Stein highlights public safety, budget priorities in Raleigh NC Strong update

Josh Stein used his latest NC Strong update in Raleigh to put public safety and state spending front and center, saying his recommended 2026-2027 budget includes more than $970 million in targeted investments tied to law enforcement, root causes of crime and public health. For Wake County, where state agencies, courts and correctional staffing issues are never far from daily life, the bigger question is how quickly those dollars translate into hires, training and actual coverage on the ground.

Stein marked May as Law Enforcement Appreciation Month during the update and singled out Gastonia Police Sergeant David Rowland for induction into the Order of the Longleaf Pine. He also recognized K-9 Bo with a Certificate of Pup-preciation for lifesaving work, a nod to the officers and service animals he said keep North Carolinians safe. The event also touched on servicemembers and military families, along with correctional officer staffing shortages that continue to strain the state system.

The Raleigh appearance came as Stein added another policy layer to NC Strong, signing an executive order aimed at protecting state government from prediction markets. The move underscored the administration’s broader message that North Carolina’s institutions need to be safer, stronger and better prepared, not just in major cities but across all 100 counties.

NC Strong has become Stein’s vehicle for announcing a string of statewide priorities. In February, he used it to expand Energy Saver NC to all 100 counties, a program his office says can help eligible households save up to about $1,000 a year on utility bills. That same update introduced an online dashboard tracking county-level growth, including jobs, community investments and medical debt relieved. In January, Stein announced new rural health care funding and summer meals for kids, as North Carolina prepared to receive $213 million through the Rural Health Transformation Program.

The update also fit into Stein’s larger budget pitch. On April 21, he rolled out a plan that his office said would raise starting teacher pay to the highest in the Southeast, while also emphasizing child care, workforce development, public safety and Hurricane Helene recovery. The first NC Strong update came on September 2, 2025, and the series has since ranged from DMV improvements to veterans’ careers in aerospace.

Helene still hangs over much of that agenda. In March, Stein asked lawmakers for another $792 million in recovery funding, saying most damaged drinking water systems had been restored and about 15.5 million cubic yards of debris had been cleared. For Raleigh and Wake County, the pressure now shifts to the General Assembly: whether those NC Strong pledges turn into funded action, or remain another list of promises waiting on negotiation.