Public comments spotlight tax-incentive deals as county holds EDC allocation hearing

The Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing June 2 on the FY26 economic development allocation and heard mixed public comment on tax-incentive practices and the county's economic development committee.

Martin Erickson spoke in support of allocating funds to the Cabarrus County Economic Development Corporation and urged the commission to weigh economic-development grant requests carefully. "I support this allocation of funds to the Cabarrus County Economic Development Corporation," he said, and added that balanced industrial and commercial development can generate revenue for county services.

Several speakers criticized what they described as large tax-incentive giveaways. Chris Cranston said the county has routinely offered steep incentives and questioned paying outside committees to negotiate those deals, saying, "We're giving away 85% ... why are we paying a development committee to give away our money?" Cranston also urged a broader focus on county employees and public services.

Why it matters: Economic development grants and incentive packages shape where large employers locate and how much tax revenue the county can capture to fund services, including schools and infrastructure. Commissioners heard both a defense of strategic incentives that attract employers and sustained public skepticism about the size and oversight of those deals.

The public hearing was opened and closed as part of the meeting; no allocation vote was taken at the June 2 work session. Commissioners did not take immediate action on incentives during the work session but received public comment for consideration.