Take a break: N.C. lawmakers have done a lot to get the state back on right track

Well, it's almost over -- at least for now.

After weeks of strife and arguing over details, the North Carolina General Assembly has finally gotten about as close as it is going to get to complete adjournment.

They say they are not quite finished, but that, anytime now, they'll be ready to take a break. Their differences are too great to make another bout in Raleigh fruitful. They will take up the rest of their agenda in January, they say.

So much for the short session.

Goodness knows how long the regular session will run.

Someone will most certainly have to call for pizza.

But even though the days -- and the arguments -- have been long, the legislators say they needed the time and that the result was a positive one.

And there is truth in that statement. There were a lot of important decisions to make -- teacher raises, tenure, budget concerns and Common Core.

It would have been easy for both sides of the argument to give up, to succumb to the other's argument to get home sooner.

But they didn't.

And in the end, the state of North Carolina ended up with a solid start on a problem that is going to be a real concern in the next few years -- keeping the best teachers and improving the quality of education students receive.

Now there is still a very important issue to handle -- Medicaid. The bill from that program is threatening the state's coffers and is the next big issue to tackle. And truth be told, it cannot wait.

There is a certain reality that we have shared with you many times -- and that some of the leaders at the state and national levels do not seem to quite get yet.

Budgets are finite. There will come a time when it simply is not possible to increase taxes anymore and remain a viable competitor in the battle for new business and residential investment.

If people cannot afford to live here or to run a business here, they will go elsewhere.

And that, quite simply, is the reason something has to be done about Medicaid and soon.

North Carolina cannot move forward if it is shackled by the costs that accompany this massive budget line item.

And before the refrain starts again -- "we have to take care of those among us who need help" -- we will say again, we agree.

But the way we take care of those who are struggling first is to have a state that is growing economically so that North Carolinians can find the jobs they need to care for their families. That way, we can offer help to those who are faced with serious problems or who need a boost to make the bills. And there will be money to cover the costs.

There are other factors to consider, too.

We need to put a clamp on fraud -- on all sides. If we get people out of the program who do not need to be there and aggressively prosecute providers who would rather cheat than provide fair and affordable care, we can help more people.

And helping people, isn't that the goal in the first place?

Perhaps the General Assembly will come up with some ideas.

For now, we might not like it, but it is election season. It is a reasonable request that those who must run to keep their seats have the chance to make their pitch to their constituents.

And it is never a bad idea when legislators have time to meet and to interact with real people.

Let's hope those tasked with leading this state continue to not only find the new ideas we need, but also retain the courage necessary to find the answers that are best for North Carolina.

After all, that is why we hired them, wasn't it? No matter how long it takes.

Published in Editorials on August 16, 2014 11:46 PM