(The Center Square) – Well short of the governor’s nearly $4 billion ask, the North Carolina General Assembly on Thursday unanimously approved a second installment of $644 million for disaster recovery efforts in the mountains.
The Legislature on Oct. 9 approved $273 million. Earlier this week, House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, joined respective House speakers in five other southeastern states penning a letter to majority and minority leaders in each of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House seeking assistance in particular for agriculture and infrastructure.
In addition to $877 million so far – with more expected – for Helene, another $40 million in disaster relief has been approved by state lawmakers for Tropical Storm Debby, what was known as Potential Tropical Cyclone 8, and a tornado that touched down in Nash County.
The funds come from what is known as the state’s Rainy Day Fund. Passage in the Senate was 46-0, and in the House of Representatives 108-0.
Moore, in a release, said afterward, “As North Carolina continues to recover from the devastation caused by Helene, the North Carolina House of Representatives remains committed to ensuring the people of western North Carolina have what they need to rebuild and recover. We stand with our neighbors and will see this recovery through to the end.”
While Cooper’s big ask wasn’t met, the nugget he dropped before his pitch on Wednesday was addressed. The Office of Recovery and Resiliency faces a $175 million budget deficit, lawmakers learned just before returning to Raleigh, a deep hole Republicans say is the result of Cooper administration mismanagement.
Thursday’s action puts $30 million in place for it to stay financially solvent, says a release from Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham. The release said it comes “even as 1,600 victims of Hurricane Florence remain without permanent housing.”
Florence struck the coast on Sept. 14, 2018, near Wrightsville Beach, one of four in 47 months for the southeastern part of the state. Six years later, more than just the housing is either in the process of being fixed, or not done.
“The lack of preparation from the state’s executive branch leading up to Hurricane Helene and absence of immediate action thereafter has left western North Carolina in a more difficult position than it needed to be,” Berger said. “This will be a long recovery, and the Legislature will not lose sight of rebuilding the region and fixing the damage. Our second relief package puts the General Assembly’s total commitment so far at almost $900 million, and that will only grow as we continue to evaluate and repair the damage.”
The package of relief sends $100 million to local governments in the federal disaster declaration. Those 25 counties are Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey.
There is also $100 million for water and wastewater infrastructure; $30 million for mental health services; and $10 million for childcare facilities.
• Education: Department of Public Instruction, $65 million; University of North Carolina, $20 million; North Carolina Community College System, $16.75 million.
• Department of Health and Human Services, $71.4 million.
• Agriculture, natural and economic resources: Department of Environmental Quality, $139 million; Department of Commerce, $56 million.
• Department of Public Safety: $130 million.
• General government: Treasurer, $100.5 million; Office of State Budget and Management, $5.5 million.
