Budget stalemate leaves ENC state workers waiting for pay raises

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Teachers and state workers in eastern North Carolina are still waiting for pay raises nearly four months after the state budget was supposed to be decided, leaving some of the region’s hardest-working people uncertain about their pay.

Without a new budget, the state operates on last year’s funding plan, meaning state employees such as teachers and law enforcement officers who could have seen a pay raise this year will see their wages stay the same for now.

The budget stalemate has impacts beyond state employee paychecks. ECU Economics Professor Dr. Nicholas Rupp said the lack of a state budget could mean hardship for Medicaid users, as Medicaid reimbursements are being cut.

“Those who are receiving Medicaid may find it harder to locate providers who are willing