CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones may be taking a leave of absence for medical reasons.

County spokesperson Danny Diehl confirmed Jones' possible sick leave with WBTV on Wednesday.

Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners Chairman Harold Cogdell, Jr. released this statement to WBTV on his situation:

"Our prayers and thoughts are with Harry and his family as he addresses this medical situation. We wish him well and will respect his privacy during this time. I am confident that County Manager Jones has in place contingencies to maintain the smooth operation of County government. He has a very capable executive team and department directors to support the day-to-day work under Mr. Jones' leadership." 

Jones has been serving as county manager since October of 2000.

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CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A vote by the City Council is bad news for members of the Occupy Charlotte members who will be forced to pack up soon.

A vote Monday night sealed the fate of dozens of protestors who are now calling the land in front of the old city hall on East Trade Street home.  They've been there for months, and say they don't want to leave.

Council members voted 10-1 to approve the new security rules in preparation of the Democratic National Convention in September. City Council member John Autry was the only person to vote no.

The new ordinance makes it illegal to camp on public property.  It would also give officials a broader leeway to decide what is appropriate from everything from protests to parades.

That's something Occupy Charlotte says it can't stomach.

"The police will not delineate between spectators and participants." said Michael Zytkow with Occupy Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Gov. Bev Perdue talked about adding a new sales tax intended to fund education in North Carolina at a media event in Charlotte on Thursday.

Perdue spoke at the Microsoft Education Campus at 10:30 a.m.

She said a 3/4-penny sales tax could be added to directly fund education and keep students from lagging behind in subjects such as math, engineering and technology.

The new sales tax would only cost the average person an extra $10-15 a month, Perdue told WBTV.

In 2009, Perdue proposed a package of temporary increases that included a 1-cent sales tax hike. The legislature approved it, but the taxes expired in 2011.

When last year rolled around, though, Perdue wanted to keep the higher tax, but the Republican-controlled legislature overrode her.

Now Perdue is ready for another round.