My understanding - NC borrowed 2.5 billion from the feds to pay unemployment benefits after obama was elected in 2008 and the dimocrats controlled NC govt. The NC Republicans inherited the mess in 2012. - compASSionate NC dimocrats usual plan = pay it back via increased taxes and simultaneously borrow more $ from the bankrupt, money printing feds to “extend” the benefits. The NC Republicans decided to get out from under this debt burden by not extending the benefits and increase business taxes that normally fund unemployment.
The better story in Raleigh, which the NYT conveniently avoided, is allegations that the moron mundane arrestees are not being fully processed (like other street criminals) into the jail system. . . unequal treatment under the law. That would have supportd their headline of decline in NC!
Thanks for providing those details; I believe you are correct. RE: the NYT article, I see today that Gov. McCrory (R) has drafted a response...which of course will never be published by NYT or reported outside of NC.