Sen. Phil Berger updates Wentworth council on DMV problems, transportation projects and budget standoff
January 31, 2026 | Rockingham County, Virginia
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Sen. Phil Berger, president pro tem of the North Carolina Senate, spoke to the Wentworth Town Council on Jan. 6 to outline what residents should expect from the legislature in the coming months.
“I would anticipate it'll be early May,” Berger said of the local-bill filing deadline, and he urged towns to contact his office if they need help drafting local legislation. He also gave constituents direct contact details for his Raleigh office and chief of staff, and said his office sends a weekly legislative update by email.
Berger described persistent operational problems at the Division of Motor Vehicles that have created long appointment backlogs. He noted a state-auditor review and a recently appointed DMV commissioner but said, “it ain't fixed yet, but I think we are making some progress.” He encouraged anyone with unresolved DMV issues to contact his office for assistance.
On transportation, Berger pointed to work on US 29 aimed at qualifying portions of the corridor for interstate-grade status and said the state had set aside funding to replace a Business 29 bridge and redesign the nearby intersection. He added that, to address congestion on US 220, he had helped secure $2,000,000 for an engineering study to develop project documents that would support future upgrades.
Berger also summarized the state budget situation: North Carolina is operating under a rollover/continuing approach that uses last year’s budget numbers while leaders negotiate a full budget, but the House and Senate have reached an impasse over whether to change the revenue trigger that would affect a scheduled personal income-tax reduction. Berger described the disagreement as the key sticking point and said the Senate would not agree to cancel a tax cut that had been promised to taxpayers.
The senator took questions from council members on RPO involvement, DOT priorities and the timing of short-session activity. He closed by reiterating that his office is available to help towns pursue local grants or local bills, and encouraged residents to sign up for his legislative email list.
What happens next: Berger said lawmakers are likely to take up local bills and additional budget work in the short session scheduled for April or May; residents with specific requests were asked to contact his Raleigh office.
“I would anticipate it'll be early May,” Berger said of the local-bill filing deadline, and he urged towns to contact his office if they need help drafting local legislation. He also gave constituents direct contact details for his Raleigh office and chief of staff, and said his office sends a weekly legislative update by email.
Berger described persistent operational problems at the Division of Motor Vehicles that have created long appointment backlogs. He noted a state-auditor review and a recently appointed DMV commissioner but said, “it ain't fixed yet, but I think we are making some progress.” He encouraged anyone with unresolved DMV issues to contact his office for assistance.
On transportation, Berger pointed to work on US 29 aimed at qualifying portions of the corridor for interstate-grade status and said the state had set aside funding to replace a Business 29 bridge and redesign the nearby intersection. He added that, to address congestion on US 220, he had helped secure $2,000,000 for an engineering study to develop project documents that would support future upgrades.
Berger also summarized the state budget situation: North Carolina is operating under a rollover/continuing approach that uses last year’s budget numbers while leaders negotiate a full budget, but the House and Senate have reached an impasse over whether to change the revenue trigger that would affect a scheduled personal income-tax reduction. Berger described the disagreement as the key sticking point and said the Senate would not agree to cancel a tax cut that had been promised to taxpayers.
The senator took questions from council members on RPO involvement, DOT priorities and the timing of short-session activity. He closed by reiterating that his office is available to help towns pursue local grants or local bills, and encouraged residents to sign up for his legislative email list.
What happens next: Berger said lawmakers are likely to take up local bills and additional budget work in the short session scheduled for April or May; residents with specific requests were asked to contact his Raleigh office.
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