Gov. Stein calls for $891M in additional Helene funding request on visit to western NC

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Speaking from Union Mills in Rutherford County on Monday morning, Gov. Josh Stein called on state legislators to spend an additional $891 million on Hurricane Helene relief funding.

The request comes as part of the governor's phase two request for more money.

"We're coming up on eight months from the storm. That's more than enough time to comprehend just how much we lost during Hurricane Helene," said Stein. "And in the face of so many unmet needs and unanswered prayers, it is time for the State of North Carolina to be bold."

Stein is asking for the following as western North Carolina continues to rebuild:

• $260 million toward a stronger economy

• $113 million for housing recovery needs and related efforts

• $239 million to improving and upgrading the impacted area's infrastructure

• $105 million to go to farmers and forests

• $23 million for families and children

• $152 million tapped for disaster response and recovery

"The storm's impact is so much more than a number. It's people's lives. It's cherished communities. It's traditions and hopes for the future," Stein said. "Seven months is more than enough time to comprehend just how much was lost and how much work is needed to restore our beautiful western North Carolina."

His comments came in advance of a budget proposal that House Republicans released late Monday afternoon. Rep. Erin Pare, R-Wake, told reporters Monday that she had not seen what the governor had requested and declined to comment further ahead of an announcement from her party.

"I think I'll leave it there. I don't want to give too much on the budget at this point," said Pare.

Meanwhile, the work to rebuild western North Carolina is still ongoing. The Appalachian Rebuild Project continues to work with affected people as lawmakers continue to debate how best to spend taxpayer dollars.

"You can be a good neighbor, you can be a good friend, and you can talk and work through and walk through this with your neighbor and your community member all day long," said Sophia Phillips with Appalachian Rebuild Project. "But it does ultimately come down to money and whether that money is going to the county, whether that's money going to nonprofit organizations, whether that money is going to the resident directly. It does ultimately come down to a funding gap."

House Republicans will officially announce their budget and likely comment on separate Helene funding in a Tuesday news conference at the Legislative Building.

The executive director of Visit NC told ABC11 how critical it is for people to spend time and money in the mountains of western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene caused so much devastation.

"It's a huge part of the economy, so we're going to do everything we can to promote what's open in western NC," Wit Tuttell said. "We see a lot of stories about what happened, what got closed, what got knocked out, but we're really going to focus on what's open this summer."