Each month here at Carolina Public Press, we’ll highlight a major issue facing Western North Carolina with in-depth reporting, photo essays, data, graphics and documents. This month, our reporters, photographers and illustrators focused on the state budget. In particular, we wanted to know what the $2.4 billion shortfall facing the state meant for Western North Carolina’s political power in Raleigh, its rural school districts, its public and private workers and economic development efforts.
It’s a topic not likely to go away for months, and one that bears significant impact on our neighborhoods, counties and state.
Here’s what we’ve had to say and offer so far this month, which you may also find under Special Reports>State Budget Impact on the homepage:
Stories and photos:
WNC’s rural schools face added stress in state budget woes
Photo essay: From the lunchroom to the classroom
North Carolina’s budget woes mean hard days ahead for WNC’s public, private workers
Infographic:
Creating N.C.’s state budget, step by step
Documents, data and resources:
Databases: Gov. Bev Perdue’s N.C. budget proposal
Documents: the N.C. state budget, memos and background
Resource: Comprehensive N.C. Legislature info is just keystrokes away
Contacts:
N.C. governor, offices, committees and commissions
N.C. House and Senate representatives for WNC
Our coverage will continue, but now’s the time to hear from you. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the region as we deal with our statewide budget crisis? We want to know, and it could help us continue to answer your questions through our reporting, photojournalism and public records reporting.
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Privatizing Mountain Mobility is one potential impact. That was tried in the past.