The fiscal aftermath of the recent bomb cyclone has shown that North Carolina’s system of funding winter preparedness through 'mini-budgets' and contingency reserves is no longer sustainable. With the NCDOT exhausting half its annual winter budget in days, the state faces a choice between continuing a cycle of costly, reactive cleanup or investing in proactive infrastructure defense. As climate volatility increases, the General Assembly must establish a permanent Winter Resilience Fund to insulate the state’s economy from the paralyzing costs of future storms.

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