N.C. House tentatively approves $15 billion spending plan

Herald Sun ^ | 04/17/2003 | AP

[mtbrandon49]

N.C. House tentatively approves $15 billion spending plan

By SCOTT MOONEYHAM : Associated Press Writer Apr 17, 2003 : 1:18 am ET

RALEIGH, N.C. -- With almost breakneck speed, the North Carolina House has put together a state spending plan with more than two months remaining before the start of the fiscal year.

The House tentatively approved a $15 billion state budget plan Wednesday, relying $384 million in taxes that had been scheduled to expire July 1 to help balance the plan.

Seventeen Republicans joined Democrats in a 75-43 vote. Just one Democrat, Rep. Mickey Michaux of Durham, voted against it. A final vote was expected this morning.

"I am convinced that this is the fair and right balance we must strike if we are to protect education, and provide services to those most vulnerable in the population," said House Co-Speaker Richard Morgan, R-Moore.

The proposed budget would raise overall spending by $617 million in 2003-04 fiscal year, compared to $14.3 billion in the current fiscal year.

[mtbrandon49]

2000-2001 Budget $12,000,000,000 (Jim Hunt's Last)

2001-2002 Budget $14,000,000,000 (Easley's First) A 16.67% Increase. Had a $2,000,000,000 hole to fix, I wonder how that got there, so they raised the sales tax and income tax. This presumably to drop after 2 years.

2002-2003 Budget $14,300,000,000 A 2.14% increase. They figured nobody would pay any attention to the $300,000,000 increase. They project a hole that hasn't materialized. Easley has even said there may be a surplus.

2003-2004 Budget $15,000,000,000 A 4.90% increase. They hope we don't see the $700 million as a big deal. They gave the counties the go ahead to start charging a 5 cent sales tax last year because the sales tax hike they passed was to run out July 1st. Now the counties charge the sales tax to cover what they don't get from the state and the state gets to keep the money they were to pay the counties. The pot gets bigger and our wallets get thinner.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Unbelievable. And to think I worked (what little I did) to help elect Republicans to the NC House. Never again.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Explain this to me: Seventeen Republicans joined Democrats in a 75-43 vote

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

I am sorry but there is no hope for NC.

[mtbrandon49]

A whole lot of Rhino's in this state.

[Constitution Day]

"I am convinced that this is the fair and right balance we must strike if we are to protect education, and provide services to those most vulnerable in the population," said House Co-Speaker Richard Morgan, R-Moore.

Damn! That sounds like Demo-speak to me.

Just one Democrat, Rep. Mickey Michaux of Durham, voted against it.

That is because Michaux did not get the $15,000,000 for the "minority universities" that he wanted:

House rejects Michaux request

[mtbrandon49]

I figured there was an ulterior motive for old Mickey to vote against it.

[JohnnyZ]

"I am convinced that this is the fair and right balance we must strike if we are to protect education, and provide services to those most vulnerable in the population," said House Co-Speaker Richard Morgan, R-Moore.

There's your explanation: Jim Black's little lap dog.

[JohnnyZ]

HB 397 2003 BUDGET/FAMILY TAX CUT/AAA BOND RATING.
Sponsor: CRAWFORD
Second Reading Outcome: PASSED
Time: Apr 16 2003 6:46PM
Total Votes: 118 Ayes: 75 Noes: 43 Not: 0 Exc. Absent: 2 Exc. Vote: 0

Ayes: Representative(s): Adams, Alexander, Allen, B., Allen, G., Allen, L., Baker, Bell, Black, Bonner, Bordsen, Brubaker, Carney, Church, Coates, Cole, Crawford, Culpepper, Cunningham, Daughtridge, Decker, Dickson, Earle, England, Farmer-Butter, Fox, Gibson, Glazier, Goforth, Goodwin, Gorman, Grady, Hackney, Haire, Hall, Harrell, Hill, Holliman, Howard, Hunter, Insko, Jeffus, Johnson, C., Jones, Justice, Kiser, LaRoque, Lucas, Luebke, McAllister, McComas, McGee, McLawhorn, Miller, Miner, Morgan, Nye, Owens, Parmon, Rapp, Ross, Sauls, Saunders, Sherrill, Stiller, Sutton, Tolson, Wainwright, Warner, Warren, Weiss, Williams, A., Williams, K., Womble, Wright, Yongue

Noes: Representative(s): Allred, Barbee, Barnhart, Blackwood, Blust, Bowie, Capps, Clary, Creech, Culp, Daughtry, Dockham, Eddins, Frye, Gillespie, Gulley, Hilton, Holmes, Johnson, L., Justus, Lewis, McCombs, McHenry, McMahan, Michaux, Mitchell, Moore, Munford, Pate, Preston, Ray, Rayfield, Rhodes, Setzer, Sexton, Stam, Starnes, Walend, Walker, West, Wilson, C., Wilson, G., Wood

Exc. Absence: Representative(s): Ellis, Nesbitt

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

I knew David Miner would be in there. Sadly, he represents me in the NC Legislature. I will be giving his office a call. Thanks for the list.

[Rammer]

Absolutely shocking. Taxes go up, spending goes up. Republicans continuing to play the role of "Democrat Lite" rather than have their own ideals that they will fight for.

Moving across the border to SC is looking better and better all the time.

[JohnnyZ]

Roll call link

GOP tax-hikers:
Rex Baker (Forsyth, Surry, Stokes)
Harold Brubaker (Randolph)
Bill Daughtridge (Nash)
Michael Gorman (Craven, Pamlico)
Robert Grady (Onslow)
Julia Howard (Davidson, Davie, Iredell)
Carolyn Justice (New Hanover, Pender) not to be conf w/ Carolyn Justus
Joe Kiser (Lincoln)
Stephen Laroque (Duplin, Lenoir)
Daniel McComas (New Hanover)
William McGee (Forsyth)
David Miner (Wake)
Richard Morgan (Jim Black's boxers)
John Sauls (Harnett, Lee, Moore)
Wilma Sherrill (Buncombe)
Bonner Stiller (Brunswick, New Hanover)
Keith Williams (Onslow)

Any of these folks from safe GOP seats? Because they are just begging for a primary. What good is it having a "majority -> even strength" if we don't have people who'll vote Republican, forget conservative!!!

[Constitution Day]

I'll be honest, I don't know a whole lot about most of those RINOs.

Bill Daughtridge is, as far as I know, a political newbie. He's fron Dist. 25 and was just elected in '02.
His family owns a large gas & oil business in Rocky Mount. Other than that, I do not know a lot about him.

As to the others, the only name that jumps out is David Miner.
These RINOs have got some 'splainin' to do!

BTW - I laughed out loud at "Richard Morgan (Jim Black's boxers)"

FRegards,
CD

[Constitution Day]

NC ping!
Please FRmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this North Carolina ping list.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

David Miner is a power in the local GOP in Cary but he can be beat. WE just don't have anybody willing to take him on. And that can be said for many many races. Thank GOD for Rep. Stamm! He voted the right way. But he is a rarity now. David Miner is going to hear from me and should hear from any and all Republicans who care about our state's descent into the abyss of taxmania.

[Overtaxed]

That KC job is looking better all the time. :)

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Are you headed that way for sure???

[Baseballguy]

lwd:

Do you believe lawmakers should cap the amount of non-economic damages that can be awarded in a medical malpractice case at $250,000?

YES

4.8% (20)

NO

95.1% (389)

votes: 409 http://www.unctv.org/legweek/index.php

[Windom Earle]

The two names that are the most obvious are Richard Morgan and Harold Brubaker. Just exactly what I would have expected.

Not all of these guys are in safe seats. Some of them are freshmen and ought to know better.

[freepy smurf]

I keep asking Madame Kinaird not to spend but she just sends me a snitty, venomous reply that sounds something like "we're not giving enough to the underclass" or "the wealthy must be punished." When I ask her to cut spending she always pleads the most piteous or necessary programs like Meals on Wheels and Education as the implied targets.