(The Center Square) – Hurricane Helene aid was discussed over the weekend by first-term Democratic North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and second-term Republican President Donald Trump at the National Governors Association meeting at the White House.
As more money is spent from not only Stein but several other voices, only about half of the $7.3 billion made available to state agencies by federal and state appropriations has been spent, according to the office of first-term Republican Auditor Dave Boliek. Recovery efforts from the September 2024 natural disaster, the state’s worst, is in its second of what is expected to be a minimum of five years recovery in some pockets of the North Carolina mountains.
The 74th week of recovery includes a watch on Congress and the General Assembly in Raleigh for more appropriation.
“It was important for me to advocate at the White House for our Hurricane Helene recovery needs because I will not miss a single opportunity to make sure western North Carolina has what it needs to thrive,” Stein said. “President Trump and his Cabinet members were receptive, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to get it done.”
Progress is both incredible and crawling at a snail’s pace. Residents, their homes and the communities have overcome challenges. At the same time, more work is to be done. Primaries for the 2026 midterms are underway in the state, and the storm has become a political football among candidates.
Stein, on his sixth day in office last year, created the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina, or GROW NC. The Legislature, majority Republican in both chambers, has appropriated $1.104 billion for recovery.
Congress, in December 2024, agreed to send the state – over time – an estimated $9 billion of a $110 billion disaster package.
That’s only a portion of the $60 billion to $80 billion in damage.
And on Monday at the Office of the State Auditor, a dashboard tracking Helene recovery says $3.7 billion of state and federal dollars has been spent by state agencies from the $7.3 billion made available. Most of the spending is by the Department of Transportation ($1.6 billion) and Department of Public Safety ($1.5 billion).
More funding is expected if and when the state budget due July 1 – Monday was Day 238 late – is finalized by a Legislature that doesn’t convene for the short session for two more weeks.
The storm killed 108 in North Carolina after making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Dekle Beach, Fla., on Sept. 26, 2024.
It was expected to come north to the Appalachian Mountains; however, the total rainfall from its dissipation there exceeded all forecasts. Some places got more than 30 inches, most were at 24 inches or more. Due to terrain, water often rushed before it pooled and flooded – very unlike the flooding from hurricanes that happens in the coastal plains.
In a press conference Saturday after meeting at the White House, Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt and Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore deemed the governors’ meeting with Trump productive. Stitt said 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats were with the president and most of his Cabinet.
The association’s annual meeting brought together more than 40 governors.
“We work on real issues together as representatives of the 50 states and the five territories talking about policies that matter to our people – whether it is energy and a reliable, affordable grid, workforce, education, immigration,” Stitt said. “We have a unique way of approaching things. We don’t have the luxury of playing politics like they do in Washington, D.C.”
Moore, along with Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, was in a snare from Trump before the weekend with a “disinvite” from Saturday’s dinner. Democratic colleagues stood with him and mostly Republicans attended the climactic function.
“We’re all leaving here knowing that we’re going to fight on behalf of our people,” Moore said. “We’re always going to make our voices heard. We’re going to speak truth to power if necessary.”
