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Briner: State pension plan makes $8B, outperforms stock market | North Carolina

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2 months ago

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www.thecentersquare.com – By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-09 08:07:00


North Carolina’s $127 billion state pension plan generated $8 billion in investment profits in the first half of the fiscal year, surpassing expectations by $2.5 billion, according to State Treasurer Brad Briner. Despite this success, the plan has historically underperformed and faces a $16 billion annual deficit due to growing pension obligations and fewer contributors. The state’s contribution has increased from zero to 17% of employee salaries over 25 years, prompting calls to curb further increases. Recent legislation established a five-member North Carolina Investment Authority to modernize pension fund management, replacing the previous sole-investor model overseen by the treasurer.

(The Center Square) – In the first six months of this fiscal year, the North Carolina state pension plan investments made $8 billion and outperformed the stock market, the state’s treasurer said Tuesday.

“That number is we think the largest profit in the six-month history of our state pension system,” first-term Republican Brad Briner said at a meeting of state leaders. “But moreover, it is $2.5 billion more than we expected.”



Brad Briner, state treasurer of North Carolina




North Carolina’s $127 billion pension plan has “underperformed for years,” according to Briner.

The plan has been running a $16 billion annual deficit based on the gains it needed to sustain pension payments without raising state contributions to the plan, Briner said.

Gains in the pension plan investments can reduce the need to increase the state contribution which has grown from zero 25 years ago to the current 17% of employee salary, Briner said.

“We can’t keep letting it go up.” Briner said told other state leaders Tuesday.

The North Carolina Retirement System serves more than 1 million people, from teachers to state employees, local governments, firefighters, police officers and other public workers. It operates at a deficit similar to Social Security, with fewer people paying in than are eligible for benefits.

Estimated market value was $89 billion when former Treasurer Dale Folwell took office in January 2017 and $127 billion on Dec. 27, 2024, in his final days of office.

This fall, the treasurer’s office will conduct studies to determine how to possibly reduce the employer match.

“All of that is getting to what we can do on the employer match side to relieve some of the pressure on our agencies and on the state budget,” the treasurer said.

Also, the Legislature this year passed and the governor signed the Investment Modernization Act which according to Briner “fundamentally” changes the way the state manages pension fund investments.

It creates a five-member North Carolina Investment Authority, chaired by the treasurer, which includes financial professionals appointed by the governor, treasure and leaders of the legislature.

The state has been one of only three in the country to give one person – the treasurer- sole power for administering pension plan investments, Briner said.

The post Briner: State pension plan makes $8B, outperforms stock market | North Carolina appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

This article largely reports factual information about North Carolina’s state pension plan performance and related administrative changes, quoting Republican state treasurer Brad Briner extensively. While it focuses on the treasurer’s perspective—who emphasizes financial discipline and reform—there is no overt editorializing or partisan framing beyond the presentation of his statements. The positive framing of investment gains and calls to reduce state contributions align with fiscally conservative principles, suggesting a moderate right-leaning viewpoint. However, the reporting remains largely neutral and informative, primarily conveying the actions and positions of officials rather than endorsing a specific ideological stance.

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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

To require full Social Security numbers to register to vote, NC would need to hurdle a federal law

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4 hours ago

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August 26, 2025

By

ncnewsline.com – Lynn Bonner – 2025-08-26 05:00:00

SUMMARY: North Carolina’s proposed House Bill 958 would require voters to provide their full Social Security numbers when registering, a move experts say violates the 1974 federal Privacy Act, which prohibits denying rights for refusing to disclose full SSNs. Current law accepts less sensitive identifiers like driver’s license numbers or the last four SSN digits. Critics, including privacy advocates and voting rights groups, warn this requirement risks identity theft and creates barriers to voting without enhancing security. Legislators sponsoring the bill have yet to justify the full SSN demand, and the measure faces legal and procedural challenges as it advances through the House.

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The post To require full Social Security numbers to register to vote, NC would need to hurdle a federal law appeared first on ncnewsline.com

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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

Man killed in train crash at Clayton railroad crossing

Published

14 hours ago

on

August 25, 2025

By

www.youtube.com – WRAL – 2025-08-25 18:18:39


SUMMARY: A man, 62-year-old Bryant Alton, died after his car was struck by a Norfolk Southern cargo train at the Clayton railroad crossing near Central and East Maine around 10:45 a.m. Alton reportedly tried to bypass lowered crossing arms with flashing lights when the collision occurred. The crash severely damaged his Toyota Corolla, and police closed nearby streets for investigation and cleanup. This is the second fatal train incident in Clayton this month, following the death of a 21-year-old UNCW student hit by an Amtrak train. Local residents expressed shock, and officials have yet to respond about potential safety improvements.

A Clayton man died after attempting to drive around crossing gates at a railroad crossing on Monday morning.

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Transportation energy prices below national norm as Labor Day approaches | North Carolina

Published

23 hours ago

on

August 25, 2025

By

www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-08-25 09:11:00


North Carolina motorists are paying about 30 cents less per gallon for gasoline than the national average, with the state average at $2.86 for unleaded gas and $3.45 for diesel. Prices are slightly lower in the mountains and higher along the coast. Compared to last year, gas and diesel prices have decreased. The state follows EPA rules requiring summer blend fuel until September 15, adding 10-15 cents per gallon. North Carolina has over 8 million combustion engine vehicles and more than 100,000 electric vehicles, with EV charging rates below the national average. Motor fuel taxes fund state transportation projects.

(The Center Square) – As they often have throughout the summer, motorists in North Carolina are paying about 30 cents less than the nation on average for gasoline.

Summer’s unofficial closing of Labor Day weekend arrives this week, with many families already in the state’s tourism meccas. The state average for a gallon of unleaded gasoline is $2.86, with prices a little lower in the mountains and a tick higher along the 320 miles of ocean shoreline.

A year ago, the state average was $3.11, according to the American Automobile Association. The average for diesel is $3.45, down from $3.64 a year ago.

Nationally, the unleaded gas average is $3.16, down from $3.35 last year, and diesel is $3.68, down slightly from $3.70, respectively.

Per Environmental Protection Agency rules in place from June 1 to Sept. 15, the less volatile summer blend fuel must be sold. Price impact is generally considered 10 cents to 15 cents higher per gallon.

Combustion engine consumers make up more than 8 million vehicle registrations in the nation’s ninth-largest state.

North Carolina’s electric vehicle charging rate average, according to AAA, is 33.2 cents per kilowatt-hour. The national average is 36.3 cents per kWh. More than 100,000 zero-emission vehicles are registered in the state. At the start of the calendar year, the state norm was 33.5 cents per kWh and the national was 34.7 cents per kWh.

Ten states have lower average prices for a gallon of unleaded; 14 are lower for diesel; and seven are lower in electric.

Among 14 major metro areas, the least expensive average for unleaded gas is in Fayetteville at $2.76. The most expensive area is the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area at $2.92.

Diesel is the most consumer-friendly ($3.29) in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton market.

North Carolina’s 40.3 cents per gallon tax rate for 2025 is topped by California (59.6), Pennsylvania (57.6), Washington (49.4), Illinois (47), Maryland (46.1), and New Jersey (44.9).

Motor fuel taxes in the state fund the Department of Transportation’s highway and multi-modal projects, accounting for more than half of the state transportation resources. The revenues go into the Highway Fund and the Highway Trust Fund.

The post Transportation energy prices below national norm as Labor Day approaches | North Carolina appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article provides a straightforward report on gasoline and diesel prices in North Carolina compared to national averages, along with information about electric vehicle charging rates and state fuel taxes. The language is neutral and factual, focusing on data, statistics, and relevant state policies without endorsing or criticizing any political ideology or party. The content neither advances a particular political perspective nor uses charged language, making it a clear example of neutral, factual reporting rather than an article with discernible political bias.

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