Day 360: State budget remains elusive

(The Center Square) – Each chamber of North Carolina’s General Assembly gaveled in and out quickly on Thursday, with no votes taken and the long overdue state budget remaining on the to do list.

Day 360 came and went with lawmakers yet to enact the two-year spending plan. Talks are believed to be in the final stages, and a framework taking care of major issues was announced last month.

Any optimism tied to the Democratic governor and the Republican majority chambers being closer in spending than was the case last time has long since evaporated. Senators and House representatives are first solving the prevailing party’s issues.

The Senate and the House of Representatives gave proposals in spring of 2025 at $65.9 billion over the two years. First-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein filed a $67.9 billion plan. That’s a lot closer than the 2023 figures of $67 billion from then-Gov. Roy Cooper and $60.7 billion by the chambers.

On Day 316 of the delay, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, join...