Kelly McCullen - The Perdue Administration released its 2012-2013 budget Thursday morning.
It proposes 20.9 BILLION dollars in state spending, authorizes a three-quarter cent
sales tax increase and restores education funding.
Gov. Bev Perdue - It's all about investing in our future and, today, I'm going to underscore
three priorities: investing in education, investing in jobs and standing up for those
who have served our nation.
Kelly Mc - The Perdue budget offers tax credits and tuition assistance for Post-Nine-Eleven
veterans to retrain for non-military careers. Businesses would receive a $5,000 tax credit
for hiring qualified veterans. The school funding increases would, theoretically, come
from new sales tax revenue, a tax Republican leaders show NO inclination of considering
in 2012. House Speaker Thom Tillis released this statement:
"Her 16% increase in the sales tax would negatively impact the North Carolinians who are most
in need and would severely impact our ability to move beyond the recession we are struggling
to emerge from."
Kelly Mc- State Budget director Andy Willis was questioned about proposing tax increases
the GOP dominated legislature will not likely consider, yet would fund the Perdue education
spending plans.
Andy Willis - I think there are ways to get to this number outside of the sales tax. The
governor looked at a number of ways over the past year on how to do that and we settled
on the sales tax in the end.
Kelly Mc-A half billion dollars would be spent on K through 12 education with school personnel
receiving small pay raises.
Gov. Bev Perdue -That funding will save, create or restore as many as 11,000 teaching positions
in North Carolina and it will reduce class size in K through 3 across this state.
Kelly Mc - The university system, of which UNC-TV is a part, would receive $145 million
in increased funding. Currently, about 40-percent of UNC-TV's budget comes from state funding.
Jay Schalin - I think asking for $145 million above last year's budget is a little too aggressive.
I think, I know, the university system asked for over eight percent but, realistically,
I think they should be looking at one to two percent.
Kelly Mc - Republican House and Senate leaders have hinted a GOP budget could be released
when the Short Session opens on May 16th. The new budget year, with any spending changes,
is scheduled to take effect July 1st.
