Raises for NC governor, attorney general, state officials in new state budget

North Carolina didn’t have a new state budget in 2025, but now we’ve got one for 2026, with Democratic Gov. Josh Stein signing the budget bill into law on Tuesday just a week into the fiscal year.

Good morning and welcome to our Under the Dome newsletter that focuses on the governor. I’m Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan.

Tens of thousands of state employees and teachers should see raises in their paychecks soon.

• Raises for teachers, police and state workers in NC budget. Here’s the breakdown

The General Assembly sets the salaries of Stein and his Council of State colleagues, too. They are all getting raises of 3%, the same amount that most state employees receive. All Council of State elections are statewide, partisan and held every four years. The current council members were elected in 2024.

Here are their new salaries, including the 3% raise:

• Stein: $209,165
• Democratic Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt: $173,436
• Democratic Attorney General Jeff Jackson: $173,436
• Democratic Secretary of State Elaine Marshall: $173,436
• Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green: $173,436
• Republican Treasurer Brad Briner: $173,436
• Republican Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler: $173,436
• Republican Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey: $173,436
• Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek: $173,436
• Republican Labor Commissioner Luke Farley: $173,436

According to Ballotpedia, the salaries of our neighboring state governors are $175,000 in Virginia, $106,078 in South Carolina, $185,000 in Georgia and $204,336 in Tennessee.

It won’t be long before talk of raises comes up again, because six months from now, the incoming General Assembly from the November election will start the budget process all over again.

Lawmakers’ primary job in odd-numbered years is to pass a two-year spending plan. They can also pass a budget adjustment bill in even-numbered years if they choose to do so. So this new state budget is just for this new fiscal year that goes through June 30.

Here’s more of our recent budget coverage:

• Corporate landlords get tax break meant for nonprofits. NC delays closing loophole
• Minority business office & health equity office are abolished in NC’s new budget
• NC’s House vs. Senate budget clash fizzled out as it crossed the finish line
• NC budget with year-delayed raises is now law. Gov. Stein signs spending plan
• Statue of Billy Graham, Revolutionary War monument coming to NC Capitol grounds
• NC prison staff will get raises, but still among nation’s lowest-paid, agency says
• NC lawmakers nixed MLB funding proposal from state budget. Now what?

Thanks for reading. Reach me at dvaughan@newsobserver.com or our entire politics team at dome@newsobserver.com.

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This story was originally published July 12, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Raises for NC governor, attorney general, state officials in new state budget."

Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan

The News & Observer

Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan is the Capitol Bureau Chief for The News & Observer, leading coverage of the legislative and executive branches in North Carolina with a focus on the governor, General Assembly leadership and state budget. She has received the McClatchy President’s Award, N.C. Open Government Coalition Sunshine Award and several North Carolina Press Association awards, including for politics and investigative reporting.