The North Carolina Department of Transportation, in a move towards greater transparency, now issues a weekly news release every Friday to publish the "NCDOT Cash Watch Numbers" report. The latest of which, detailing the department's financial status, is available for public view on the NCDOT website. As mandated by Session Law 2019-251 of the N.C. General Assembly, these releases aim to shed light on the fiscal movements within the department.
Notably, each report commences by stating the previous report's combined cash balance. Giving insight into the state's transportation finances, these reports encompass the receipts, broad disbursement categories, and culminate with the remaining combined cash balance. Published on the nearest business day during holiday periods, this routine is part of an established effort to provide ongoing governmental financial clarity.
The figures presented also include a "reserved cash" snapshot – earmarked funds for specific projects awaiting disbursement as work on Build NC bonds, GARVEE bonds, and Energy Savings-Roadway lighting funded projects progress. This precautionary measure keeps these funds in a "Trustee Account," protecting them until their intended use is fulfilled, as iterated on the NCDOT press release.
It's important to understand, however, that the weekly cash balance is a moving target, changing as revenues and disbursements ebb and flow daily. While these weekly reports provide a glimpse into the department's immediate financial health, they are not reflective of the more stable official monthly cash balance, which is reconciled after the closure of each month, as the press release from the NCDOT site suggests.
