RALEIGH, N.C. (NCN News) — As budget talks are languishing in the General Assembly — and with the current spending plan more than nine months late — Democratic Governor Josh Stein is asking the Republican led General Assembly to pass a $1.4 billion dollar “critical needs budget,” as broader talks continue.
“North Carolina has gone nearly two and a half years without passing a new state budget – the only state in the country to finish 2025 without one,” Stein said. “While lawmakers work toward a full, fiscally responsible budget this spring, there are urgent needs facing our state right now like fully funding Medicaid and giving law enforcement, teachers, and other public servants a long-deserved pay raise. This budget invests in critical public safety, education and health care services for the people of North Carolina that cannot wait.”
In Monday press conference (March 9), Stein hosted representatives from law enforcement, health and human services and education to stress the need for spending beyond the pre-existing dollars that are allowed while the budget impasse continues.
The Governor’s budget recommends $319 million to fully fund Medicaid and protect access to care for families and communities that depend on it.
“The health of three million North Carolinians who depend on North Carolina Medicaid is in jeopardy,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “We are counting on our partners at the General Assembly to fully fund Medicaid so our friends, neighbors, and communities can continue to receive the essential care they need to be and stay healthy.”
The budget calls for pay raises for correctional officers, law enforcement officers, youth counselors, probation and parole officers, nurses, and behavioral health technicians. It also supports operational stability for the Department of Adult Correction and the State Bureau of Investigation.
“Our troopers respond to crashes, criminal activity, and emergencies across all 100 counties. Our telecommunicators are the calm voices behind the radio, coordinating responses and ensuring help gets where it is needed,” said Colonel Freddy Johnson, Commander of the State Highway Patrol. “Providing competitive salaries is essential if we want to keep the experienced professionals we have and attract the next generation of troopers and telecommunicators.”
The governor said he also wants to address education, with budget raising starting and average teacher pay, restoring master’s degree pay, and increasing compensation for senior teachers and other critical school personnel.
“If we truly want a highly qualified teacher in every classroom, then our students have to see teaching as a career worth pursuing—one with dignity, stability, and a respectable salary,” said John Lassiter, President of the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals’ Association and a Perquimans County principal. “We need a raise that reflects the dignity and prestige this profession was once known for. And we need to compete for great teachers across state lines so North Carolina classrooms don’t become training grounds for other states’ workforces.”
The Governor also asked for pay increases or state employees and provides a cost-of-living adjustment for retired state employees
State House Speaker Destin Hall responded to the Governor’s proposal saying: “Governor Stein’s budget proposal raises serious concerns.
His healthcare plan refuses to include basic cost controls and guardrails to protect taxpayer dollars. Instead, he proposes directing funds toward high-cost initiatives, like GLP-1 drugs.”
He went on to say “the House has committed to making necessary investments in healthcare, but it must be done in a way that ensures transparency and responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds.
Furthermore, the Governor’s proposed raises for teachers and law enforcement are less than those already passed by the House.”
While the House has passed salary boosts in their version of the state spending plan, the Senate has not agreed.
There is also a new layer of uncertainty in state government, as Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger continues to trail his GOP primary opponent Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page by 22 votes. A recount and other appeals are expected.
When asked about the possible impact of the race, Stein said: “The fact of the matter remains that Senator Berger is the senator for his district and he cares about his constituents and whatever happens in that election is truly irrelevant to the work of the day which is a legislature that needs to deliver for people.”