Last month, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein kicked off the first of his administration’s rural listening sessions in western North Carolina, intended so that the state government can better understand and prioritize the needs of our rural population.
“With more than 3.5 million people, North Carolina is home to the second-largest rural population in the country,” said Stein. “We have more work to do to expand opportunity to every corner of the state because if you work hard, where you come from should never limit how far you can go. I’m grateful to hear directly from some of our rural residents about how we can work together on the issues affecting their daily lives.”
Stein met with business leaders and local elected officials about their concerns and priorities for their communities, as well as small business owners like the owners of Flavors on Main in Marion, NC.
Late last month, Stein also visited Sampson County, where he highlighted his commitment to investing in the infrastructure and resources North Carolina’s rural communities need to thrive.
“Rural communities are the backbone of North Carolina, and it’s important that we hear directly from people across our state, including here in eastern North Carolina, about how state government can better serve them and their neighbors to help them succeed,” said Stein. “These listening sessions help us focus our efforts and make smart investments in economic opportunity, infrastructure, education, and health care.”
Over the next several months, members of the Stein administration will host listening sessions across the state, focusing on health care, economic development, and infrastructure.
The Stein administration has successfully brought in hundreds of millions of dollars in specific grants for rural communities on these issues, including $213 million in federal funding to improve rural health care access, $136 million in state grants to expand economic opportunity in rural communities, and $472 million in state funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across 66 counties.
To find an upcoming rural listening session near you and to sign up for public comment, click here.
