The Cost of a Three‑Year‑Old Budget in a Growing State
From the desk of Rep. Dante Pittman
It has been almost one year since the North Carolina General Assembly was supposed to pass a state budget that reflected the needs of North Carolinians. Passing a budget is the number one job of the General Assembly, and the Republican-led legislature has failed. Our budget is how we fund the critical needs of our state and citizens, providing the funding to pay our teachers, our law enforcement officers, and our retirees. The budget provides the resources used to perform critical tasks, such as farmland preservation and business recruitment and retention. A healthy budget is how our state is able to support the families who live and work here, while ensuring we have the groundwork to keep growing.
North Carolina has a recurring budget known as a Continuing Resolution, which prevents total shutdown by using the previous year’s budget, but this does not suffice. The last time the General Assembly passed a budget was in 2023; since then, our population has increased by more than 300,000 residents. A budget from three years ago does not account for the needs of North Carolinians today. We all can see that costs are rising, whether it’s healthcare, groceries, gas, or any number of items; prices are on the rise, and we need a new state budget that addresses these rising costs. Without a new budget, spending is frozen on new initiatives, raises are delayed for employees, and funding for services is paused. Relying on a Continuing Resolution is a failure of leadership and a strategy North Carolinians can’t afford to take.
This is particularly impactful on our public schools. Wilson County Schools is one of the top employers in Wilson County and one of the major institutions that are affected by the lack of an updated budget. Upgrades to facilities, cost-of-living increases for teachers and support staff, and necessary educational programs are all at risk because of Republican politicians in Raleigh.
Last year, the North Carolina House of Representatives voted on a budget written by the House Republican majority. It was not perfect. However, it included raising starting teacher pay, adding much-needed DMV locations around the state, and cost-of-living pay increases for state employees. I thought that this budget did enough to address our critical and basic needs, so I was willing to cross the aisle and support it. It was deeply disappointing that while we had a budget where Democrats and Republicans were able to come together, it was not enough to overcome Republican infighting.
The Republican leadership in the General Assembly is failing all voters. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, as a citizen of this state, you deserve a budget with clearly defined priorities. I’m continuing to work across the aisle in Wilson County and Raleigh, and I’ve demonstrated that I’m willing to come to the table to get this done. It’s time to set politics aside to pass a budget that is worthy of the people of North Carolina and meets our people’s basic needs. To contact my office, reach us at (919) 733-5898 or dante.pittman@ncleg.gov. We welcome your thoughts and concerns.