Senator Natasha Marcus weighs in on the state budget, Medicaid expansion and casino gambling

After an extended period of inactivity that’s left the state without a new budget for the first quarter of the new fiscal year, the state legislature kicked things into high gear last week passing a $30 billion budget and a series of lengthy, momentous, and controversial proposals.

The sudden deluge of contentious ideas — most notably a scheme to link Medicaid expansion to the introduction of widespread casino gambling — helped make for an extremely fluid and topsy turvy week. Ultimately, the proponents of the casino plan appeared to fold their cards for the year and one reason for this was the united opposition of Democratic lawmakers.  Earlier in the week NC Newsline’s Rob Schofield chatted with state Senator Natasha Marcus about the casino scheme and several other issues that have defined the 2023 session.