Gov. Josh Stein says he doesn't want to see the Department of Motor Vehicles split off from the Department of Transportation. That recommendation came Monday from the state auditor. North Carolina residents are facing increasingly long lines for getting Real IDs and taking driving tests. And booking appointments online for local DMV locations is often impossible. Stein says the General Assembly must pass a budget that raises DMV employees' pay.
"We're a fast-growing state. We're like the third fastest growing state in the country. We add tons of people on a daily basis. There hasn't been an increase in DMV folks in a long time," he said.
A mini-budget passed last week will pay for 61 new driver's license examiners across the state. Auditor Dave Boliek says splitting the DMV off from the larger Transportation Department could help the agency fare better in budget negotiations.