Statement by Alexandra Sirota, Executive Director, on release of details of federal budget proposals

Congressional House leaders have unveiled plans for deeply unpopular cuts to health care and food assistance — cuts that are only needed in order to extend tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.

As we review the details of these plans, some things are clear: Cuts to Medicaid will mean fewer North Carolinians have health care and cuts to SNAP mean that more families across the state will go hungry. The federal budget proposal would force North Carolina to cover hundreds of millions of dollars in SNAP benefit costs — costs that our state is ill-prepared to absorb.

At the same time, North Carolina lawmakers have locked in state revenue losses over the next two years through ongoing income tax cuts for the wealthy and profitable corporations. These choices are already straining the state’s ability to pay for current services — let alone new responsibilities being shifted onto states by the federal government.

It’s time for state budget writers to get serious about their responsibility for improving the lives of North Carolinians. That means planning now to protect health care access and keep food affordable for millions of people across the state.

NC House budget writers must start by pausing scheduled state income tax cuts for the wealthy and profitable corporations — and exploring ways to reclaim some of the windfall that the richest would get from this costly federal tax cut to cover the growing costs that Congressional leaders and the Trump administration are offloading onto our state. Congress should reject this harmful federal budget, and North Carolina leaders should demand better for our people.