Government shutdown would have significant impact on Triangle, NC State economist says

Time is running out in Washington. In less than 24 hours, the federal government will shut down if Congress doesn't reach a funding deal by midnight Saturday.

That means some federal employees won't go to work, while others, including military members, will be expected to work without pay.

A government shutdown would significantly impact the Triangle, affecting people from all walks of life, including military personnel, custodial workers and business owners.

"It would be awful," said Steven Greene, a political science professor at NC State. "We're talking about people who may not be able to pay rent or mortgages until this is resolved."

The possibility of a government shutdown has been a major talking point.

If the shutdown were to happen, Greene said lawmakers would not be the ones hit the hardest.

"They are really just trying to make a point here and again," Greene said. "The sad truth is that a lot of federal employees and people who depend on certain federal programs are going to be the ones who suffer in the short term."

Jerry Price, a Raleigh resident, said he believes a shutdown should be avoided by any means possible, and if it isn't, lawmakers should be the ones paying.

"It's a bad state to put the country into," Price said. "And the people in Congress have been voted there by the people of the U.S., so the people in Congress need to do the work that they were sent there to do. If they can't come to some sort of consensus or agreement that day as well, they should go without pay until they get it together."

Some lawmakers are pushing for new military pay legislation to ensure that service members continue to receive their paychecks in the event of a government shutdown.

North Carolina is home to eight military bases, including the largest military base in the country: Fort Liberty.

Deirdre Abbots, a Raleigh resident, said she has a lot of compassion for the families of government workers and thinks everyone should get paid for their work.

"I feel sorry for all of them," Abbots said. "I feel very sorry for their families and their children."

But they aren't the only ones who will be impacted by a government shutdown.

"Those businesses that depend on those workers and people having paychecks to go patronize those businesses could absolutely feel the effects if this drags on more than a couple of days," Greene said.