Governor Stein Announces 2025-2027 Budget Proposal

Governor Stein Announces 2025-2027 Budget Proposal to Keep North Carolina Strong

On Wednesday, Governor Josh Stein released his recommended budget for FY 2025-2027, which he has named “North Carolina Strong”.  The Governor’s budget makes key investments in the economy, families, education, workforce, health care, and public safety to help ensure every North Carolinian has a shot at a brighter future. 

The budget includes higher pay for teachers with an average raise of 10.6% over the next two years, a new Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to offset the high cost of child care, free school breakfast for all public school students, and free community college for all North Carolinians seeking high-demand workforce skills. 

The Governor’s budget includes the following:

• Building A Strong Workforce

  Every North Carolinian deserves the opportunity to get a good-paying job or start a small business. The Governor’s budget expands job opportunities by investing in apprenticeship programs, providing free community college to students pursuing credentials in high-demand industries, and supporting people rejoining the workforce after incarceration.  

• Strengthening Families & Lowering Costs

  Too many North Carolinians are struggling to pay their bills as costs continue to climb, especially housing and child care. Governor Stein’s budget seeks to strengthen families and lower costs by expanding high-quality child care options and paying early childhood educators more, cutting taxes for middle class families, and building more homes. The budget’s targeted tax cuts will put more money back in people’s pockets and help offset the cost of child care and other basic necessities.  

• Improving Public Education

  Investing in North Carolina’s children is an investment in the state’s future. Governor Stein’s budget raises starting teacher pay to be the highest in the Southeast and rewards and retains teachers so that students have access to the best education. It also invests in student health by hiring more school nurses, counselors, and social workers and providing free breakfast in our public schools. It takes on school safety by upgrading school infrastructure and reduces the distraction of cell phones in classrooms. Finally, the Governor’s budget proposes a $4 billion bond to modernize old and outdated school buildings. 

• Keeping North Carolinians Safe & Healthy

  Governor Stein is committed to keeping North Carolinians safe & healthy. The Governor’s budget addresses the shortage of law enforcement officers with raises for state law enforcement officers, particularly correctional officers and youth counselors. It also recommends investments that get deadly fentanyl off the street, solve cold sexual assault cases, and fund body cameras to produce objective evidence. Governor Stein’s budget strengthens the health of all North Carolinians by promoting affordable health care, supporting rural clinics, helping people who are struggling with substance use disorder, and ensuring people have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. 

• Promoting Fiscal Soundness & Operational Excellence
  Taxpayers deserve to know that their money is being well spent. The Governor’s budget establishes an IMPACT Center to improve efficiency and effectiveness of state programs so that we can achieve greater value for every tax dollar and ensure a simple, user-friendly experience for North Carolinians. It also recognizes that North Carolina’s needed investments are impossible with current pre-programmed tax breaks for corporations and wealthy individuals. Governor Stein’s budget proposes freezing current individual and corporate tax rates so that the state can keep up with its rapid population growth and avoid a fiscal cliff. 

Click here to read Governor Stein’s full budget proposal.

One of NASW-NC's top legislative priorities for 2025 is the Restoration of Master's Level Pay for School Social Workers.  We are working weekly at the NC General Assembly for Restoration of Master's Level Pay for School Social Workers to be included in the state of North Carolina 2025-2027 Budget.  NASW-NC is supporting the NC Department of Public Instruction's budget request that includes Restoration of Masters Level Pay for School Social Workers.

Read more about the NC Department of Public Instruction Budget requests HERE.

Read NASW-NC's School Social Workers policy brief HERE.

NASW-NC is the only organization with two full-time lobbyists advocating for the social work profession. We can not due the work we do, including advocating for budgetary recommendations without our members.  If you would like to support our efforts and are not a member or have let your membership lapse, please join NASW-NC HERE.