NC Budget & Tax Center
U.S. center-left
Background
The Budget & Tax Center began more than 30 years ago as a program of the North Carolina Justice Center, a progressive legal advocacy nonprofit, and was one of the first state-level fiscal policy analysis groups supported by the Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. It became an independent 501(c)(3) organization in January 2022 while retaining close ties to that same progressive fiscal-policy network, including membership in the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN). The center produces research and advocacy-oriented analysis on North Carolina's budget, tax code, and economic conditions, generally arguing for higher taxes on wealthier residents and corporations, expanded safety-net spending, and policies framed around racial equity. It is funded by foundations and donors rather than government appropriations, despite its official-sounding name suggesting a state agency. Because its stated mission centers on reducing poverty and advancing "anti-racist" economic outcomes, its output consistently favors progressive tax and spending positions and is frequently cited by Democratic-aligned advocates, while conservative critics have described it as an advocacy group rather than a neutral research body. It does not publish self-labels like "fair and balanced,
Profile compiled 2026-09-30; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.