Carolina Journal Radio No. 710: N.C. takes first steps toward disaster relief

North Carolina lawmakers returned to Raleigh in December to address Gov. Pat McCrory’s $200 million disaster relief plan linked to Hurricane Matthew and western N.C. wildfires. The special session also generated concerns from left-of-center critics about other items the legislatures might address. Becki Gray, the John Locke Foundation’s senior vice president, analyzes the flurry of activity surrounding the state Legislative Building. The 2016 elections are over, but pundits and prognosticators are still sifting through the results. They’re trying to determine what the elections say about the state of politics and the future course of public policy in North Carolina. John Locke Foundation Chairman John Hood recognizes that the election was important. He doesn’t label the results transformational. Now that the state no longer faces the obstacle of a $2.5 billion debt to the federal government for unemployment benefits, state leaders are rebuilding their unemployment trust fund. They’re also trying to determine the proper size of that trust fund moving forward. The goal is to avoid future debt during the next economic downturn. You’ll hear highlights from a recent legislative debate on the topic. North Carolinians will play key roles in the 115th Congress. Among them is U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, R-6th District, who will lead the conservative Republican Study Committee. During a recent speech for the American Enterprise Institute, Walker outlined some of his key goals in his new post. In addition to Walker, fellow Republican N.C. congressman Mark Meadows will lead the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, assesses the impact Walker and Meadows are likely to have as conservatives attempt to influence policy on Capitol Hill in 2017.