Since the war started at the end of February, American consumers have paid an extra $106.8 billion on gasoline and diesel alone, amounting to $815 per household – a figure that is likely to rise as fuel costs remain elevated.
“Today marks a step forward in creating opportunity for children and restoring stability for families in areas hit the hardest by these devastating storms,” Stein said. “This child care funding will open the doors to new centers to support families, the workforce, and local economies across western North Carolina and the Piedmont.”
“Reliable electricity is essential, but it also must be affordable. We cannot continue placing higher costs on working families who are already struggling to make ends meet,” said NC Rep. Rodney Pierce.
Food insecurity is climbing in North Carolina, especially among children, due to the Trump administration’s harmful tariffs and cuts to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
Parents, educators and elected leaders highlighted the growing burden during a virtual press conference titled “The Cost We Carry” on August 31, pointing to rising prices and continued unmet needs in North Carolina’s public schools.
With costs continuing to dominate kitchen-table conversations, North Carolina voters face a clear choice between two candidates with very different records and priorities on the issues hitting household budgets.
As Duke Energy asks North Carolina families to pay even more for electricity, advocates and elected leaders gathered outside the North Carolina Utilities Commission last week to call for lower rates and greater accountability from the utility giant.
Rising costs aren’t inevitable. The increase in school supply costs is a direct result of two of the Trump administration’s most disastrous actions: higher tariffs and the war in Iran.
Speakers called on state and federal lawmakers to strengthen worker protections, improve farmworker housing conditions, ensure fair wages, and establish meaningful safeguards against extreme heat.
“We are not joining this deal, and we will keep pushing for lower rates… we shouldn’t be subsidizing those data centers,” said AG Jeff Jackson.