Making sense of the numbers

First the good news: North Carolina state government has more than $600 million to close any budget hole this fiscal year.

Now the bad news: Revenues are $95 million less than what lawmakers projected when they passed a $19 billion budget last summer. Adding to the problems, the state’s unemployment rate edged higher to 11 percent in October.

Elaine Mejia of the NC Budget & Tax Center puts the numbers in perspective on our weekly radio news magazine “News & Views” with Chris Fitzsimon. Mejia also discusses how state budget gaps are creating a major drag on our fragile economic recovery.

Click below for a preview of the interview: