Under the Dome podcast: NC’s budget drama-rama over casinos
Start your week in #ncpol #ncga with our latest Under the Dome politics podcast. Dawn Vaughan here, your News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host.
In the latest episode, for the week of Sept. 18, 2023, I’m joined by my politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram. As much as everyone — especially state employees and teachers waiting on raises — wished for final budget votes last week, they didn’t happen.
Will they happen this week? Don’t hold your breath. The budget drama-rama of late has been over casinos, but as Senate leader Phil Berger said, “it’s larger than just casinos.” At the time, Berger said he hoped the House would “honor their word” and vote on the budget. Instead, a few hours later, the House went home.
Things cooled off later in the week, at least between Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore, and they did finally meet in person. On Thursday, Berger described their meeting to me as “productive.”
The same day, Democratic legislative leaders held a press conference griping about not just the delay in raises and Medicaid expansion at the expense of the casino battle, but not even being involved. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives of Chatham County said it’s like Berger and Moore are kings in a monarchy, telling everyone at the General Assembly what to do. I asked Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue of Raleigh what he thinks, given his decades of service in the legislature, and it’s said it’s more like an autocracy now. When I relayed that to Berger the same day, Berger noted that Blue himself was once House speaker when Democrats had control.
Bajpai, Ingram and I take listeners through how everything played out, and the podcast also features audio and video clips of the political back and forth.
After the break, we talk about gun laws after the recent gun violence on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, and what Berger and Moore’s responses have been.
Headliner of the Week
Stayed tuned to the end for our picks for Headliner of the Week, which include the role of the Freedom Caucus in state and federal government, turnout in local elections and the band Earth, Wind and Fire.
Spoiler on that third one, which is mine: Earth, Wind and Fire have a song that is apt for this week, and dare I say could be the timing of a budget deal? We shall see.
Listen to our latest episode below and catch up on previous episodes. You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Audible, iHeart, Pandora, Amazon Music and Stitcher.
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