Cumberland County Gets $36 Million for Projects in New State Budget

Tucked inside North Carolin’s new $34 billion state budget is $36 million in earmarks for Cumberland County that help fund a variety of projects large and small, from a new medical school and veteran’s home to a pickleball court in Godwin. 

The funding for the 24 projects, part of $1.6 billion in earmarks in the budget, is far less than what Fayetteville and Cumberland County leaders asked for, but they applauded the funding as a win for the region.

Gov. Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 257, the state’s first full budget in more than two years, on July 7. It delivered major investments in teacher pay, Medicaid, public safety salaries, community colleges, child care, cybersecurity, clean drinking water, and a new veterans home. 

“North Carolinians expect their elected officials to come together across our differences to deliver for people,” Stein wrote, later adding that “this budget has real flaws.”

“Going forward, there is more work to do. We must continue to invest even more in public safety, public education, and other public services to be competitive with other states and to serve our people well,” he said.

Locally, the final numbers tell a different story.

Officials from Fayetteville and Cumberland County asked for $126 million, mostly for core infrastructure, safety, schools, and mental health.  

Almost none of it made the final cut.

Instead, lawmakers steered $36.25 million to the new Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, a new veterans home, a Fayetteville State University (FSU) building, nonprofits, and a constellation of small‑town earmarks in GOP‑held districts

The county’s biggest priorities—water, schools, mental health, homelessness, public safety—received zero earmarked dollars. 

“This was a tight state budget with the continued investments in western North Carolina, and our delegation still brought real resources home to Cumberland County,” Kirk deViere, chair of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, told CityView. “We appreciate that.”

“From our smaller towns to the medical school, FTCC, and FSU, these investments build the workforce that supports future jobs and strengthens our economy,” deViere added.

Sen. Tom McInnis and Rep. Diane Wheatley, both Republicans, secured allocations to small towns in their districts.

The spending plan cleared the Senate in a 36-13 decision, garnering support from nearly the entire Republican caucus, save for two coastal members. Senate Democrats were divided on the measure, with nine voting in favor and 11 against.

In the House, the budget was approved with a 92-23 margin, bolstered by 23 Democrats and two unaffiliated representatives.

While most of North Carolina’s 100 counties received at least some funding in the new state budget, six counties appear to have been left out entirely, according to an analysis by The News & Observer. Those include counties represented by two Republican senators who voted against the budget—Bobby Hanig and Norman Sanderson. 

Two other counties that received no earmarks were Person and Hoke. Hoke County is represented by a Democrat in the House, while Person County is represented in the Senate by Graig Meyer, a Democrat, who has been an outspoken critic of Republican leadership.

Democrats Flag Process Concerns

Transparency concerns eclipsed any potential gains for several Democrats, including Sen. Val Applewhite. Representing Cumberland County, Applewhite expressed that the compressed timeline prevented a comprehensive assessment.

Democrat senators voting on the budget’s initial approval of $34.4 billion objected to how the budget was negotiated, saying they had only hours to review the more than 600-page spending plan before debate and were excluded from negotiations.

“It’s a dealbreaker for me because what you had months to do, we literally had 72 hours to do,” she told NC Newsline. “If you can stand here and say how amazing this budget is, why wouldn’t you share that with us earlier?”

Cumberland County’s four-member House delegation unanimously cast “yes” votes.

Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin told CityView he appreciated the state’s investments in FSU and the medical school, calling them “real wins for our region and its future.” 

He said that while the city’s own requests didn’t make it into the budget, he understands the tradeoffs involved. Colvin said he’s hopeful Fayetteville will be included in future discussions, especially on Phase V sewer grants that annexed residents are waiting for.

Gov. Josh Stein said in a press release that the budget marks progress but emphasized that North Carolina still has significant needs ahead.

He said the state must continue strengthening public safety, public education, and other core services to remain competitive. 

“Going forward, there is more work to do,” he added.

Stein framed the budget as evidence that lawmakers can still find common ground. “But as today’s budget proves, we can work together to get things done,” he said. “I am eager to keep at it with the General Assembly to keep building on our momentum to create a North Carolina that’s safer, stronger, and more prosperous with opportunity for every person.”

What Cumberland County Received in Earmarks