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N.C. Senate OKs budget, sends it to House

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Thursday, April 9, 2009

(Updated 3:00 pm)

By Gary D. Robertson
Associated Press

RALEIGH (AP) — The state Senate made quick work Thursday of its two-year proposed budget for North Carolina government, giving final approval to a multibillion-dollar spending plan that doesn't fully explain how the state intends to pay for it.

Senators voted 30-16 in favor of the plan, a day after giving their initial OK Wednesday by a similar 32-16 margin. There was no debate Thursday because Democrats cut off discussion before the first vote.

The bill spends $20 billion next year and closes a budget gap with spending cuts, federal stimulus money and $500 million in tax increases yet to be finalized.

The measure next goes to the House, which is sure to give the plan scrutiny on Senate efforts to raise class sizes in public schools and phase out the More at Four preschool program championed by former Gov. Mike Easley.

A compromise budget ultimately will be presented to Gov. Beverly Perdue.

Republicans who opposed the bill complained Wednesday that leaving out details on the taxes was irresponsible and doesn't explain how the budget would be balanced. The budget includes a line item that sets aside $500 million for future tax adjustments that weren't detailed in the bill.

But Democrats countered it would be reckless to assemble a tax package before they know more clearly how much more revenues they'll need or what kind of taxes will be required.

The Senate passed the budget bill a few weeks before key April revenue figures are released. Any proposal likely will contain higher cigarette and alcohol taxes — though not at levels that Perdue sought in her budget proposal three weeks ago.

The plan would reduce spending for K-12 schools more deeply than Perdue sought in her budget proposal released three years ago, shifting more money over to the community college and University of North Carolina systems.

Perdue and the North Carolina Association of Educators oppose a change that would increase the average size of public school classrooms by two students through the 2010-11 school year, at a savings of $322 million annually.

Perdue's office said it could jeopardize the jobs of 6,000 teachers during the next two years, although Senate budget-writers argue positions would be eliminated through attrition.

The budget also would essentially phase out the More at Four program, which provides free, high-quality preschool to 32,000 at-risk 4-year-olds, and merge it with an initiative that sets ratings for child care programs.Easley promoted More at Four while he was in office the past eight years.

Accompanying Photos

File photo (News & Record)

Photo Caption: North Carolina legislative building in Raleigh.

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blueyedsoutherngirl

April 9, 2009 - 11:54 am EDT

I find it very disturbing that these people do not know that the More at Four Program and the star rating system for child care centers have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Sure we can raise the quality in Centers but if you do not work or cannot afford the cost then how do you put your child in a high quality environment before Kindergarten. NC is taking a HUGE step backwards if this program is fazed out as well as making drastic cuts to Smart Start that actually works to increase the quality within Centers. Another question I have is why in the world would you take money form the school system and give it to the universities? We must first get our children to finish school before they can go to college. Have you seen the drop out rates lately? They will only increase as the schools budgets are cut and programs are dismantled. Wake up Raleigh. We didn't vote you into office for you to destroy our children and their future sucess.

mthale

April 10, 2009 - 6:33 pm EDT

I could not agree with you more southerngirl. I posted a similar response to earlier discussions & articles regarding the budget and I hope you all find my arguements insightful at the very least:
More people need to stand up for North Carolina's children. This budget is foolish. I have to agree that I would not vote on a proposal if I didn't know which taxes are being involved. Even if you are not sure what kind of revenues you are giong to need you should have some plans outlined. That is a really half assed job not to. I voted for you to do your job completely, even when it is difficult in this trying time. How can the NC representatives be doing their job if their not actively representing everyone’s needs and showing us their plans? That is not right at all. Oh god, I have to agree with the Republicans here that the distinguished representatives are being far too vague, acting hasty & irresponsibly over something that is very significant to the state. Take the time to outline everything in detail. Do it right.
I would also like to say that I am no more interested in raising taxes than any other citizen. But raising cigarette & alcohol taxes, even by a little will prove to be very effective. NC has the cheapest cigarettes in the nation. Like they say, you can't have your cake & eat it too. However, I do NOT approve of budget cutting in areas such as K-12 education. This is an area already suffering to an embarrassing degree. If we dumb down our youth it won't matter how many colleges we equip with funding. How many of the UNC colleges are really hurting for money?? I'm not saying that the money isn’t well spent, but we should really take a close look at their budgets. As we all know, colleges are often equipped with ample sources to maintain their basic groundwork for education. (i.e. alumni foundations, tuition fees, private investors, etc.) So why are we concentrating the money to the colleges and taking away from our k-12?? If we keep cutting public schools, we are going to stop our youth in their tracks. Public schools are in the need of a reform now. They have been hurting over the past couple decades and it seems like everyone just overlooks it. They do not have extra sources of income quite like a college does. In my experience—about 15 years ago—elementary & middle school classrooms were overcrowded as it was. It was hard to function sometimes. To illustrate the point further, my neighbors’ children had to go to school in a gym; and they put several classes into one room, while they waited for a new elementary school to be built for the overcrowded school district. How can that be an effective learning environment…how can anyone focus with several classes going on at once in the same room?? Now our resolve is to increase class size? I hope this does not stand a chance. But laying off all these 90 teaching positions---now quoted to count 6,000 over the next 2 years???!!!! I am speechless. There are other alternatives that we need to consider that will not have consequences on our students or the integrity of education. We need to all rally our support for the k-12 public schools as well as More at Four. I don't see the point in phasing this out either. Eveything just seems backwards these days. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING???

REFORM THE SYSTEM: another classic case of a govt. system that is long overdue a reform.

We can't afford to give our youth anything less than a quality education. The quick answers are not always the best. We need to really analyze every govt. position, every salary, every [unnecessary] bonus. Can we give up some luxuries? Can we?? Can we give up a small bit of benefits for the greater good?? Can we come together and propose a reasonable budget AND outline all the details?? Can we support each other instead of picking one over another?? Can we analyze this realistically instead of with haste???
It is your job, NC representatives.