Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> gat ` e-e <br /> � a 4rrh <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> Board of County P.O. BOX 8181 <br /> Commissioners HILLSBOROUGH, NC 27278 <br /> of� bac° <br /> TO: Senator Thom Tillis <br /> Senator Ted Budd <br /> Representative Valerie Foushee <br /> FROM: Orange County NC Board of Commissioners <br /> DATE: March 18, 2025 <br /> RE: Concerns about Federal budget impacts <br /> Summary <br /> On March 1 —4, 2025, the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference was <br /> held in Washington, DC. At this conference, NACo, as well as the NC Association of County <br /> Commissioners (NCACC), identified changes that will have major impact on county government <br /> services to our communities if enacted as part of the federal budget process. <br /> These changes included: <br /> 1. Medicaid cuts <br /> 2. Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance <br /> for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Protective Services <br /> 3. Elimination/Cuts to FEMA <br /> 4. Removal of the Federal tax exemption on interest received on municipal bond holdings <br /> There was strong bipartisan concern expressed about cuts in these areas and their impact. We <br /> share this concern and oppose these changes. We also support the addition of NACo/NCACC <br /> to the FEMA Reform Council. <br /> Below, we share specifics on how these programs support our county's residents, and we are <br /> writing to urge you to avoid these impacts to our counties across North Carolina. <br /> Potential Impacts <br /> 1. Medicaid cuts: <br /> As of December 1, 2023, Medicaid was expanded in North Carolina and now also covers <br /> people aged 19 to 64 with incomes up to 138% of the Federal poverty level (about <br /> $20,000/yr for an individual and $34,000/yr for a family of three). <br /> North Carolina statute requires that any cuts that would reduce the Federal Match below <br /> 90% will result in termination of expanded Medicaid benefits. <br /> In our county, <br />