State Rep. Mark Pless, visiting the Haywood County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 2, described the General Assembly's budget situation, obstacles to new spending and several recovery- and service-related issues affecting western North Carolina.

Pless said the legislature is operating under uncertainty because a major budget bill released in July is still being evaluated and that the state has limited recurring revenue for new commitments. "We have a continuing resolution. Nothing changes. We continue to do business," Pless told the board. He said the legislature provided $600 million in recurring funds to the Department of Health and Human Services to carry operations until the next session but that broader funding decisions remain unsettled.

Pless discussed the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, a DHHS program that had local implementation differences across the state. He said some uses of funds in other regions raised questions and that DHHS had not adequately briefed budget chairs on program administration before the chairs decided not to continue state funding. "They still haven't come and told us this is what was happening with it," Pless said, describing why funding was not continued.

On disaster recovery, Pless acknowledged delays in private-road and bridge reimbursements administered through NC GROW and said some property owners who borrowed to repair roads are facing loan payments before reimbursements arrive. "They're telling me it's going to be January before they can even think about doing reimbursements," he said, and said he intends to press state agencies to speed distribution.

Pless also addressed persistent problems at the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles, which he attributed to staffing and technology deficits compounded by COVID-era disruptions. "They stopped their training. They wouldn't allow people to train. They wouldn't hire anybody," Pless said, adding that the state had authorized 40 new positions intended to expand hours and weekend service but that placement and training remain incomplete.

Pless urged county and town officials to document recovery project needs and to contact him about direct appropriations: "The easiest thing for me to do is find money somewhere that's already setting out there. The hardest thing for me to do is get money directly appropriated to someone for a project." He said he prioritizes Haywood and Madison counties when considering district requests.

Commissioners thanked Pless for attending and for detailing state-level constraints and opportunities. No formal action by the board followed the briefing; Pless answered commissioners' questions and offered to help constituents who contact him about state services.

The representative also raised policy trade-offs under consideration at the legislature, including potential changes to Medicaid funding and program elements such as dental and vision services; he said scaling back those benefits would pose health risks and was not a simple budget choice.

Pless invited residents to contact him with specific needs and said he would try to shepherd requests through budget committees when possible.