Jennifer Nguyen
Posts by Jennifer Nguyen
State Tax Cuts Are Leaving Counties to Cover New SNAP Costs
In 2025, the federal government passed the harmful mega bill, H.R. 1, making deep funding cuts to SNAP while shifting new costs onto the state. At the same time, more than a decade of state income tax cuts have left North Carolina losing almost $18 billion in revenue each year, just as the state is required to take on these new costs. H.R….
Final Budget Preserves Tax Cuts While Shifting Costs to Counties and Families
On Tuesday morning, North Carolina lawmakers released their final budget for FY 2026-27 after leaving the state operating without a budget since July 2025. As previously reported, the budget makes only slight changes to scheduled personal income tax cuts and leaves untouched the continued reduction – and eventual elimination – of the corporate income tax….
New SNAP Error Rate Reveals Why North Carolina Cannot Afford to Limit Revenue
Starting October 2027, North Carolina could be responsible for paying $140 million in SNAP benefit costs, according to newly released U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Nearly 1.3 million North Carolinians will be counting on the state to fully cover those costs so they can continue putting food on the table. The need for food assistance will not simply disappear because North Carolina cannot afford to sustain it. If state…
North Carolina should focus on feeding families, not flawed SNAP error rates
Note: This resource was updated on June 10, 2026 so that it reflects the $58 threshold for inclusion in SNAP error rate calculations. Overview of H.R. 1 Error Rate-Based Cost Shift The harmful federal megabill passed in 2025, H.R. 1, made deep funding cuts to the SNAP program, risking access to food assistance for the nearly 1.3 million North Carolinians who need…
Paying election directors a livable wage supports our democracy
Why county election director salaries are important County election directors play a critical role in running efficient, secure elections and protecting voters. Their responsibilities include[1]: Procuring and maintaining election equipment Training, supervising, and directing the work of election staff Creating emergency plans Preparing department budgets and monitoring spending and financial records Supervising voter registration and…
You can’t have fair elections in NC without funding them
Adequate funding is essential to running our democracy. Elections involve more than what takes place on Election Day. They require year-round administrative work to maintain election infrastructure and prepare for future elections. Election funding makes it possible to: Keep voters informed about voting laws, polling sites, and key deadlines Develop and maintain voter registration systems Prevent, detect, and respond to cybersecurity and election fraud threats Provide documents, information, and training needed for candidates to file and run…
Property taxes power local services across North Carolina
Working families and seniors in North Carolina are struggling to make ends meet and need relief. But proposals to eliminate or cap property taxes are misleading solutions that will not make housing costs more affordable. Everyday North Carolinians have already seen how the promise that income tax cuts would make life easier failed to deliver relief…
2026 Economic County Snapshots for North Carolina
The Economic County Snapshots are one of the NC Budget & Tax Center’s flagship annual publications. They provide key economic and social indicators from publicly available sources for all 100 counties in North Carolina, along with a comparison to state-level data, with measures for employment, poverty and income, affordable housing, health, education, and more. The…
Protecting SNAP Access in NC: Why the state should fully cover counties’ SNAP administrative costs
URGENT: County Budgets Cannot Afford New SNAP Admin Costs Without State Support. Starting October 1, 2026, counties will be responsible for 75 percent of SNAP administrative costs, increased from their current 50 percent share. Counties must adopt their budgets by June 30 and need funding now to prepare for these new costs. If counties cannot afford their increased…
North Carolina needs smart property tax relief, not reckless revenue limits
Property taxes are the backbone of local public services in North Carolina, funding everything from school buildings and libraries to fire departments and parks. But when property values rise rapidly in a housing market already short on affordable options, higher tax bills can strain incomes and displace long-time residents. That reality has prompted renewed legislative…