Economy

Carolina Public Press: NC legislature lurches toward an ending — for now

By Eleanore Wood / November 1, 2019 / Comments Off on Carolina Public Press: NC legislature lurches toward an ending — for now

State lawmakers are leaving Raleigh on Halloween — 123 days into the not-so-new budget year — without passing a full state budget. Yesterday, Republicans held teacher pay raises hostage to try to get Democrats to override the Governor’s veto of the budget. Completely ignoring the public’s clear mandate to expand affordable health care Republicans tried…

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Statement on NC Senate’s failure (again) to hold budget vote

By Logan Smith / October 29, 2019 / Comments Off on Statement on NC Senate’s failure (again) to hold budget vote

Lacking the votes to override Cooper’s veto, Republicans continue to play games instead of governing RALEIGH — Progress NC Action released the following statement on Tuesday in response to Senate leader Phil Berger’s failure — once again — to hold a vote on Gov. Cooper’s veto of the Republican budget proposal: “How long are Republican…

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GOP in Senate does not have the votes, so budget veto override vote moved to Tuesday… or Weds… or when?

By Logan Smith / October 28, 2019 / Comments Off on GOP in Senate does not have the votes, so budget veto override vote moved to Tuesday… or Weds… or when?

Well, folks, it’s time to hurry up and wait… again. After announcing that the Senate would vote on Monday whether or not to override Gov. Cooper’s veto of the GOP budget Senate Republicans decided, once again, not to vote because all the Democrats showed up. How long are Republican leaders going to keep playing games with the…

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While teachers go without a raise, lawmakers try to pass yet another corporate tax cut

By Logan Smith / October 24, 2019 / Comments Off on While teachers go without a raise, lawmakers try to pass yet another corporate tax cut

NC Senate: “Sorry teachers, we can’t afford to give you a decent raise.”Also NC Senate: “$1 billion in corporate tax cuts? No problem!” RALEIGH — While North Carolina public school educators continue to work without the raises they were promised for the 2019-20 school year, Republican lawmakers are trying to ram through another $1 billion in…

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GOP budget standoff holding up state employee raises, school budgets

By Eleanore Wood / July 31, 2019 / Comments Off on GOP budget standoff holding up state employee raises, school budgets

Three weeks into the GOP budget standoff, July paychecks are going out for many state employees whose pay raises are being delayed by Republican leaders’ unwillingness to negotiate. However, those paychecks aren’t the only things left in limbo by the GOP budget standoff. With the 2019-20 school year approaching, school districts are having to make…

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GOP may try to ram their budget through the General Assembly this week

By Eleanore Wood / July 25, 2019 / Comments Off on GOP may try to ram their budget through the General Assembly this week

With GOP leadership telling their caucus to expect budget votes this week, Republican lawmakers are once again trying to ram through a budget which does not address the concerns of hard-working North Carolina families or our valued educators. Instead of expanding Medicaid and investing in our schools and our students, the politicians are trying to…

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Berger leaves the country as GOP leaders refuse to negotiate budget standoff

By Eleanore Wood / July 18, 2019 / Comments Off on Berger leaves the country as GOP leaders refuse to negotiate budget standoff

North Carolina’s budget standoff continues into its third week as NC Republicans refuse to negotiate with Gov. Cooper or legislative Democrats. As of Monday, July 22nd, Gov. Cooper presented GOP leaders with a counter-offer 14 days ago. GOP response?  Zippo. Republicans won’t even come to the table. Instead of working with the governor to agree…

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Do not buy into the NC-GOP’s false choice of an “either / or” state budget

By Eleanore Wood / July 16, 2019 / Comments Off on Do not buy into the NC-GOP’s false choice of an “either / or” state budget

North Carolina has the revenue and resources for a state budget that fully funds public education, expands Medicaid, and invests in critical local projects across the state. Republicans claim the state budget can either include local projects earmarked for legislative districts across the state, or the state budget can expand Medicaid. This is a ridiculous false…

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Rep. Raymond Smith stands strong for a better budget

By Eleanore Wood / July 15, 2019 / Comments Off on Rep. Raymond Smith stands strong for a better budget

The North Carolina state budget affects our everyday lives. So it’s important that our lawmakers get it right. The current budget proposal continues to underfund our public schools. The budget proposal does NOT expand Medicaid for 634,000 NC residents. And the state budget has not been finalized. Last week the Republican House Speaker Tim Moore scheduled…

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Budget showdown continues: Which Dems are on the fence?

By Eleanore Wood / July 8, 2019 / Comments Off on Budget showdown continues: Which Dems are on the fence?

The General Assembly will likely vote on a budget veto override this week as the GOP once again tries to ram through a budget which does not address the concerns of hard-working North Carolina families or our valued educators. Instead of expanding Medicaid and investing in our schools and our students, the politicians are trying…

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