Senate leaders to tackle potential $1.2M budget shortfall

RALEIGH, N.C. — With a potential budget shortfall of $1.2 billion looming, state Senate leaders worked to trim larger line items on Friday.

Last month, the U.S. House passed a jobs bill that deleted $24 billion in support for cash-strapped states. North Carolina lawmakers had planned to use the money to plug holes in the Department of Health and Human Services after taking money from programs there to spend elsewhere.

On Thursday night, the Senate rejected the long-sought legislation.

Without those federal dollars, North Carolina's budget shortfall jumps to $1.2 billion dollars and could cause thousands of jobs to be eliminated, Gov. Bev Perdue said.

State lawmakers said Friday they remain hopeful that Congress will provide stimulus money, but it could take months and yield a smaller amount.

Budget writers said they were working on two budgets – one containing the federal stimulus money and one without.

By law, the state must approve a budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year by June 30.

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Latest Comments

one more thing they could do---cut out the entitlement programs which not only support, but enable, illegal aliens in NC> Its like $1.7 BILLION we spend each year. Why will no one in our state government even talk about this?? Guess it counts as too many votes.

josephlawrence43
June 21, 2010 9:20 a.m.

colliedave -

Excellent response! I'm impressed.

lizard
June 18, 2010 7:43 p.m.

Budget writers said they were working on two budgets – one containing the federal stimulus money and one without.

Have to assume the fed money will not come in; But there has to be severe budget cuts. The only government departments that should remain are those essential to the orderly and safe operation of the state. Every department that could be privitized must be sold to the highest bidder. This would include operations such as the ABC stores, ferry operations, and museums and theatre groups. For the departments that remain there should be only four levels of management betweem the worker and the governor.

colliedave
June 18, 2010 7:26 p.m.

We need to cut gov't jobs. There's no money to pay for them and it's apparent to everyone now. I've been noticing it for 40 years. My father use to tell me about it earlier too.

Let the private sector provide services to the citizens that actually have to pay. The free ride is over.

lizard
June 18, 2010 7:05 p.m.