Cumberland County reviews draft FY2027 legislative agenda, flags SNAP and Medicaid cost shifts

Cumberland County commissioners reviewed a draft FY2027 state legislative agenda on Feb. 3 that asks state lawmakers for tens of millions in infrastructure and education funding and raises concern about state policy changes that could shift significant administrative costs to counties.

Assistant County Manager Faith Phillips said the draft agenda will be taken to a Feb. 5 meeting with the county’s state legislative delegation and that approved items will be converted into a resolution for later board adoption. The packet draws on the county’s 2025–2028 strategic plan and department priority submissions.

Funding requests highlighted by Phillips included $50,000,000 for public water and sewer infrastructure; $5,000,000 for Grays Creek District phase 3 engineering reports; and $5,000,000 for engineering to secure permanent capacity to address contaminated wells. For education, the draft seeks $15,000,000 in state appropriation for critical school infrastructure and references the county’s debt model that plans $300,000,000 to assist Cumberland County Schools with roughly $806,000,000 in deferred maintenance. Phillips also listed $15,000,000 to invest in a new E. E. Smith High School.

On health and safety, the draft requests $4,000,000 to expand youth mental‑health and substance‑use treatment services, $2,000,000 toward a regional aquatic center (the county currently has a $2,000,000 match in its plan), $2,000,000 to purchase a mobile incident command unit, and $500,000 for digital dispatch equipment for the combined county 9‑1‑1 center.

Phillips warned that House Resolution 1 would reshape SNAP and Medicaid administration: she said federal administrative funding for North Carolina would fall from 50% to 25% beginning Oct. 1, 2026, and that the state would be required to pay 15% of the benefit base — a change Phillips projected could translate into roughly $22,000,000 in annualized cost to Cumberland County beginning Oct. 1, 2028. The draft asks the state to assume the increased administrative share and to enhance or replace NC FAST technology to improve eligibility determinations and reduce payment‑error rates.

Commissioners asked staff to quantify potential fiscal exposure as the county prepares its budget. Commissioner Tyson thanked staff for the draft and asked that the board not preempt the Cumberland County Board of Education’s decision on which school should receive state funding for new construction; Tyson requested that any state funding ask be tied to whatever school the school board recommends.

The board will meet with the state delegation Feb. 5, gather input, and return the agenda to the board for final approval in a separate resolution.