The state auditor’s office found that a former accounting technician in the town of Spring Lake misappropriated more than $430,000 in taxpayer funds for personal use and has referred its report to the FBI and State Bureau of Investigation for a possible criminal investigation. In the scathing report released Thursday, March 17, State Auditor Beth...
State agencies are asking residents to take the N.C. Broadband Survey to help determine which areas are unserved or underserved. It’s an important effort, as the survey will help ensure that the plethora of taxpayer dollars funneled toward broadband infrastructure goes to the places that need them most. The survey, a collaboration between the N.C....
The state auditor’s office found that Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell bought vehicles and gas masks without obtaining the proper written quotes, in violation of the county’s purchasing policy. The report released by State Auditor Beth Wood said that by not following this policy, the sheriff’s office potentially overpaid for these items, wasting taxpayer money....
A bill that would legalize mobile sports betting in North Carolina is likely to see significant consideration in the House during the abbreviated spring legislative session. Rep. Jon Hardister, R-Gulliford, and majority whip in the House and one of the sponsors of the legislation, said recently he believes Senate Bill 688 has enough bipartisan support...
Applications are open for North Carolina’s government broadband grants. Taxpayer advocates hope the money is spent in the right places. Gov. Roy Cooper’s office recently announced that qualified internet service providers and electric cooperatives can now apply for the recent round of Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants. Up to $350 million...
State Auditor Beth Wood’s office found that Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Debbie Smith benefitted from using confidential town information in her real estate company’s purchase of a former police station site in 2018 and has referred the matter to the local district attorney. In the report released Wednesday, Jan. 26, the office said it received...
As the federal government — and leaders in North Carolina — look to plow millions of taxpayer dollars into broadband growth, a possible merger between two internet providers with strong footprints in the state could help facilitate high-speed infrastructure development. Zayou Group LLC of Boulder, Colorado is looking to buy the Little Rock, Arkansas companies...
State Auditor Beth Wood is questioning a plan by the Local Government Commission to sell bonds to buy the assets of the Bald Head Island Transportation System, saying the body needs to verify system valuation before placing the applications on the agenda. Wood sent a letter to State Treasure Dale Folwell on Nov. 15, insisting...
While a bill that would legalize sports betting across North Carolina passed a House committee last week, odds are heavily against it passing the full General Assembly before the session ends. The House Commerce Committee passed Senate Bill 688 by a 12-4 vote, but the sports betting legislation would have to make it through three...
A top publication for corporate real estate and expansion planning named North Carolina as tops in the country in terms of a friendly business climate. Site Selection magazine pegged the Tar Heel State as No. 1 this year after it tied with Georgia in 2020. The magazine noted North Carolina’s low corporate tax rate and...
State auditors found that a former finance officer in the troubled municipality of East Laurinburg used town taxpayer money on personal expenses, which resulted in overdrafts of the town’s bank account. East Laurinburg, a town of fewer than 300, could lose its charter due in part to its tenuous financial status, which has seen the...
One of the nation’s leading financial watchdogs says North Carolina has fared better than most states in terms of balancing its budget, but the picture isn’t all rosy as the state has an average debt burden of $1,400 per taxpayer. In its annual report, Chicago-based Truth in Accounting ranks North Carolina 14th in the U.S....