North Carolina's Department of Transportation has only a fraction of the funding it needs to cover road construction and maintenance. Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson told WUNC News his agency has to prioritize $144 billion in requests from local leaders, including everything from new turn lanes to new interstate highways.

We see the call for a one-day special session for what it is: a political gimmick, not a genuine commitment to making life more affordable for North Carolinians. Legislative leaders have had years to prevent costs from being shifted onto families and local communities and protect North Carolinians from the harmful policy choices of federal…

NC transportation officials say a tax suspension could have significant consequences for road projects and maintenance statewide.

Voters will decide if Photo ID, property and income tax referendums become law

Former governor and current U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper talked about rising costs and what he thinks about constitutional amendments in Raleigh.

Public Policy Analyst Alex Campbell joins 97.9 The Hill on Tuesday, September 29 shortly after the two-year mark of Hurricane Helene.

Local governments across North Carolina — from the mountains to the coast — face growing costs from inflation, changing needs, lagging infrastructure, and state and federal policy decisions that have pushed costs to their communities.  In November, voters will see a proposed change to the constitution on the ballot that could limit the ability of…

In a few weeks, North Carolinians will vote on a constitutional amendment to limit the income tax rate to 3.5 percent. This amendment would lock in tax breaks for wealthy people and corporations, and it would have lasting impacts on public schools, which rely heavily on funding from state income taxes. The amendment wouldn’t immediately…

Local governments across North Carolina — from the mountains to the coast — face growing costs from inflation, changing needs, lagging infrastructure, and state and federal policy decisions that have pushed costs to their communities.  In November, voters will see a proposed change to the constitution on the ballot that could limit the ability of…

The harmful One Big Beautiful Bill, or H.R. 1, made deep funding cuts to SNAP and shifted more of the program’s costs onto states. Instead of stepping up to cover North Carolina’s new costs, state leaders chose to shift them onto local governments in the approved Fiscal Year 2027 state budget. Beginning in October 2027,…

Work, Wages, and Well-Being Understanding North Carolina’s Labor Market No matter what we look like or where we come from, we all deserve: Fulfilling work A living wage The freedom to thrive To know whether our economy and political systems are delivering on this vision, and to understand where we’re falling short, we need to…

Counties throughout North Carolina are gearing up to adjust to changes outlined in HR 1, or the One Big Beautiful Bill, which will cost local counties hundreds of thousands of dollars.  The bill mandates several changes to health and human services across the country, some of which have already gone into effect, and some of which will continue to roll out over the next several months. One of HR 1’s significant changes is to the operation of the federal Food and Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Starting Oct. 1, reimbursement rates for SNAP administration costs will reduce from 50% to 25%, and starting October 2027, North Carolina could be responsible for paying $140 million in SNAP benefit costs for the first time in the program’s history.

There will be much at stake in November when North Carolinians go to the polls.

This amendment would lock in a future cap to the rate of 3.5% with which North Carolina has no experience. Since the personal income tax provides one half of the revenue for the general fund of the state, this is a risky bet.

Local governments across North Carolina — from the mountains to the coast — face growing costs from inflation, changing needs, lagging infrastructure, and state and federal policy decisions that have pushed costs to their communities.  In November, voters will see a proposed change to the constitution on the ballot that could limit the ability of…

Millions in public dollars have gone toward maintaining NC 12. Now, North Carolina is weighing whether to keep repairing the vulnerable Outer Banks highway or pursue a much larger long-term investment.

Local governments across North Carolina — from the mountains to the coast — face growing costs from inflation, changing needs, lagging infrastructure, and state and federal policy decisions that have pushed costs to their communities.  In November, voters will see a proposed change to the constitution on the ballot that could limit the ability of…

At a moment when the cuts enacted in last year’s harmful Republican reconciliation law have begun to take away food assistance and health coverage from millions of people, today’s Census data are a reminder of the important role Medicaid, Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace coverage, and SNAP can play in helping families afford the basics — and why the cuts are so misguided.

At a moment when the cuts enacted in last year’s harmful Republican reconciliation law have begun to take away food assistance and health coverage from millions of people, today’s Census data are a reminder of the important role Medicaid, Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace coverage, and SNAP can play in helping families afford the basics — and why the cuts are so misguided.

SNAP participation nationwide fell by roughly 5 million people (12 percent) between the law’s July 2025 enactment and May 2026, based on the latest month of data.

Protect Our Care released reports on declining enrollment in insurance through ACA marketplaces after premium subsidies expired at the end of last year.

Work, Wages, and Well-Being Understanding North Carolina’s Labor Market No matter what we look like or where we come from, we all deserve: Fulfilling work A living wage The freedom to thrive To know whether our economy and political systems are delivering on this vision, and to understand where we’re falling short, we need to…

Note: Here are links where you can access the budget bill and the committee report. You also can see how members of the NC Senate and NC House of Representatives voted on the approved budget. Unless otherwise noted, the analysis in this report reflects SB 257 (2026 Appropriations Act) and not the subsequently passed technical…

Note: Here are links where you can access the budget bill and the committee report. You also can see how members of the NC Senate and NC House of Representatives voted on the approved budget. Unless otherwise noted, the analysis in this report reflects SB 257 (2026 Appropriations Act) and not the subsequently passed technical…

Note: Here are links where you can access the budget bill and the committee report. You also can see how members of the NC Senate and NC House of Representatives voted on the approved budget. Unless otherwise noted, the analysis in this report reflects SB 257 (2026 Appropriations Act) and not the subsequently passed technical…

The Best States to Work Index (BSWI) surveys 37 labor policies across all 50 U.S. states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Now in

Working people power the economy. Their labor delivers critical services to make all of our lives easier, creates new products and technologies, builds roads and infrastructure to connect us, and provides the care that heals our communities. If the economy is strong, it should support the people who make it possible.   But when policymakers choose…

Working people power the economy. Their labor delivers critical services to make all of our lives easier, creates new products and technologies, builds roads and infrastructure to connect us, and provides the care that heals our communities. If the economy is strong, it should support the people who make it possible.   But when policymakers choose…

Working people power the economy. Their labor delivers critical services to make all of our lives easier, creates new products and technologies, builds roads and infrastructure to connect us, and provides the care that heals our communities. If the economy is strong, it should support the people who make it possible.   But when policymakers choose…

North Carolina's budget sets technical requirements for a statewide digital credential system that closely resemble features offered by DigiCred.