Gov. Bev Perdue became the first North Carolina governor to veto a state budget. Republican General Assembly leaders predicted her Sunday veto of the first GOP budget in more than 100 years would not hold for long. House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, said he expects a quick override, with the help of five House Democrats who voted for the budget initially and promised an override vote if necessary. Senate Republicans have a veto-proof majority.
In the meantime, annexation reform and tort reform are moving forward in the Senate this week.
The budget
At a press conference Sunday afternoon, the governor said she vetoed the budget because it cut education too deeply. She said it would slash pre-kindergarten programs like Smart Start and More at Four and that it would lead to the layoffs of thousands of teachers and teachers’ assistants. She also complained that it would cut funding for the mentally ill, put “natural treasures” at risk, close historical sites, and lead to fewer law enforcement personnel.
“For the first time, North Carolina has a legislature that’s turning it’s back on our schools” and “our children,” Perdue said.
She claimed the cuts could have been avoided “by extending less than a penny of a sales tax.”
Tillis issued a press release expressing his disappointment in the governor’s veto.
“Gov. Perdue has had access to this budget for almost two weeks, and she should have made this decision days ago to help provide certainty to counties and school boards across the state,” he wrote. “She has shown no leadership on this issue and no willingness to work with the legislature, choosing instead to veto a budget that protects education and creates jobs. We look forward to overriding the governor’s last-minute veto very soon.”
Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said re-election concerns motivated Perdue. “The only explanation for this veto and her statewide media campaign is that the governor believes it is more important to energize her liberal base than to govern responsibly,” Berger said in a statement. “By placing politics ahead of the public interest, she engages in obstruction of the worst kind, and we will act quickly to move North Carolina forward.”
Other action
The governor is expected to approve Senate Bill 8, No Cap on Number of Charter Schools, sometime this week.
The House has scheduled a vote on Senate Bill 709, Energy Jobs Act, tonight. The bill would change the focus of the state’s 30-year energy policy from conservation to exploration.
The Senate will consider House Bill 165, Planned Community Act Amendments, tonight. The bill provides some protections to homeowners by restricting the powers of homeowners associations.
MAJOR LEGISLATION
• Senate Bill 8, No Cap on Number of Charter Schools, Senator Richard Stevens, R-Wake
• House Bill 845, Annexation Reform Act of 2011, Rep. Stephen LaRoque, R-Lenoir.
• House Bill 542, Tort Reform for Citizens and Businesses, Rep. Jonathan Rhyne, R-Lincoln
• House Bill 344, Tax Credits for Children with Disabilities, Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam, R-Wake
• House Bill 351, Restore Confidence in Government (Voter ID), Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett
• Senate Bill 781, Regulatory Reform Act of 2011, Senator David Rouzer, R-Johnston
• House Bill 587, North Carolina Jobs Bill, Rep. Glen Bradley, R-Franklin
KEY COMMITTEE HEARINGS
A list of regularly scheduled committee meetings can be found here.
• The Senate Judiciary I Committee will hear House Bill 542, Tort Reform for Citizens and Businesses, today at 4:30. The bill makes it more difficult for consumers to sue pharmaceutical companies.
• The Senate Education Committee will hear House Bill 344, Tax Credits for Children with Disabilities, today at 4:30. The bill allows tax credits for children with special needs so that they can attend a private school or tuition-charging public school that meets their needs.
• The Senate Committee on Health Care will hear Senate Bill 467, Naturopathic Licensing Act, Tuesday at 9 a.m. The bill would require practitioners of natural medicine to be licensed in order to call themselves naturopaths.
• The Senate Finance Committee will be taking up four annexation bills Tuesday. In addition to two local de-annexation bills, it will hear House Bill 845, Annexation Reform Act of 2011, and House Bill 168, which exempts farms from annexation, extraterritorial jurisdiction and zoning.
• The Joint Legislative Committee on New Licensing Boards will hear Senate Bill 373, Community Association Property Managers Licensing Act, Tuesday at 4 p.m.
• The Joint Legislative Committee on Redistricting will meet on Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Sara Burrows is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.