October 24, 2025 • 40 mins
Tensions are escalating in Raleigh as lawmakers remain deadlocked over the Medicaid rebase, with funding disputes threatening to delay reimbursements to hospitals and care providers. Enrollment in North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship program has surged to nearly 100,000 students, highlighting growing demand for school choice. Following the approval of new congressional maps, attention now turns to potential legal challenges. Meanwhile, Senator Thom Tillis has asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate a marijuana operation run by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. On the economic front, auto imports have declined, signaling a tightening consumer market.
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
It's five oh five and welcome into a Friday edition
of The Carolina Journal News Hour news Stock eleven, ten
ninety nine three WBT. I'm Nick Craig. A good morning
to you. Well, it has been a busy week in
the North Carolina General Assembly as they wrapped up their
scheduled scheduled October session. Tensions are still running high between
(00:29):
both the North Carolina House and Senate over a Medicaid
rebased stallmate and its increasing sticker shock. So here's what
went on this week. The North Carolina House passed several
measures on Wednesday that the Senate refused to take into
their chamber, according to accusing the other house of playing
(00:50):
politics in sending ineligible bills across the legislative body. On Wednesday,
the House approved several healthcare related bills, including two new
measures providing additional funding for the state's Medicaid rebase, as
well as another prohibiting Medicaid funding for planned parenthood. Neither
were measures that the North Carolina Senate called for the
(01:13):
House to greenlight in a press statement issued Wednesday afternoon.
The statement was released by Senate Appropriations chairs Brenton Jackson,
the Republican from Samson County, Ralph Heiss, the Republican from Mitchell,
and Michael Lee, the Republican from New Hanover. In their
joint statement, they said, quote, if the House is serious
(01:35):
about providing much needed pay increases for our hard working
men and women in law enforcement and putting an end
to tax dollars supporting planned parenthood, all they have to
do is concur with House Bill forty two and House
Bill one ninety two. It's time to stop playing politics
and come to the negotiating table. They're not speaking of
(01:56):
Democrat Governor Josh Stain. They are speaking of their they're
equals over in the North Carolina House and telling them
to stop playing politics and come to the negotiating table instead.
The North Carolina House approved House Bill four ninety one,
which was aptly named the Medicaid Rebase Adjustment, which appropriates
one hundred and ninety million dollars in non recurring funds
(02:20):
to support Medicaid operations. Senate Bill four oh five was
also passed by the House separately by a unanimous vote,
and that adds an additional ninety million dollars. However, those
are reoccurring funds in addition to six hundred million dollars
that has already been allotted for the medicaid rebase in
House Bill one twenty five, which was signed by Governor
(02:43):
Josh Stein back in the month of August. According to reports,
one hundred million dollars of that would go towards managed
care administrative costs, leaving only five hundred million dollars for
the actual rebase itself. If Senate Bill four oh five
is eventually passed by this Senate, that increases the rebase
amount to six hundred and ninety million dollars. If the
(03:05):
Senate were to also pass House Bill four ninety one,
it would bring the total rebase amount to some eight
hundred and eighty million dollars, which that price tag would
be even more than the eight hundred and nineteen million
dollars that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human
Services had questioned, and economists now are sounding the alarm
(03:26):
in North Carolina over these incredibly high dollar mounts for
the medicase rebase. Joves Joseph Harris, who is a fiscal
policy analyst for the John Locke Foundation, told The Carolina
Journal quote, a nearly one billion dollar medicaid rebase is
deeply concerning even if the rebase itself does not fund
(03:48):
Medicaid expansion, it's clear that expansion is driving up the
cost of coverage for traditional groups. At a fifteen percent
year over year increase, the state is on track to
double Medicaid appropriations within five years, a trajectory that is
simply unsustainable for taxpayers. House lawmakers also noted that three
(04:11):
hundred and ten million dollars will remain in the Medicaid
contingency reserve for petition potential additional needs later in the
fiscal year, so that money will just be kind of
sitting aside for a rainy day if there is a
last minute shortfall in money. In a rare public glimpse
of internal negotiation, Senate leaderships press Wednesday said that earlier
(04:36):
this week, the Senate sent to the House a proposal
to include the back the Blue Act and House Bill
one ninety two, along with funding for the Medicaid rebase
in the latest mini budget, Senate Bill four forty nine.
That bill also included reducing proposed funding for the children's
hospital that has been announced here in North Carolina. However,
(05:01):
a statement from the state Senate reads the House would
not agree to the proposal in ended negotiations. Senate leadership
then went on to say that the additional bills that
the House considered are ineligible, criticizing the Chamber for adjourney
without an agreement on the rebase among them. The House
separately passed the Senate Bill three seventy eight, which was
(05:23):
titled and is titled Aligned Medicaid Eligibility with Federal Law
that passed by a vote of sixty one to forty seven,
which prohibits a Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood. The legislation
aligned state law with the recently enacted One Big Beautiful
Bill requiring North Carolina's Medicaid program to remove Planned Parenthood
(05:45):
as an approved provider. The Senate also refused to take
the Healthcare Investment Act passed by the House on Wednesday,
which includes long term provisions of for Medicaid operations such
as forty nine point two million dollars in reoccurring and
thirty four point four million in non recurring funds to
support managed care across the state, one million dollars for
(06:09):
the State Auditor review, a state auditor to review county
level Medicaid eligibility recommendations and DSS performance, and a directive
requiring the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
to develop a plan to improve cost savings and streamline operations.
House Speaker Deston Hall, the Republican from Caldwell County, said
(06:31):
that the new funding measures were intended to protect providers
from rate cuts ordered earlier this month by Governor Josh Stein.
The House leadership that would include a House Speaker Deston Hall,
set in a statement on Thursday, quote, as of this week,
the North Carolina House of Representatives have passed three clean,
(06:52):
standalone bills to fund the state's Medicaid rebase and protect
patients from Governor Josh Stein's unnecessary, politically motivated rate cuts.
State health officials confirmed that any of these three proposals
would lead the administration to drop their cuts. This repeated
effort shows that House healthcare leaders are ready to solve
(07:15):
Stein's manufactured crisis and won't let procedural roadblocks stand in
the way of delivering for North Carolinians. As I noted,
it is not very often that you see and kind
of get these press releases that go public that show
some of the inner workings of the new chamb of
both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly. Now, for
(07:38):
those that are longtime observers of North Carolina politics, it
is nothing new that sometimes not all the time, but
sometimes when even when you've got two of the same
parties in control in both the House in the Senate,
there are roadblocks, There are different priorities. It has happened
under Democrat led general assemblies, and it has happened under
(07:58):
a Republican led general assemblies. And in terms of this
legislative session, this is not the first issue either that
lawmakers have had. As we sit here on the morning
of October the twenty fourth, lawmakers in Raleigh still do
not have a full budget and there is very little indication,
if any, that that is something that will come forth
(08:19):
in the biennium which will resume or early next year.
We learn from House Speaker Destin Hall, and this is
not set in stone. He admitted that, excuse me, but
he did say that there was a strong likelihood that
the North Carolina House, even though they are set to
have an additional voting session coming up here towards the
(08:39):
end of the end of November, he did indicate pretty
clearly that there is a large likelihood that there is
not another single vote that the North Carolina House takes
this year. Now, obviously, if negotiations do continue with the
North Carolina Senate, if they are able to come to
some sort of agreement, figure out some of their differences,
(09:00):
and work towards a solution on additional things for a
mini budget, the medicaid rebase, additional funding for Hurricane Helene
in western North Carolina. There are still plenty that can
happen over the next three or four weeks that could
drive the North Carolina House to have another voting day
if very possible that the comments there from a speaker
(09:22):
hall or a negotiating tact tactics to try and pull
the unite the North Carolina Senate back to the table.
Not immediately clear exactly what that is going to look like,
but that process does continue. In this medicaid rebase does
continue to be a major political issue here across the
state of North Carolina. You can read some additional details
(09:45):
on our website This Morning Carolina Journal dot com. We've
got quotes from both the North Carolina House and Senate
and some details on those price points. There the headline
tensions rise over Medicaid rebase impass again those detailsales at
Carolina Journal dot com. It's five twenty one. Welcome back
(10:08):
to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Newstock eleven, ten ninety
nine three WBT. Good Friday morning to you. I'm Nick Craig.
The Opportunity Scholarship program in North Carolina is nearing a
key milestone of nearly one hundred thousand students enrolled. As
of data from October sixth that shows ninety eight thousand,
(10:29):
nine hundred and seventeen students using the Opportunity Scholarship program.
That is a whopping two hundred and four percent increase
from just two years ago and an additional twenty three
percent increase since last school year. The North Carolina State
Education Assistance Authority, which is the state agency that is
(10:50):
responsible for overseeing the voucher program, is still taking applications
for the spring term, meaning that the total could likely
surpass one hundred one thousand individual students enrolled this year.
Of all of the enrollments this year, sixty five thousand
plus are renewals, meaning that roughly fifteen thousand students who
(11:11):
held scholarships last year did not renew or maybe aged
out and did not, of course, take advantage of the program.
Opportunity Scholarship students made up a minority of private school
enrollees in the twenty three to twenty four school year,
just thirty two thousand of more than one hundred and
thirty one thousand students, but last year comprised a much
(11:34):
larger share of eighty out of eighty thousand out of
one hundred and thirty five thousand students enrolled. Doctor Bob Luke,
who is the director of the Center for Effective Education
at the John Locke Foundation, said, quote, all the arrows
are pointing up for the Opportunity Scholarship program. Higher enrollment,
larger awards, and the possibility of more help from the
(11:58):
federal Tax Credit Scholarship. These are all signs that school
choice is here to stay. It's just a matter of
what choice will look like. Yes, we won the argument.
Did anyone notice? Opportunity Scholarships are now available in North
Carolina to all K through twelve students and are the
(12:19):
state voucher program designed to enable families to choose a
private education for their children. The program has grown since
it started back in the twenty fourteen twenty fifteen school year,
when it served some twelve hundred students lawmakers opened the
scholarship to all families regardless of income last school year
(12:42):
and raise the income eligibility limits, changes that coincided with
a sharp increase in the award. This semester, the state
has awarded two hundred and seventy nine point nine million
dollars in vouchers and is on pace to distribute about
five hundred and fifty nine million by the end of
this school year. That is up four hundred and thirty
(13:03):
two million dollars from last year and one hundred and
eighty five million from two years ago. Family income, however,
does still determine the award sizes, which range anywhere between
thirty four hundred dollars and seventy six hundred dollars per student.
There are four income tiers, ranging from fifty nine thousand
(13:24):
dollars for a family of four in the first tier
to more than two hundred and sixty seven thousand dollars
for a family of four in the fourth tier, and
the way that this program works is individuals in the
lower income tier get the highest award size available close
to that are potentially close to that seventy six hundred
dollars per student mark, while families in that higher income
(13:46):
tier are only eligible for the minimum, they are potentially
up to thirty four hundred dollars per student. North Raleigh
Christian Academy has received the most voucher funding to date
at just over three million dollars. Several other private schools
currently exceed two million dollars in awards, including a Grace
(14:07):
Christian School in Sanford, Metrolina, Christian Academy in Indian Trail,
Concord Academy in Wealth Concord, and Liberty Christian Academy in
Richland's Overall, Wake County has the most scholarships awarded at
thirty four million dollars total, followed by Mecklenburg County at
twenty five million dollars, Guilford fifteen million, Cumberland County fourteen million,
(14:32):
and Forsyth twelve million. No surprise to see that the
state's two largest counties in both Wake and mech making
up those total top total dollar amounts there. A North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction report found that the state
saved about ten million dollars last school year after about
(14:53):
six thousand students who attended public school in the twenty
three to twenty four school year switched to private schools
and took advantage of the Opportunity Scholarship Program in the
twenty four to twenty five school year. The report showed
that those students received roughly thirty four million dollars in
scholarships awarded versus an estimated forty four million dollars in
(15:15):
an average state per pupil public school allocation. The report
from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction notes that
scholarship amounts are generally lower than the average state pure
per pupil allotment, while cautioning impacts of varying by timing,
student characteristics and district factors. In addition to making the
(15:38):
Opportunity Scholarship Program universally available, North Carolina lawmakers have also
been working to make a new federal tax scholarship credit
a reality. The tax credit program is part of President
Donald Trump's A One Big, Beautiful Build, which was enacted
by Congress earlier this year, and it would allow North
(15:59):
Carolina taxpayers to make deductible contributions to Designated Scholarship Granting
Organizations or SSOs, which in turn would issue stipends to
students for private school expenses, including tuition and other allowable expenses. However,
the measure was vetoed by Democrat Governor Josh Stein and
(16:22):
is pending overwrite and override vote in the state House.
A recent poll from the American Federation of Children found
and continues to find pretty broad support for school choice
as well as the new federal tax credit scholarship. Seventy
three percent said that school choice should be open to
all families, fifty five percent support it regardless of income
(16:45):
or geography, and in a head to head legislative choice,
fifty seven percent said that they would back a pro
school choice candidate versus twenty percent for an individual who
opposes a continued school choice. Now, if you'll remember back
just a couple of years ago, this school choice argument
was a major one in the North Carolina General Assembly.
(17:08):
It did pit Democrats and Republicans against each other pretty
handedly in Raleigh. As of course, it was the Republicans
that brought this to its fruition back in the twenty
fourteen twenty fifteen school year kind of a test pilot,
demo version of this program, and over the last decade
or so they have worked on steps to not only
(17:29):
bolster the program, but allow and make it so that
more individuals are available for the ops the Opportunity Scholarship
program that has now taken place, and we are getting
very close to that one hundred thousand student mark of
individuals taking advantage of the program. And again looking at
(17:50):
some of that polling from the American Federation of Children,
this is a losing political issue for individuals that are
against school choice. Whether they are Republicans or Democrats, it
really doesn't matter. You've got incredible broad support for individuals
and families being able to send their child to a
school that best fits their need if, for example, the
(18:12):
public school and their zip code is not sufficient for
the learning for their children or their students. Having the
ability to do so through the Opportunity Scholarship program and
get their individual child or children to different schools that
throughout their region is a huge win for families and
continues to be incredibly popular, not only here in North Carolina,
(18:36):
but across the United States. Teachers Union and other teachers'
unions and other left wing activist groups continue to rally
against the Opportunity Scholarship programs and school choice across the nation. However,
hard to look at some of these polls and some
of these numbers showing its broad support and think that
that is likely a strong political strategy moving forward. We'll
(18:59):
keep our eyes on these enrollment numbers as we head
later into this year and early next, and we'll provide
them the details over on our website, Carolina Journal dot
com and right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour.
If you want to read a little more about the
Opportunity Scholarship program, this article's headline n see Opportunity Scholarship
Enrollment nears one hundred k and again that's available over
(19:22):
at Carolina Journal dot com. It's five thirty seven. Welcome
back to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Newstock eleven ten
ninety nine three WBT recapping our big North Carolina political
story this week. New congressional districts are now in effect
across North Carolina after passing a both the North Carolina
(19:45):
House and Senate earlier this week. As lawmakers made it
abundantly clear that they were doing this to try and
combat some redistricting efforts in Democrat majority states like California.
So there are some chain just to the first and
third congressional districts. Wilson, Wayne, Green, and Lenore Counties are
(20:06):
moving from District one to District three. Craven, Beaufort, Pamlico, Carteret, Hyde,
and Dare Counties are moving from District three into District one.
The governor does not have the ability to veto these
congressional maps passed by lawmakers in Raleigh, and candidate filing
for these two newly drawn districts will open in early December.
(20:30):
We are learning information this morning that Congressman Greg Murphy
will run in the third congressional district. There was some
rumor and reports that he was deciding between the first
and third. The current Democrat or current Democrat Congressman Don Davis,
who represents the first congressional district, has not made it
clear what district he will run in yet. We will
(20:52):
be keeping an eye on those details in the coming
weeks as we head closer to that candidate filing a
date in early December. Will continue to cover it over
on our website, Carolina Journal dot com and right here
on the Carolina Journal News Hour, where it's now five
thirty nine, News Talk eleven, ten ninety nine to three WBT.
In twenty twenty four, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
(21:14):
opened up the states first a recreational medical marijuana facility.
Obviously that taking place on Cherokee Land in western North Carolina. However,
since it opened, there have been some questions from our
Senate delegation up in Washington, d C. About some of
the logistics as to how this is going down. Those
renewed calls are now coming out this morning to walk
us through some of those details. Teresa Opeka, Carolina Journal
(21:37):
dot Com that joins us on the news hour, Teresa.
Senator Tillis is raising some interesting questions as to how
the Cherokee Indians are getting the pot from the facilities
in which they're growing to their dispensary store which is
on Cherokee property. What are you tracking out of Washington, DC?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Sure, good morning, Neck, Thanks for having me so. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Senator Chillis talk last week and also last year along
with Senator bud about the about that dispensary and the
U they called it a superstore for the Eastern Band
of Cherokee Indians for selling marijuana and how you would
buy it at their store, but transporting along certain you know,
(22:19):
state lines, would that violate federal law? Well, Senator Tillis
was in a hearing with you know United States Attorney
General of Pam Bondi last week and wanted.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
To make her aware of that.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
And also he also started out by saying that possibly
they are allegedly marketing this marijuana to children, because behind
him on poster board you were seeing look like, you know,
childlike lettering. You had pumpkin spice and space rockets, things
of that nature. But he had questions about how they
(22:52):
are selling it outside of their boundary in Western carol
western North Carolina, which he said is a violation of
federal law.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
Yeah, you bring up something interesting, and Senator Tillis noted
this as well. It appears that the actual facility where
they're growing the marijuana or the pot is not actually
on the land in which they are selling it, and
they are allowed to sell on their own land. It's
that they have their own jurisdiction over it. And the
argument is, Teresa, they're using North Carolina highways, state roadways,
(23:21):
or federal roadways to transport this pot back and forth.
And if that's the case, that's not only breaking federal
law but state law as well.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Correct, it's still illegal in North Carolina, and as he
pointed out, several states surrounding North Carolina, including Tennessee, Georgia,
South Carolina, that it's illegal to do that. He also
brought up that they have an app that you could
buy the pot on. So, like you said, well, pot, marijuana,
call it, you know, you can call it.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Various different names.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
But basically he said, I assume that they are not
delivering it outside of the boundary because I think that
would be illegal. Those are his words, which he would
be correct if that's what, you know, what was happening. So, yeah,
how are you getting in from point A to point B?
Are you buying it and smoking it right there? Or
are you taking it? You know? And of course, but
the app that he questioned, you know, that raises some
(24:16):
other questions as well.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Yeah, and you know, going back to one of the
things you brought up at the beginning, Teresa, this discussion
of marketing. This has been a long time issue. We've
seen even the Secretary of State in Elane Marshall over
the last couple of years of busting quickie shops and
convenience stores across the state of North Carolina for selling
you know, THHC infused various chips and snacks and drinks
(24:39):
and things like that that are clearly and obviously being
marketed towards kids and in other cases ripping off like
intellectual property. You look at brands like Dorito's and Oreo
and Pepsi, where you've got individuals manufacturing counterfeit Doritos that
are laced with THHC and they're being sold all across
the state of North Carolina. It's been a big emphas
(25:00):
of her in her office as well.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
You know. I was at the most recent Council of
State meeting where she was there, and she was like
kind of passing it out to all the different heads
of state. You know, you had via Secretary of Labor
and you had treasurer there.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
She's like, here, take a look.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
It was kind of cute in a way, like looking
how the knockoffs actually look, you know, and like you say,
you mentioned about the different names to Rito's Oreos, how
there's different knockoffs of that. But she said, you know,
she wanted to make parents especially aware this time of
the year, Halloween being right around the corner, that those
things are being produced and sold in those types of stores.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
And also they had some incidents on school buses. One
in particular was in.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Fayetteville where they had some kids that got very sick
from eating THHD laced gummies. It was kind of like
a thing, you know, they were talking about getting rid.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Of demons or something something crazy like that.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
But she said, by the time they got to school
and an adult realized what happened and got them treatment,
they're okay.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Unfortunately, in Virginia that was not the case.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
So, yeah, her office has done a really, really great
service over the last few years with the state's Anti
Counterfeit Trademark Task Force. They've brought in over seven hundred
thousand dollars worth of that type of THHC and also
seizure of at least thirty weapons and eighteen hundred kilos
of marijuana produced products rather and other illicit drugs, and
(26:24):
hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. So her office
has been a big proponent of fighting this as well.
And like I say, it's good to mention it now.
The Halloween is coming up.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, no question about that. Let's turn back to this
meeting in Washington, d C. So Senator Tillis is bringing
up some of these concerns. He's talking to the states,
the country's top law enforcement officer in the Attorney General
in Pam Bondi, did she have any immediate response or
reaction to some of the concerns that Senator Tillis raised.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
She said she was not aware of the app or
actually of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, but she
said she would definitely have her office take a look
into that. Also, she Senator Tillis talked about, you know,
illegal vapes coming into the country from China, and so
she brought up that fact as well, that you know,
those type of vapes could possibly have the equivalent of
(27:15):
twenty cigarettes in a vape flavored ones are illegal, and
of course you know they are again targeting children and
they have some of them actually have video games attached
to them. Did not know that either, but she brought
that up, and she said they're investigating that, trying to
get ahead of the game because some of them, but
she says, next time on the horizon is being laced
(27:35):
with fentanyl. So she said her office is trying to
get ahead of that. So again she wasn't too familiar
with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians or their dispensary
or their marijuana selling.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
You know that they have going on or the app
but she said her office would definitely be taking a
look into it.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Teresa, turning our attention stateside. The pot or marijuana debate
is one that has been growing in the generalist embly
over the last couple of years. We heard back just
in the last legislative session, calls from lawmakers on both
sides of the political aisle to move forward with medical legalization.
In the state of North Carolina, we really haven't seen
a whole lot of movement on that, as other lawmakers argue, well,
(28:16):
as soon as you make it legal for medical use,
you're right on the road to full on decriminalizational recreational use.
This is going to be an issue that North Carolina
is likely going to have to face, probably within the
next couple of years, as so many other states moved
towards medical or some full on recreational.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Yeah, I would believe.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
So I know certain states, you know, like you said,
you already got Colorado. I believe Virginia up to the
north of US, they already have legalized marijuana itself. Pennsylvania
has legalized medical, they still haven't legalized full on marijuana.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
I think New Jersey has as.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Well, But they are talking about that pulling in some revenue.
So you've got that on one hand, but look at
Colorado having several issues with people, you know, being impaired
with driving. I mean, I could smell one when I'm
driving by sometimes I could smell it when it's just like, oh,
that's kind of scary. So yeah, I believe North Carolina
is going to have to deal with this issue sooner
(29:12):
than later, especially maybe when it comes to the medical marijuana.
There are more proponents for that than versus just the
recreational so something I think the General Assembly is definitely
gonna have to take up in the next you know,
several months too, maybe the next year or two.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Yeah, no question about that. Growing pressure from around the
nation will force lawmakers here in North Carolina to likely
act on something like medical marijuana. We'll keep an eye
on that, Teresa. There was a lot more back and
forth between Tillison and some other lawmakers in DC. You've
got a bunch of full quotes from that hearing. Where
can folks go and get those details this morning?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Sure they can head on over to Carolina Journal dot com.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
We appreciate the details this morning, Teresa Peka joins us
on the Carolina Journal News Hour where it's now five
forty seven, News Talk eleven ten nine three WBT. We'll
head back to the traffic center on your Friday morning
commute and get an update with Boomer von Cannon.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
You Nick can look it much better now.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
An inbound Freedom Drive approaching Berry Hill Road overnight incident
now has cleared. All travelingks open eastbound Freedom incident near
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Springfield bark Way. Also near Lake Walli York Road Highway
forty nine at Palasage Park that's near Palis States High School,
northeast Charlotte, have a collision Harris Boulevard headed eastbound at
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Delta Lake Drive. Boomer von Cannon WBT traffic.
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You're WVT forty cast today Friday, October twenty fourth, Sunday
sixty six tonight clear the low dipping to forty Saturday
sunshine once again sixty six Sunday. A few more clouds
move in still the mid sixties is sixty five, Concord
forty two, the Queens City forty four at WBT about it.
Speaker 7 (32:00):
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Speaker 10 (34:33):
So there's this guy that texts in here to the
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Speaker 4 (34:53):
Get used to it.
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Tonight seven to nine, News Talk eleven and ninety nine
three WBT.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Good morning again, It's five point fifty three. Welcome back
to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Newstock eleven ten, ninety
nine to three WBT. As The Carolina Journal continues to
examine the impacts of federal tariff policy on North Carolina's
major industry, the spotlight this morning turns to automobiles and
auto parts. Manufacturing market experts say that as tariffs reduce imports,
(35:32):
it reduces supply and drives up prices for consumers. On
April third, of this year, a twenty five percent tariff
was implemented on automobiles, cars and trucks, and things of
that nature. A month later, on May third, a twenty
five percent tariff was imposed on auto parts. Products subject
to auto or auto part tariffs are also not subject
(35:55):
to a fifty percent tariff on steel and aluminum products
and steel not melted and poured in the United States.
While domestic tariffs are not stacked, domestic manufacturers could be
purchasing imported steel or even imported auto parts. However, a
domestic car would not be subject to the auto tariff.
(36:17):
Foreign manufacturers exporting automobiles to the United States would be
subject to that twenty five percent tariff, but an American
manufacturer using foreign steel would be subject to the steel tariffs.
The only way to avoid being hit with those tariffs
entirely would be for American steel to be used in
the manufacturing of American cars. As of August the seventh,
(36:41):
the tariffs were implemented. Import duties on automotive industries totaled
some eleven point eight billion dollars at that point. Back
in early August, Joseph Harris, who is a fiscal policy
analyst for the John Locke Foundation told The Carolina Journal.
In the spring, the Trump administer Straation imposed a twenty
five percent tariff on imported vehicles and vehicle parts. Year
(37:06):
to date, through July, exports have increased from six hundred
and ninety nine point one million dollars to a whopping
nine hundred and fifty five point six million, representing a
rise of approximately thirty seven percent. The strongest month of
growth occurred in March, when exporters when exports climbed to
(37:26):
one hundred and ninety seven million dollars, more than double
the ninety five million recorded a recorded just one year earlier.
Throughout July, year to date, exports of vehicles and vehicle
parts climbed from six ninety one to nine to fifty
five nine hundred and fifty five million, representing that thirty
seven percent growth. According to the Economic Development Partnership of
(37:49):
North Carolina for twenty twenty four, the category was a
North Carolina's seventh largest export, with a total value of
one point three billion dollars. As of July year to
date data, North Carolina's imports of vehicle and vehicle parts
has declined pretty dramatically, approximately a twenty six percent decline
(38:12):
from four point four billion to just three point three billion.
According to that EDPNC data. In twenty twenty four, these
products represented the state's fourth largest import category, valued at
seven point one billion dollars. Joseph Harris said. In twenty
twenty four, vehicles and vehicle parts ranked as North Carolina's
(38:34):
fourth largest import, but since those tariffs took effect in
April and May, monthly shipments have fallen sharply compared to
last year. Imports from April through July continued to decline,
representing a decrease of approximately thirty nine percent. Put Differently,
for every five vehicles imported during that same period in
(38:56):
twenty twenty four, only about three were in hoarded This year,
although domestic producers have seen a modest uptick and activity,
exports have surged by roughly two hundred and fifty million
dollars a year to date, according to Harris. Meanwhile, North
Carolina consumers, while they're facing fewer options, the one point
one billion dollar drop and imports reflects one point one
(39:21):
billion dollars worth of affordable vehicles and parts that were
previously available to consumers, however, are no longer accessible this
year That shift highlights how trade restrictions often impose greater
costs on consumers than the benefits they provide to domestic producers.
You can read some additional details on this story by
(39:42):
visiting our website, Carolina Journal dot com. That's going to
do it for a Friday edition. We're back with you
Monday five to six right here on Newstock eleven ten
and ninety nine to three WBT
It's five oh five and welcome into a Friday edition
of The Carolina Journal News Hour news Stock eleven, ten
ninety nine three WBT. I'm Nick Craig. A good morning
to you. Well, it has been a busy week in
the North Carolina General Assembly as they wrapped up their
scheduled scheduled October session. Tensions are still running high between
(00:29):
both the North Carolina House and Senate over a Medicaid
rebased stallmate and its increasing sticker shock. So here's what
went on this week. The North Carolina House passed several
measures on Wednesday that the Senate refused to take into
their chamber, according to accusing the other house of playing
(00:50):
politics in sending ineligible bills across the legislative body. On Wednesday,
the House approved several healthcare related bills, including two new
measures providing additional funding for the state's Medicaid rebase, as
well as another prohibiting Medicaid funding for planned parenthood. Neither
were measures that the North Carolina Senate called for the
(01:13):
House to greenlight in a press statement issued Wednesday afternoon.
The statement was released by Senate Appropriations chairs Brenton Jackson,
the Republican from Samson County, Ralph Heiss, the Republican from Mitchell,
and Michael Lee, the Republican from New Hanover. In their
joint statement, they said, quote, if the House is serious
(01:35):
about providing much needed pay increases for our hard working
men and women in law enforcement and putting an end
to tax dollars supporting planned parenthood, all they have to
do is concur with House Bill forty two and House
Bill one ninety two. It's time to stop playing politics
and come to the negotiating table. They're not speaking of
(01:56):
Democrat Governor Josh Stain. They are speaking of their they're
equals over in the North Carolina House and telling them
to stop playing politics and come to the negotiating table instead.
The North Carolina House approved House Bill four ninety one,
which was aptly named the Medicaid Rebase Adjustment, which appropriates
one hundred and ninety million dollars in non recurring funds
(02:20):
to support Medicaid operations. Senate Bill four oh five was
also passed by the House separately by a unanimous vote,
and that adds an additional ninety million dollars. However, those
are reoccurring funds in addition to six hundred million dollars
that has already been allotted for the medicaid rebase in
House Bill one twenty five, which was signed by Governor
(02:43):
Josh Stein back in the month of August. According to reports,
one hundred million dollars of that would go towards managed
care administrative costs, leaving only five hundred million dollars for
the actual rebase itself. If Senate Bill four oh five
is eventually passed by this Senate, that increases the rebase
amount to six hundred and ninety million dollars. If the
(03:05):
Senate were to also pass House Bill four ninety one,
it would bring the total rebase amount to some eight
hundred and eighty million dollars, which that price tag would
be even more than the eight hundred and nineteen million
dollars that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human
Services had questioned, and economists now are sounding the alarm
(03:26):
in North Carolina over these incredibly high dollar mounts for
the medicase rebase. Joves Joseph Harris, who is a fiscal
policy analyst for the John Locke Foundation, told The Carolina
Journal quote, a nearly one billion dollar medicaid rebase is
deeply concerning even if the rebase itself does not fund
(03:48):
Medicaid expansion, it's clear that expansion is driving up the
cost of coverage for traditional groups. At a fifteen percent
year over year increase, the state is on track to
double Medicaid appropriations within five years, a trajectory that is
simply unsustainable for taxpayers. House lawmakers also noted that three
(04:11):
hundred and ten million dollars will remain in the Medicaid
contingency reserve for petition potential additional needs later in the
fiscal year, so that money will just be kind of
sitting aside for a rainy day if there is a
last minute shortfall in money. In a rare public glimpse
of internal negotiation, Senate leaderships press Wednesday said that earlier
(04:36):
this week, the Senate sent to the House a proposal
to include the back the Blue Act and House Bill
one ninety two, along with funding for the Medicaid rebase
in the latest mini budget, Senate Bill four forty nine.
That bill also included reducing proposed funding for the children's
hospital that has been announced here in North Carolina. However,
(05:01):
a statement from the state Senate reads the House would
not agree to the proposal in ended negotiations. Senate leadership
then went on to say that the additional bills that
the House considered are ineligible, criticizing the Chamber for adjourney
without an agreement on the rebase among them. The House
separately passed the Senate Bill three seventy eight, which was
(05:23):
titled and is titled Aligned Medicaid Eligibility with Federal Law
that passed by a vote of sixty one to forty seven,
which prohibits a Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood. The legislation
aligned state law with the recently enacted One Big Beautiful
Bill requiring North Carolina's Medicaid program to remove Planned Parenthood
(05:45):
as an approved provider. The Senate also refused to take
the Healthcare Investment Act passed by the House on Wednesday,
which includes long term provisions of for Medicaid operations such
as forty nine point two million dollars in reoccurring and
thirty four point four million in non recurring funds to
support managed care across the state, one million dollars for
(06:09):
the State Auditor review, a state auditor to review county
level Medicaid eligibility recommendations and DSS performance, and a directive
requiring the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
to develop a plan to improve cost savings and streamline operations.
House Speaker Deston Hall, the Republican from Caldwell County, said
(06:31):
that the new funding measures were intended to protect providers
from rate cuts ordered earlier this month by Governor Josh Stein.
The House leadership that would include a House Speaker Deston Hall,
set in a statement on Thursday, quote, as of this week,
the North Carolina House of Representatives have passed three clean,
(06:52):
standalone bills to fund the state's Medicaid rebase and protect
patients from Governor Josh Stein's unnecessary, politically motivated rate cuts.
State health officials confirmed that any of these three proposals
would lead the administration to drop their cuts. This repeated
effort shows that House healthcare leaders are ready to solve
(07:15):
Stein's manufactured crisis and won't let procedural roadblocks stand in
the way of delivering for North Carolinians. As I noted,
it is not very often that you see and kind
of get these press releases that go public that show
some of the inner workings of the new chamb of
both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly. Now, for
(07:38):
those that are longtime observers of North Carolina politics, it
is nothing new that sometimes not all the time, but
sometimes when even when you've got two of the same
parties in control in both the House in the Senate,
there are roadblocks, There are different priorities. It has happened
under Democrat led general assemblies, and it has happened under
(07:58):
a Republican led general assemblies. And in terms of this
legislative session, this is not the first issue either that
lawmakers have had. As we sit here on the morning
of October the twenty fourth, lawmakers in Raleigh still do
not have a full budget and there is very little indication,
if any, that that is something that will come forth
(08:19):
in the biennium which will resume or early next year.
We learn from House Speaker Destin Hall, and this is
not set in stone. He admitted that, excuse me, but
he did say that there was a strong likelihood that
the North Carolina House, even though they are set to
have an additional voting session coming up here towards the
(08:39):
end of the end of November, he did indicate pretty
clearly that there is a large likelihood that there is
not another single vote that the North Carolina House takes
this year. Now, obviously, if negotiations do continue with the
North Carolina Senate, if they are able to come to
some sort of agreement, figure out some of their differences,
(09:00):
and work towards a solution on additional things for a
mini budget, the medicaid rebase, additional funding for Hurricane Helene
in western North Carolina. There are still plenty that can
happen over the next three or four weeks that could
drive the North Carolina House to have another voting day
if very possible that the comments there from a speaker
(09:22):
hall or a negotiating tact tactics to try and pull
the unite the North Carolina Senate back to the table.
Not immediately clear exactly what that is going to look like,
but that process does continue. In this medicaid rebase does
continue to be a major political issue here across the
state of North Carolina. You can read some additional details
(09:45):
on our website This Morning Carolina Journal dot com. We've
got quotes from both the North Carolina House and Senate
and some details on those price points. There the headline
tensions rise over Medicaid rebase impass again those detailsales at
Carolina Journal dot com. It's five twenty one. Welcome back
(10:08):
to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Newstock eleven, ten ninety
nine three WBT. Good Friday morning to you. I'm Nick Craig.
The Opportunity Scholarship program in North Carolina is nearing a
key milestone of nearly one hundred thousand students enrolled. As
of data from October sixth that shows ninety eight thousand,
(10:29):
nine hundred and seventeen students using the Opportunity Scholarship program.
That is a whopping two hundred and four percent increase
from just two years ago and an additional twenty three
percent increase since last school year. The North Carolina State
Education Assistance Authority, which is the state agency that is
(10:50):
responsible for overseeing the voucher program, is still taking applications
for the spring term, meaning that the total could likely
surpass one hundred one thousand individual students enrolled this year.
Of all of the enrollments this year, sixty five thousand
plus are renewals, meaning that roughly fifteen thousand students who
(11:11):
held scholarships last year did not renew or maybe aged
out and did not, of course, take advantage of the program.
Opportunity Scholarship students made up a minority of private school
enrollees in the twenty three to twenty four school year,
just thirty two thousand of more than one hundred and
thirty one thousand students, but last year comprised a much
(11:34):
larger share of eighty out of eighty thousand out of
one hundred and thirty five thousand students enrolled. Doctor Bob Luke,
who is the director of the Center for Effective Education
at the John Locke Foundation, said, quote, all the arrows
are pointing up for the Opportunity Scholarship program. Higher enrollment,
larger awards, and the possibility of more help from the
(11:58):
federal Tax Credit Scholarship. These are all signs that school
choice is here to stay. It's just a matter of
what choice will look like. Yes, we won the argument.
Did anyone notice? Opportunity Scholarships are now available in North
Carolina to all K through twelve students and are the
(12:19):
state voucher program designed to enable families to choose a
private education for their children. The program has grown since
it started back in the twenty fourteen twenty fifteen school year,
when it served some twelve hundred students lawmakers opened the
scholarship to all families regardless of income last school year
(12:42):
and raise the income eligibility limits, changes that coincided with
a sharp increase in the award. This semester, the state
has awarded two hundred and seventy nine point nine million
dollars in vouchers and is on pace to distribute about
five hundred and fifty nine million by the end of
this school year. That is up four hundred and thirty
(13:03):
two million dollars from last year and one hundred and
eighty five million from two years ago. Family income, however,
does still determine the award sizes, which range anywhere between
thirty four hundred dollars and seventy six hundred dollars per student.
There are four income tiers, ranging from fifty nine thousand
(13:24):
dollars for a family of four in the first tier
to more than two hundred and sixty seven thousand dollars
for a family of four in the fourth tier, and
the way that this program works is individuals in the
lower income tier get the highest award size available close
to that are potentially close to that seventy six hundred
dollars per student mark, while families in that higher income
(13:46):
tier are only eligible for the minimum, they are potentially
up to thirty four hundred dollars per student. North Raleigh
Christian Academy has received the most voucher funding to date
at just over three million dollars. Several other private schools
currently exceed two million dollars in awards, including a Grace
(14:07):
Christian School in Sanford, Metrolina, Christian Academy in Indian Trail,
Concord Academy in Wealth Concord, and Liberty Christian Academy in
Richland's Overall, Wake County has the most scholarships awarded at
thirty four million dollars total, followed by Mecklenburg County at
twenty five million dollars, Guilford fifteen million, Cumberland County fourteen million,
(14:32):
and Forsyth twelve million. No surprise to see that the
state's two largest counties in both Wake and mech making
up those total top total dollar amounts there. A North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction report found that the state
saved about ten million dollars last school year after about
(14:53):
six thousand students who attended public school in the twenty
three to twenty four school year switched to private schools
and took advantage of the Opportunity Scholarship Program in the
twenty four to twenty five school year. The report showed
that those students received roughly thirty four million dollars in
scholarships awarded versus an estimated forty four million dollars in
(15:15):
an average state per pupil public school allocation. The report
from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction notes that
scholarship amounts are generally lower than the average state pure
per pupil allotment, while cautioning impacts of varying by timing,
student characteristics and district factors. In addition to making the
(15:38):
Opportunity Scholarship Program universally available, North Carolina lawmakers have also
been working to make a new federal tax scholarship credit
a reality. The tax credit program is part of President
Donald Trump's A One Big, Beautiful Build, which was enacted
by Congress earlier this year, and it would allow North
(15:59):
Carolina taxpayers to make deductible contributions to Designated Scholarship Granting
Organizations or SSOs, which in turn would issue stipends to
students for private school expenses, including tuition and other allowable expenses. However,
the measure was vetoed by Democrat Governor Josh Stein and
(16:22):
is pending overwrite and override vote in the state House.
A recent poll from the American Federation of Children found
and continues to find pretty broad support for school choice
as well as the new federal tax credit scholarship. Seventy
three percent said that school choice should be open to
all families, fifty five percent support it regardless of income
(16:45):
or geography, and in a head to head legislative choice,
fifty seven percent said that they would back a pro
school choice candidate versus twenty percent for an individual who
opposes a continued school choice. Now, if you'll remember back
just a couple of years ago, this school choice argument
was a major one in the North Carolina General Assembly.
(17:08):
It did pit Democrats and Republicans against each other pretty
handedly in Raleigh. As of course, it was the Republicans
that brought this to its fruition back in the twenty
fourteen twenty fifteen school year kind of a test pilot,
demo version of this program, and over the last decade
or so they have worked on steps to not only
(17:29):
bolster the program, but allow and make it so that
more individuals are available for the ops the Opportunity Scholarship
program that has now taken place, and we are getting
very close to that one hundred thousand student mark of
individuals taking advantage of the program. And again looking at
(17:50):
some of that polling from the American Federation of Children,
this is a losing political issue for individuals that are
against school choice. Whether they are Republicans or Democrats, it
really doesn't matter. You've got incredible broad support for individuals
and families being able to send their child to a
school that best fits their need if, for example, the
(18:12):
public school and their zip code is not sufficient for
the learning for their children or their students. Having the
ability to do so through the Opportunity Scholarship program and
get their individual child or children to different schools that
throughout their region is a huge win for families and
continues to be incredibly popular, not only here in North Carolina,
(18:36):
but across the United States. Teachers Union and other teachers'
unions and other left wing activist groups continue to rally
against the Opportunity Scholarship programs and school choice across the nation. However,
hard to look at some of these polls and some
of these numbers showing its broad support and think that
that is likely a strong political strategy moving forward. We'll
(18:59):
keep our eyes on these enrollment numbers as we head
later into this year and early next, and we'll provide
them the details over on our website, Carolina Journal dot
com and right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour.
If you want to read a little more about the
Opportunity Scholarship program, this article's headline n see Opportunity Scholarship
Enrollment nears one hundred k and again that's available over
(19:22):
at Carolina Journal dot com. It's five thirty seven. Welcome
back to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Newstock eleven ten
ninety nine three WBT recapping our big North Carolina political
story this week. New congressional districts are now in effect
across North Carolina after passing a both the North Carolina
(19:45):
House and Senate earlier this week. As lawmakers made it
abundantly clear that they were doing this to try and
combat some redistricting efforts in Democrat majority states like California.
So there are some chain just to the first and
third congressional districts. Wilson, Wayne, Green, and Lenore Counties are
(20:06):
moving from District one to District three. Craven, Beaufort, Pamlico, Carteret, Hyde,
and Dare Counties are moving from District three into District one.
The governor does not have the ability to veto these
congressional maps passed by lawmakers in Raleigh, and candidate filing
for these two newly drawn districts will open in early December.
(20:30):
We are learning information this morning that Congressman Greg Murphy
will run in the third congressional district. There was some
rumor and reports that he was deciding between the first
and third. The current Democrat or current Democrat Congressman Don Davis,
who represents the first congressional district, has not made it
clear what district he will run in yet. We will
(20:52):
be keeping an eye on those details in the coming
weeks as we head closer to that candidate filing a
date in early December. Will continue to cover it over
on our website, Carolina Journal dot com and right here
on the Carolina Journal News Hour, where it's now five
thirty nine, News Talk eleven, ten ninety nine to three WBT.
In twenty twenty four, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
(21:14):
opened up the states first a recreational medical marijuana facility.
Obviously that taking place on Cherokee Land in western North Carolina. However,
since it opened, there have been some questions from our
Senate delegation up in Washington, d C. About some of
the logistics as to how this is going down. Those
renewed calls are now coming out this morning to walk
us through some of those details. Teresa Opeka, Carolina Journal
(21:37):
dot Com that joins us on the news hour, Teresa.
Senator Tillis is raising some interesting questions as to how
the Cherokee Indians are getting the pot from the facilities
in which they're growing to their dispensary store which is
on Cherokee property. What are you tracking out of Washington, DC?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Sure, good morning, Neck, Thanks for having me so. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Senator Chillis talk last week and also last year along
with Senator bud about the about that dispensary and the
U they called it a superstore for the Eastern Band
of Cherokee Indians for selling marijuana and how you would
buy it at their store, but transporting along certain you know,
(22:19):
state lines, would that violate federal law? Well, Senator Tillis
was in a hearing with you know United States Attorney
General of Pam Bondi last week and wanted.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
To make her aware of that.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
And also he also started out by saying that possibly
they are allegedly marketing this marijuana to children, because behind
him on poster board you were seeing look like, you know,
childlike lettering. You had pumpkin spice and space rockets, things
of that nature. But he had questions about how they
(22:52):
are selling it outside of their boundary in Western carol
western North Carolina, which he said is a violation of
federal law.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
Yeah, you bring up something interesting, and Senator Tillis noted
this as well. It appears that the actual facility where
they're growing the marijuana or the pot is not actually
on the land in which they are selling it, and
they are allowed to sell on their own land. It's
that they have their own jurisdiction over it. And the
argument is, Teresa, they're using North Carolina highways, state roadways,
(23:21):
or federal roadways to transport this pot back and forth.
And if that's the case, that's not only breaking federal
law but state law as well.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Correct, it's still illegal in North Carolina, and as he
pointed out, several states surrounding North Carolina, including Tennessee, Georgia,
South Carolina, that it's illegal to do that. He also
brought up that they have an app that you could
buy the pot on. So, like you said, well, pot, marijuana,
call it, you know, you can call it.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Various different names.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
But basically he said, I assume that they are not
delivering it outside of the boundary because I think that
would be illegal. Those are his words, which he would
be correct if that's what, you know, what was happening. So, yeah,
how are you getting in from point A to point B?
Are you buying it and smoking it right there? Or
are you taking it? You know? And of course, but
the app that he questioned, you know, that raises some
(24:16):
other questions as well.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Yeah, and you know, going back to one of the
things you brought up at the beginning, Teresa, this discussion
of marketing. This has been a long time issue. We've
seen even the Secretary of State in Elane Marshall over
the last couple of years of busting quickie shops and
convenience stores across the state of North Carolina for selling
you know, THHC infused various chips and snacks and drinks
(24:39):
and things like that that are clearly and obviously being
marketed towards kids and in other cases ripping off like
intellectual property. You look at brands like Dorito's and Oreo
and Pepsi, where you've got individuals manufacturing counterfeit Doritos that
are laced with THHC and they're being sold all across
the state of North Carolina. It's been a big emphas
(25:00):
of her in her office as well.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
You know. I was at the most recent Council of
State meeting where she was there, and she was like
kind of passing it out to all the different heads
of state. You know, you had via Secretary of Labor
and you had treasurer there.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
She's like, here, take a look.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
It was kind of cute in a way, like looking
how the knockoffs actually look, you know, and like you say,
you mentioned about the different names to Rito's Oreos, how
there's different knockoffs of that. But she said, you know,
she wanted to make parents especially aware this time of
the year, Halloween being right around the corner, that those
things are being produced and sold in those types of stores.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
And also they had some incidents on school buses. One
in particular was in.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Fayetteville where they had some kids that got very sick
from eating THHD laced gummies. It was kind of like
a thing, you know, they were talking about getting rid.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Of demons or something something crazy like that.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
But she said, by the time they got to school
and an adult realized what happened and got them treatment,
they're okay.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Unfortunately, in Virginia that was not the case.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
So, yeah, her office has done a really, really great
service over the last few years with the state's Anti
Counterfeit Trademark Task Force. They've brought in over seven hundred
thousand dollars worth of that type of THHC and also
seizure of at least thirty weapons and eighteen hundred kilos
of marijuana produced products rather and other illicit drugs, and
(26:24):
hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. So her office
has been a big proponent of fighting this as well.
And like I say, it's good to mention it now.
The Halloween is coming up.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, no question about that. Let's turn back to this
meeting in Washington, d C. So Senator Tillis is bringing
up some of these concerns. He's talking to the states,
the country's top law enforcement officer in the Attorney General
in Pam Bondi, did she have any immediate response or
reaction to some of the concerns that Senator Tillis raised.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
She said she was not aware of the app or
actually of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, but she
said she would definitely have her office take a look
into that. Also, she Senator Tillis talked about, you know,
illegal vapes coming into the country from China, and so
she brought up that fact as well, that you know,
those type of vapes could possibly have the equivalent of
(27:15):
twenty cigarettes in a vape flavored ones are illegal, and
of course you know they are again targeting children and
they have some of them actually have video games attached
to them. Did not know that either, but she brought
that up, and she said they're investigating that, trying to
get ahead of the game because some of them, but
she says, next time on the horizon is being laced
(27:35):
with fentanyl. So she said her office is trying to
get ahead of that. So again she wasn't too familiar
with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians or their dispensary
or their marijuana selling.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
You know that they have going on or the app
but she said her office would definitely be taking a
look into it.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Teresa, turning our attention stateside. The pot or marijuana debate
is one that has been growing in the generalist embly
over the last couple of years. We heard back just
in the last legislative session, calls from lawmakers on both
sides of the political aisle to move forward with medical legalization.
In the state of North Carolina, we really haven't seen
a whole lot of movement on that, as other lawmakers argue, well,
(28:16):
as soon as you make it legal for medical use,
you're right on the road to full on decriminalizational recreational use.
This is going to be an issue that North Carolina
is likely going to have to face, probably within the
next couple of years, as so many other states moved
towards medical or some full on recreational.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Yeah, I would believe.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
So I know certain states, you know, like you said,
you already got Colorado. I believe Virginia up to the
north of US, they already have legalized marijuana itself. Pennsylvania
has legalized medical, they still haven't legalized full on marijuana.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
I think New Jersey has as.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Well, But they are talking about that pulling in some revenue.
So you've got that on one hand, but look at
Colorado having several issues with people, you know, being impaired
with driving. I mean, I could smell one when I'm
driving by sometimes I could smell it when it's just like, oh,
that's kind of scary. So yeah, I believe North Carolina
is going to have to deal with this issue sooner
(29:12):
than later, especially maybe when it comes to the medical marijuana.
There are more proponents for that than versus just the
recreational so something I think the General Assembly is definitely
gonna have to take up in the next you know,
several months too, maybe the next year or two.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Yeah, no question about that. Growing pressure from around the
nation will force lawmakers here in North Carolina to likely
act on something like medical marijuana. We'll keep an eye
on that, Teresa. There was a lot more back and
forth between Tillison and some other lawmakers in DC. You've
got a bunch of full quotes from that hearing. Where
can folks go and get those details this morning?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Sure they can head on over to Carolina Journal dot com.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
We appreciate the details this morning, Teresa Peka joins us
on the Carolina Journal News Hour where it's now five
forty seven, News Talk eleven ten nine three WBT. We'll
head back to the traffic center on your Friday morning
commute and get an update with Boomer von Cannon.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
You Nick can look it much better now.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
An inbound Freedom Drive approaching Berry Hill Road overnight incident
now has cleared. All travelingks open eastbound Freedom incident near
Fort Mill Highway twenty one bypass that at northbound approaching
Springfield bark Way. Also near Lake Walli York Road Highway
forty nine at Palasage Park that's near Palis States High School,
northeast Charlotte, have a collision Harris Boulevard headed eastbound at
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Delta Lake Drive. Boomer von Cannon WBT traffic.
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sunshine once again sixty six Sunday. A few more clouds
move in still the mid sixties is sixty five, Concord
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Speaker 1 (32:29):
Football season is here and fall is in the air.
Speaker 8 (32:32):
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Speaker 9 (33:30):
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Speaker 10 (34:33):
So there's this guy that texts in here to the
studio every night and all he does is insult me.
So I got to looking at him. Who else is
he talking to in the three? Can't be just me
at the radio station? And it wasn't the only other
person that he complains to is Pete Calendar. I saw
that and I was like, yes, because Pete Calender is
the man you put me in the category with him.
I am on my way to the top. America.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
Get used to it.
Speaker 8 (34:55):
Tonight seven to nine, News Talk eleven and ninety nine
three WBT.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Good morning again, It's five point fifty three. Welcome back
to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Newstock eleven ten, ninety
nine to three WBT. As The Carolina Journal continues to
examine the impacts of federal tariff policy on North Carolina's
major industry, the spotlight this morning turns to automobiles and
auto parts. Manufacturing market experts say that as tariffs reduce imports,
(35:32):
it reduces supply and drives up prices for consumers. On
April third, of this year, a twenty five percent tariff
was implemented on automobiles, cars and trucks, and things of
that nature. A month later, on May third, a twenty
five percent tariff was imposed on auto parts. Products subject
to auto or auto part tariffs are also not subject
(35:55):
to a fifty percent tariff on steel and aluminum products
and steel not melted and poured in the United States.
While domestic tariffs are not stacked, domestic manufacturers could be
purchasing imported steel or even imported auto parts. However, a
domestic car would not be subject to the auto tariff.
(36:17):
Foreign manufacturers exporting automobiles to the United States would be
subject to that twenty five percent tariff, but an American
manufacturer using foreign steel would be subject to the steel tariffs.
The only way to avoid being hit with those tariffs
entirely would be for American steel to be used in
the manufacturing of American cars. As of August the seventh,
(36:41):
the tariffs were implemented. Import duties on automotive industries totaled
some eleven point eight billion dollars at that point. Back
in early August, Joseph Harris, who is a fiscal policy
analyst for the John Locke Foundation told The Carolina Journal.
In the spring, the Trump administer Straation imposed a twenty
five percent tariff on imported vehicles and vehicle parts. Year
(37:06):
to date, through July, exports have increased from six hundred
and ninety nine point one million dollars to a whopping
nine hundred and fifty five point six million, representing a
rise of approximately thirty seven percent. The strongest month of
growth occurred in March, when exporters when exports climbed to
(37:26):
one hundred and ninety seven million dollars, more than double
the ninety five million recorded a recorded just one year earlier.
Throughout July, year to date, exports of vehicles and vehicle
parts climbed from six ninety one to nine to fifty
five nine hundred and fifty five million, representing that thirty
seven percent growth. According to the Economic Development Partnership of
(37:49):
North Carolina for twenty twenty four, the category was a
North Carolina's seventh largest export, with a total value of
one point three billion dollars. As of July year to
date data, North Carolina's imports of vehicle and vehicle parts
has declined pretty dramatically, approximately a twenty six percent decline
(38:12):
from four point four billion to just three point three billion.
According to that EDPNC data. In twenty twenty four, these
products represented the state's fourth largest import category, valued at
seven point one billion dollars. Joseph Harris said. In twenty
twenty four, vehicles and vehicle parts ranked as North Carolina's
(38:34):
fourth largest import, but since those tariffs took effect in
April and May, monthly shipments have fallen sharply compared to
last year. Imports from April through July continued to decline,
representing a decrease of approximately thirty nine percent. Put Differently,
for every five vehicles imported during that same period in
(38:56):
twenty twenty four, only about three were in hoarded This year,
although domestic producers have seen a modest uptick and activity,
exports have surged by roughly two hundred and fifty million
dollars a year to date, according to Harris. Meanwhile, North
Carolina consumers, while they're facing fewer options, the one point
one billion dollar drop and imports reflects one point one
(39:21):
billion dollars worth of affordable vehicles and parts that were
previously available to consumers, however, are no longer accessible this
year That shift highlights how trade restrictions often impose greater
costs on consumers than the benefits they provide to domestic producers.
You can read some additional details on this story by
(39:42):
visiting our website, Carolina Journal dot com. That's going to
do it for a Friday edition. We're back with you
Monday five to six right here on Newstock eleven ten
and ninety nine to three WBT
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