Look closely at what the new NC State Treasurer says in this recent report.

“We are going to have to do a number of uncomfortable things. With a $507 million shortfall, the uncomfortable pieces are now inevitable. The obvious one is premiums. Those have been held flat for a decade, and I commend Treasurer Folwell for focusing on that, but it’s unfortunately time that we keep up with inflation.”
It’s that last line.
“It’s unfortunately time that we keep up with inflation.”
Brad Briner, NC State Treasurer
Within the same report, Briner is quoted as saying, “The expectation that the General Assembly can or should fix this problem is just not based in reality.”
So, we need to keep up with inflation by raising premiums on teachers (and state employees) for their health insurance but not look to the NC General Assembly that will not raise teachers salaries to keep up with inflation?
That’s what Briner is saying.
As teachers get older and thus become more experienced and valuable to public education, the NCGA freezes pay for those between years 15 and 24. Someone who has been teaching for 24 years makes the same as someone who has been teaching for 15.
Someone who has been teaching that long also is probably having to deal with more health risks and covering other family members.
Now they will have to pay even more in premiums while the state continues to sit on billions in reserves.