case breaking up the Ticketmaster–Live Nation monopoly that could save ticket buyers money. Then we’ll talk with Michael Graff, founder of the Charlotte Optimist, which just celebrated its first anniversary.

Henry David Thoreau lived in a time of rapid technological and economic change, political division and a pandemic. He reassessed his priorities and decided to pare down to trade up. Mike Collins discusses that with Jen McGivney, author of "Finding Your Walden."

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles announces her resignation, the state Senate votes to pause property tax assessments for a year, Wake County delays a vote on the merger of Atrium Health with WakeMed, and the PGA is back in town.

On the next Charlotte Talks, everyone is talking about data centers — and so are we. We look at the latest: what impact they might have on our city and surrounding areas, why this region makes for a desirable location, and the community objections. Politicians at all levels have also been weighing in, with some calling for a moratorium on data centers. We’ll hear about all of this — and how their spread could impact your power bill.

Over the last decade, several inmates suffering from mental illnesses have died inside South Carolina jails. An investigation by the Post & Courier dove into the reasons why, how the situation got so bad, and possible solutions. Plus, in the wake of Iryna's Law, we'll see what lessons North Carolina can learn.

On the next Charlotte Talks, educators are facing a tough time. North Carolina dropped three spots to 46th in the nation for teacher pay this year, and teachers from across the state marched in Raleigh last week for higher pay. Also, last week, the CMS board rejected the superintendent’s budget, then met for three hours on Saturday before closing the meeting to discuss personnel matters.