Economy

Democrats in the North Carolina legislature are attempting to raise the state’s minimum wage which has not been increased in over 15 years. Representatives Allison Dahl (D-District 11), Aisha Dew (D-District 111), Bryan Cohn (D-District 32), and Marcia Morey (D-District 30) filed House Bill 353, titled the “Fair Minimum Wage Act”, would not just raise the minimum wage once but continue to raise it as time goes on. 

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently delivered a floor speech in defense of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In front of a printed image of a SpaceX explosion, Tillis said that “innovation requires pushing the envelope and taking calculated risks.” 

The move will impact more than just the 10,000 workers the agency employs and the humanitarian work it does overseas. North Carolina is the fourth-largest recipient of USAID funding in the United States, with state-based organizations receiving nearly $1 billion a year. That funding helps bolster a robust global health sector that adds $31.9 billion every year to North Carolina’s economy and employs 120,000 people.

Together, China, Mexico, and Canada represent 45% of all of North Carolina’s international trade– a $72 billion economy. The proposed tariffs would not only make North Carolina goods less competitive in these markets, but they would also increase costs for NC consumers who rely on imports from these countries.

North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis (R) is continuing to struggle when asked about tariffs, careful not to criticize Trump while signaling his anxiety over the policy. Tillis was previously censured by the state GOP for holding views contrary to MAGA and now appears wary of stepping out of line with the movement.