The Cooper administration forced those billions in additional costs, and only afterwards did it agree to settlement language that forced the burden of those billions on electricity customers.
The Republican-led General Assembly in the just-ended 2016 short session maintained spending restraint, created and enlarged fiscal safeguards in case of an economic downturn, granted more income tax relief, moved toward merit pay raises for state employees, resolved coal ash cleanup disputes, and eliminated some health care regulations. Although the $22.34 billion 2016-17 General Fund...
Becki Gray on legislative session highlights; House members on coal ash clean-up plan; lawmakers on finding owners of unclaimed savings bonds; Robert Shibley on free-speech rights on N.C. college campuses; Terry Stoops on opportunity scholarships
RALEIGH — Lawmakers return to the capital today for the first time since the historic 2013 session in which they reformed the tax code, cut taxes, enacted broad changes to election laws, fought back against Medicaid expansion and Obamacare, and tightened up the state’s unemployment insurance program. The primary focus will be increasing teacher compensation and dealing with Medicaid cost overruns in a tight fiscal atmosphere.
