Today @NCCapitol (7/11): Veto threats, budget gimmicks
Gov. Pat McCrory has threatened to veto any budget that looks like the current Senate plan. Senators called McCrory's threat a veto a "media stunt." House leaders are preparing to hold a budget hearing by themselves Friday.
Posted — Updated"I will veto the latest Senate plan or any plan that resembles it because I know of no financial way we can go beyond the House proposal without eliminating thousands of teacher assistants, cutting Medicaid recipients and putting at risk future core state services," Gov. Pat McCrory said in a statement Thursday.
"I’m disappointed by the governor’s threat to veto the largest teacher pay raise in state history and surprised by his demand for a budget without cuts to teacher assistants and Medicaid – given that his own budget included almost $20 million in cuts to teacher assistants along with significant, though ultimately unachievable, cuts to Medicaid," Berger said in a statement. "The governor has been unable to sustain any of his previous vetoes in the Senate. It would be more helpful for him to work with members of both chambers of the legislature, since his unwillingness to listen to those who have an honest disagreement with him on spending priorities in favor of staging media stunts and budget gimmicks is a major reason the budget has not been finalized."
"Now, Governor McCrory has added another meaningless gesture to their stalemate. The House hasn’t agreed to the Senate budget. So, the Governor is threatening to veto a bill that he knows he will never see," Blue said. "Political theatre didn’t cause our teacher pay crisis; Governor McCrory, Thom Tillis and Phil Berger’s handouts to the wealthy and special interests did. And more empty rhetoric and political theatre now won’t solve this crisis. It’s time for these folks to tone down the bluster, acknowledge their failed priorities and pass a plan that puts teachers and students first."
The measure is now on the Senate's calendar for Monday night.
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