Group looks to reform state budget process, encourages public input
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Senate budget is making its way through the General Assembly, and quickly.
'I feel better now. We had a target of getting our budget out before Easter, and we've met that target,' Senator Phil Berger said of the budget.
But Common Cause North Carolina, a democracy-focused group, says it's a bit too fast.
'It should have a fulsome, robust, transparent process, which unfortunately, this last budget that we've seen passed by the State Senate did not have that,' Bob Phillips, Executive Director of the group, said.
Phillips says North Carolinians should have a major say in where their tax dollars go.
'These are big decisions made behind closed doors by a very select few, the majority party, and that's the outcome of this, that people are sort of left on the sidelines just watching and wondering about what is going on,' he said.
And he wants to see the entire budget process changed, with added time for taxpayers to speak up.
'It should be a thoughtful process where there are committee meetings, or maybe even town halls or hearings to certainly solicit the public's input,' Phillips said.
He says without that, the budget doesn't truly represent North Carolinians.
'It shuts the public input, the people's voice, out of the process, and the minority party, too, as they represent tens and thousands, millions of North Carolinians,' Phillips said.
Lawmakers want to have the budget finalized before July but that's dependent on how quickly the House can get through it.
'We'll see how quickly the House can move, but if they can get finished with their version of the budget by the end of May, first week in June, I feel pretty good about our ability to get things worked out before the end of June,' Senator Berger said.
Right now, there are no opportunities for public input.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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