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State lobbyists brief Rocky Mount on election results, revenue outlook and down‑zoning restriction
Summary
Attorneys for the city reviewed North Carolina’s new state leadership, forecast likely legislative priorities including hurricane relief and revenue options, and warned that a 2024 provision restricting local zoning changes is likely to be addressed in the coming session.
Whitney (last name not specified) and Trafton Dinwiddie, attorneys advising Rocky Mount, told the City Council that state government changes after the 2024 elections will shape the 2025 legislative calendar and likely produce early bills on disaster relief and local zoning authority.
Trafton said the top near-term priority from House leadership will be hurricane relief for areas affected by recent storms. “Priority number 1 is going to be hurricane Helene relief,” he said, and he told the council to expect a targeted relief bill within weeks rather than waiting for the regular budget cycle.
The advisers reviewed the election results that shaped the current balance of power: a Democratic governor, Josh Stein, and a General Assembly dominated by Republicans. Trafton and Whitney said the state Senate retained a Republican supermajority by a single seat and the North Carolina House installed a new speaker, Dustin Hall. The advisers flagged Representative Willingham’s influence after the new speaker’s team left the chamber one seat short of a supermajority.
A central topic raised was a late‑2024 statutory provision that, the advisers said, prevented localities from enacting down‑zoning changes. Trafton described the provision as a significant concern for municipalities across the state and said lawmakers are considering several fixes, ranging from a full repeal to a series of local bills exempting affected jurisdictions. “That provision was touched so deep into a relief bill,” Whitney said, describing how the change was packaged in a conference report that offered an up‑or‑down vote and limited opportunity for amendment.
The advisers also warned council members to expect discussion of additional state revenue sources in the 2025 session. They said earlier phased tax cuts and robust surpluses have begun to shrink and that legislators will explore options — from gaming expansion to medical cannabis taxation — to generate revenue without reversing recent income tax reductions. Trafton and Whitney cautioned that forecasting is uncertain and that surpluses will determine how much new revenue the legislature will seek.
Councilman Richard Joyner asked about faith‑based partnerships and state funding. The advisers said there is precedent for appropriations and state dollars flowing to nonprofits and faith‑based organizations for disaster relief and housing-related services, but they cautioned that any expansion of such funding would be evaluated in the context of shrinking surpluses in the medium term.
Ending: After the presentation and Q&A the council moved to a closed session for economic development. The motion to enter closed session for economic development was stated on the record and approved by council voice vote; the clerk recorded the motion as passed without naming a mover on the public transcript.
