“[W]e had an example of a mass shooting in Catawba County two days ago, and 11 people’s lives and their families’ are probably ruined, and here we sit talking about more guns. For the life of me, I don’t understand it.”
As federal lawmakers debate funding cuts and state Republicans follow suit, critics of the cuts worry it could leave the state without funding for critical services.
The sprawling 1,000-page-plus package features numerous measures that will give trillions of dollars to billionaires, while taking food and health care away from hardworking Americans.
NC’s first Buc-ee’s is expected to feature a 74,000-square-foot store, 652 parking spaces, and 120 gas pumps. Despite the Mebane City Council hearing hours of public comments that were mostly against Buc-ees, the council approved the project back in January 2024. The mega gas station would consume over 23,000 gallons of water daily, and the site sits within a mile of 13 known underground fuel leaks.
SB 153 is a right-wing bill that would burden local law enforcement, infringe on the rights of local governments, and further empower ICE to perform unconstitutional raids on North Carolina communities.
“FEMA’s denial of our appeal will cost North Carolina taxpayers potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up out west,” Stein explained. “The money we have to pay toward debris removal will mean less money toward supporting our small businesses, rebuilding downtown infrastructure, repairing our water and sewer systems, and other critical needs.”
“If Congress goes forward with these plans, our state will be forced into perilous budget decisions – should North Carolinians lose access to food, or should we get rid of other essential services?” Gov. Stein wrote. “I urge our members of Congress to reject this budget proposal so that North Carolina families don’t go hungry.”
The 10 richest U.S. billionaires increased their collective net worth by $365 billion over the past year. It would take a median worker more than 726,000 years to earn that amount. If those gains were taxed as regular income, they would owe $135 billion in federal taxes.
Advocates and North Carolinians are calling on representatives, including Senator Thom Tillis, who previously voted to roll back big bank regulations, to center the needs of their constituents over billionaires.
These, and many more, democratic bills that aim to improve and protect the lives of North Carolinians, moved nowhere this session. Of the 1,800 bills filed by legislators from both parties in both chambers this year, only a select few bills from democrats had their time in front of legislators.