By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — As the N.C. Senate’s $52 billion budget proposal makes it way to the House today, with further changes expected, Sen. Carl Ford says Rowan County’s nearly $20 million share is locked in, with the possibility of more to come.

Every two years, the House and Senate take turns proposing the state budget. This year, it’s the Senate’s turn. Senators on Thursday passed a budget that allocates $25.7 billion from the general fund in 2021-22 and $26.6 billion for 2022-23. The budget was passed 32-18, with all but four Democrats voting against.

Following news Tuesday that state economists predict an additional $6.5 billion in state revenue by 2023, Democrats criticized the Republican majority for not spending enough. Republicans credited the surplus revenue to a past decade of tax cuts under their majority.

A new budget was not finalized in North Carolina for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 fiscal years, with Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, vetoing the legislature’s approved budget in 2020 due to the exclusion of Medicaid expansion by the Republican-led General Assembly. So, the state has primarily operated on the spending amounts outlined in the 2018-19 fiscal year budget.

While the 2021-23 budget is subject to amendments and changes once in the House, Ford said District 33’s funding is essentially locked in. Parts of Rowan and Stanly counties comprise the district. And with Rowan’s downgrade to the bottom tier in the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s 2021 county distress rankings, Ford said more money may be on the way.

A total of $4.28 million is allocated to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, which experienced a revenue loss of $431,000 in the previous two fiscal years, according to Michelle Walker, a spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Included in the state funds is $280,000 from federal American Rescue Plan dollars to help offset the revenue loss.

“When you cancel the Polar Express and (Day Out with) Thomas, that’s mega bucks lost,” Ford said.

Funds will also be used to continue the renovation of the Power House facility, which was built in 1896 as one of the original structures at the locomotive repair complex.

The town of China Grove will receive $10,000 for its veterans memorial located on the corner of 1st St. and South Myrtle Street. Town Manager Ken Deal said those funds will assist with the purchase of a flag pole and lights.

The city of Salisbury will receive $200,000 from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, or PARTF, for Bell Tower Green Park. Ford said the city only requested around $90,000, but it was granted much more, adding that many lawmakers in Raleigh were impressed with the millions raised locally “without asking the state for a dime.”

Rowan Helping Ministries will receive a grant of $250,000 to continue eliminating homelessness in the county.

Ford said lawmakers are still awaiting some guidance related to eligible spending of federal American Rescue Plan funds. A bulk of those funds will be funneled to colleges and schools across the state. He estimates Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will receive at least $12.6 million for infrastructure projects, with HVAC replacements and repairs comprising a significant portion.

Ford also anticipates $75,000 for Millers Ferry Fire Department, $100,000 for West Rowan Fire Department and $10,000 for each volunteer department. The funds are intended to help those departments recover from canceled fundraising events.

Ford also has secured $28 million for the Stanly County Airport helicopter rescue training center. He said fire departments and the National Guard travel to Charlotte for whitewater rescue training, which costs thousands. The new center at the airport would allow for a centralized training center, which Ford said was ideal given the diverse terrain of the area.

Stanly County Community College is also anticipated to receive at least $5.6 million.

Ford said the current allocations are not exhaustive, and more entities receiving funds in Rowan and Stanly counties will be added before a final budget is approved.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.