(RALEIGH) -- 2012 will be an active political year in North Carolina, according to Ran Coble of the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research. Coble said the Medicaid budget will continue to be a concern.

He said the center is looking at the growth in the elderly population, which affects the Medicaid budget and other budgets surrounding serving the elderly. "Anytime your population has a rapid demographic shift, like the growth in the elderly population, that affects everything." said Coble.  "It may affect the print on road signs.  It's going to affect nursing home care.  It's going to affect the number of nurses that we need, or health care professionals."

Other issues likely to attract heated debate in 2012 include cuts in education programs, according to Coble. He added that between another Gubernatorial race between Beverly Perdue and Pat McCrory and the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, 2012 will be a newsworthy political year.