State Budget
NC Budget Updates
The NC General Assembly failed to find agreement; Medicaid cuts go into effect today. Read more
Every North Carolinian wants to live in a thriving community. We all want well-staffed public schools for our children to learn the skills they’ll need in adulthood. We all want to be able to get to work or school on safe roads and accessible public transportation. And we all want strong local businesses that support a robust local economy. These are all elements of a thriving community. These are all values that we share.
The state budget is the primary document that our leaders use to enact North Carolina’s values. This document sets priorities for our communities and impacts our quality of life. A state budget that works for everyone in North Carolina:
- Represents smart investments and supports that best achieve our goals
- Effectively matches investments with the growth and need we see in our state
- Ensures that — no matter where one lives and whether they are Black, brown or white — they can access the same opportunities and quality of public services
North Carolina has the resources it needs to provide for a more equitable and resilient future, but for too long, the interests of wealthy individuals and corporations have been prioritized over the needs of everyday people.
Wealthy North Carolinians and profitable corporations paying what they owe will ensure we can provide better schools, quality health care, and more for our communities through our state budget.
The State budget Matters
Whether every North Carolina family and community can support children’s healthy development depends a lot on state-level policy and investment choices. Each year, North Carolina policymakers come together in Raleigh to set priorities for how taxpayer dollars will be spent in the state budget. Where policymakers choose to prioritize billions of dollars of investment is important.
Current state spending in North Carolina through the budget is not enough to keep up with need, inflation, and a growing population. Austerity budgets that advance a scarcity mindset and pit needs against each other do not serve in the best interests of everyday North Carolinians.
NCGA leaders lock in more tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of everyday North Carolinians.
To make the process and decisions in our state budget easier to understand, we’ve developed this primer to help get you started.
Sign and share this petition to demand that the NC General Assembly choose our communities over corporations.
The Latest on the state budget
Statement by Alexandra Sirota, Executive Director, NC Budget & Tax Center, on NC General Assembly September Session
Making Connections: Federal Fallout & The Leadership North Carolinians Need
Deepen Your Engagement
Access our Policy Academy!
Visit our virtual Policy Academy to learn about North Carolina’s tax policy, budget process, and how to advocate for policies that matter to you and your community!
Support our work!
Contributions help us continue the critical work of ensuring that North Carolina’s policies reflect the needs of its people — not the priorities of the wealthy few.
Questions about the state budget?
Reach out to Sally Hodges-Copple
Policy Analyst at NC Budget & Tax Center