North Carolina taxpayers would spend $32.6 billion on education, law enforcement, farm programs, environmental protection, prisons, the courts, state parks and other government services this coming fiscal year, under a state budget plan the N.C. Senate approved on Wednesday and Thursday.
And that would be followed by another $33.3 billion in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The N.C. Senate plan includes tens of millions of dollars for projects in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. At the same time, it leaves out some items sought by Democratic state Sen. Val Applewhite of Fayetteville and Republican state Sen. Tom McInnis of Moore County — Cumberland County’s two state senators.
The N.C. Senate has a 30-20 Republican majority. The budget bill passed 30-15 on Thursday, with most Democrats present (including Applewhite) voting against it, and with most Republicans present (including McInnis) voting for it.
Here are some Fayetteville and Cumberland County specific items in the proposed budget, plus things that weren’t included that McInnis and Applewhite wanted.
Rehab and reopen Veterans Home – approved
The North Carolina Fayetteville State Veterans Home, which abruptly closed in early 2024 because the property had health and safety hazards and other problems. These included holes in the walls and ceiling, and issues with the roof, air quality, stormwater drainage, the HVAC system, fire safety measures and the plumbing.
The budget has $42 million to renovate and repair the facility, which is off Ramsey Street in north Fayetteville.
The Jenesis Firearm Accountability Act – rejected
Applewhite was rejected on Wednesday when she tried to insert into the budget bill a new law to require gun owners to report when their guns are lost or stolen. The proposed law, the Jenesis Firearm Accountability Act, would be named after 8-year-old homicide victim Jenesis Dockery of Cumberland County.
Dockery was shot dead in July 2023 by an 11-year-old boy who stole his grandfather’s gun, a lawsuit against the boy’s mother and grandfather alleges.
People who violate the Firearms Accountability Act would get a written warning on the first offense, a $500 fine on the second offense, and a $1,000 fine on the third offense.
If the unreported lost or stolen gun is used in a violent crime, the gun owner could be tried and sentenced to the same level of punishment as the state mandates for the crime in which the gun was used.
Applewhite’s legislation would have allocated $500,000 for an educational campaign to make the public aware of the new law.
The Senate voted 28-19 to kill Applewhite’s attempt to pass the Jenesis Firearm Accountability Act. All Republicans present, including McInnis, voted against the accountability act; all Democrats present, including Applewhite, voted for the accountability act.
Cancel funding for Fayetteville’s Civil War museum – rejected
Applewhite filed a bill to cancel funding for the $87 million North Carolina History Center on the Civil War, Emancipation & Reconstruction, which is under construction in Fayetteville. Its website says it is to open in 2027.
Applewhite’s proposal to stop the funding was not included in the budget.
About $51 million remained for the project, Applewhite said in a letter to the town leaders in Hope Mills. She wanted to redirect the money to Hope Mills, Fayetteville City Council and Cumberland County.
If Applewhite’s plan for the museum money were to pass:
- 40% ($20.4 million) would be used in Fayetteville for community mental health programs, pedestrian safety projects, workforce development, and a transportation study.
- 30% ($15.3 million) would be sent to Hope Mills for the town community center.
- 30% ($15.3 million) would be sent to Cumberland County. The uses would be water and sewer construction in Gray’s Creek, youth mental health and substance abuse treatment services, preconstruction activities for a regional aquatic center, an emergency services mobile incident command unit, and digital dispatch equipment fire departments.
Legalized betting on horse racing – pending
McInnis, who lives in the horse country of Moore County, has a bill pending to bring legal gambling on horse racing to North Carolina. The legislature has previously enacted laws to do this, but there have been issues implementing it, the Covers gambling news outlet reported in December.
McInnis’ legislation is not in the Senate’s version of the state budget, but it could pass later this legislative session. Taxes on sports betting bring revenue to the state government.
Money for Fayetteville State University – approved
The budget has items earmarked for Fayetteville State University. Three of them:
- $500,000 in sports gambling tax revenue to support college athletics. This is an increase from $300,000 previously allocated.
- The NC Promise Tuition Plan would increase the tuition price for out-of-state students at Fayetteville State to $3,000 per semester. It has been $2,500. The $500 in-state NC Promise rate would be unchanged.
- $20.75 million, to be allocated from 2027 to 2031, for renovation of the Butler Building. This building has the College of Education, and is home to the Department of English, the Department of Performing and Fine Arts and Cross Creek Early College.
- $6.6 million to finish building the $63 million new College of Education building.
Connect high school to community college – approved
Fayetteville Technical Community College would be one of two community colleges to participate in a $3.75 million Seamless Skills Initiative.
“By aligning learning experiences from high school with college-level competencies, the Initiative enables students to explore career pathways, earn dual credit, and fulfill computer science requirements while gaining credentials of value in high-demand technology employment sectors through college credit,” the legislation says.
More prosecutors – approved
The Cumberland County District Attorney Office would get six new prosecutors, for a total of 31 prosecutors, up from 25.
Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.
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