(The Center Square) – Transparency with taxpayer dollars and the lack of mention for eastern North Carolinians still in recovery from hurricanes in 2016 and 2018 were key elements missing in the State of the State address from the governor, says the state auditor.
Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s message drew rebukes from the 101 Republicans in overwhelming majorities of the state Senate and House of Representatives, and periodic standing ovations from the 69 Democrats. The first-term state leader, coming off eight years as attorney general, asked the lawmakers to invest in economic opportunity, workforce development, families and children, public schools and public safety.
“Hurricane Helene and its horrific aftermath tested our state and our people in unprecedented ways,” Stein said. “The storm flooded much of western North Carolina, stealing too many lives from us and devastating too many communities. But in the days, weeks, and months that followed, I have seen – we all have seen – that the state of our state is strong – North Carolina strong!”
Republican Council of State colleagues are both hopeful and skeptical.
“Hurricane Helene relief was front and center in the governor’s State of the State Address, as it should have been,” Republican state Auditor Dave Boliek said. “The missing element tonight was a pledge of transparency to how tax dollars are being spent. Also missing was any mention of the continued need to clean up the failed promises to eastern North Carolina as a result of Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. The fact that North Carolinians are still waiting on home repairs nearly a decade later is unacceptable.
“My office is committed to holding the governor’s administration accountable in order to prevent a repeat of past mistakes.”
Former Gov. Roy Cooper, the Democratic leader the past eight years, created the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency to help in the wake of hurricanes Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018 that devastated southeastern North Carolina. Stein did not opt to continue it, its leader resigned late last year in disgrace of incomplete projects, money owed on ones completed, and a mismanaged budget that’s in a hole.
Cooper kept it quiet until a request of $3.9 billion for recovery from Hurricane Helene. Public records requests by The Center Square remain unreturned.
Stein said the damage from Helene is $60 billion overall. He also took a shot at President Donald Trump’s administration on Medicaid.
“We do not need to be pulled into those political games,” said Stein, Trump’s pick as co-chairman of the national Council of Governors. “We can create something better, something forward-looking right here in North Carolina. Just as we stood arm-in-arm as North Carolinians to make Medicaid expansion a reality, let’s stand arm-in-arm to defend our health care. When we all – Republicans and Democrats – come together, that’s when we make a real difference for our people.”
Stein is 2-for-2 in just over two months at major speaking engagements requesting unity from the very body he’s sued multiple times as the state’s top prosecutor. The first was at his swearing-in ceremony.
Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, speaker of the House of Representatives, said the General Assembly’s focus will be on “fostering a strong economy through low taxes and deregulation; improving public safety by ensuring law enforcement collaborates with ICE to remove criminal illegal aliens from our country; expending educational opportunities for students; and supporting western North Carolina as they rebuild from Helene.”
