It’s not the news one wants to hear, especially with no raises.

And just remember, there is no new budget passed this year.

If a budget is not passed, then the state automatically reverts to the previous budget’s recurring spending levels which is exactly what has happened this year.

The only “budgetary” item that has been addressed has been a “mini-budget” that does not give any new raises to teachers and keeps the salary schedule from last school year in place. It does finance any step increases for current teachers and the pension fund. But….

And there were many concrete reasons to not trust then State Treasurer Dale Folwell. In 2023, he awarded the state’s health care contract to a new company after 40 years with Blue Cross / Blue Shield.

The new plan was supposedly going to save the state around $140 million dollars over the course of the contract with the for-profit Aetna over the non-profit BCBSNC.

Don’t really see that happening.