The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene is something that hurt North Carolina deeply, and the support for the people hit hardest in the storm is something that has united state lawmakers regardless of geography and politics.
But exactly what that relief looks like — the cost, and how it will be implemented — is something lawmakers in Raleigh are hoping to drill down on next week.
It’s estimated that there is $53 billion in damage across the state, a sign of the long road ahead.
Now as lawmakers figure out what state aid will look like, the storm’s victims are paying close attention to not just what the relief will look like for their homes but also for public infrastructure, roads and the economy.
“Employees need to get back to work. Businesses that are crucial to the tourism industry getting back, what is that going to look like,” Michele Woodhouse asked.
Woodhouse is a Republican district chair in Hendersonville. She also wants to see lawmakers focus on what she says is becoming a crisis for public health.