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Sen. Phil Berger, an Eden Republican and the top leader in the Senate, held the first of what he says should be weekly briefings with us scruffy press types today.

No one theme emerged from the question and answer gaggle, but here are some of the highlights:

• Berger said that in order to balance the budget, lawmakers would not only look at layoffs but pay cuts for some state workers as well.

  “We’ve ultimately got to get from where we are now to a level that is 18 percent lowers,” Berger said of state spending. To achieve that, he said, a number of options had to be considered, including lowering some state workers’ salaries.

  “The specific proposals have not been determined,” Berger said.
   

• A bill filed last night would give Gov. Bev Perdue the ability to cut the current year budget, giving her a target of $400 million in cuts. The authority only lasts for the current fiscal year. Berger noted that future governor’s would probably like the power to remake budgets but that could upset the balance of power between the executive branch and the General Assembly.

  “We’re in a unique situation, at least we’re hoping it’s a unique situation,” Berger said. Republicans, he said, hoped to pass a balanced budget that wouldn’t put the state in crises. “We don’t anticipate that’s something that will be a continuing need,” Berger said of the budget cutting powers.
   

• Like House Speaker Thom Tillis said yesterday, Berger said that tort reform would be on the agenda this session. And like Tillis, he said that medical malpractice reform would be on that agenda.

  Specifically, Berger said proposals would likely look at caps on non-economic damages, ie: those awards for pain and suffering.