Ardis Watkins, executive director of the SEANC, discusses shortcomings in the state budget

By: Clayton Henkel

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: July 13, 2026

Words: 143

Last Updated: 1 week, 2 days ago

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Despite listing many concerns, Gov. Josh Stein signed the $34 billion state budget bill into law on July 7. One high-profile area that state employees and teachers felt didn’t go far enough was in compensation for those who keep North Carolina’s public structures and services up and running. While the budget does include decent, if long overdue, raises for some, for most it’s a paltry 3% that fails to keep up with inflation and rising …

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