Matthews Mayor John Higdon is asking Charlotte to absorb the small towns' share of the nearly $70 million the state says local governments owe if they vote down the I-77 toll lanes. Matthews and Davidson would each owe about $2 million; Charlotte, holding more than 40% of the weighted CRTPO vote, carries the largest piece. Higdon calls the penalties "a regressive tax" — and it's working: Cornelius and Monroe have already signaled they'll flip to supporting the project. Towns that oppose also face losing Powell Bill street-maintenance funding. The vote is September 23. Also: a correction on the El Salvador TPS termination date — it's September 9, tomorrow, affecting about 6,000 people in North Carolina. The CMS board meets tonight at 6. And the full list of Charlotte's 9/11 25th anniversary observances, with times and addresses.

CLT Daily is written, hosted and produced by Steve Bouboulis, an independent journalist covering the Queen City. Got a tip, a document, or a story the city isn't telling? Reach him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebouboulis/

CLT Daily — Charlotte's independent daily briefing. New episodes every morning. cltdaily.com

Sources this episode: WFAE, WBTV, WSOC, Charlotte Ledger, Federal Register / USCIS notices, CMS, Charlotte Symphony, Town of Huntersville

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