Republican legislative leaders say they support an effort started under Democratic leadership that seeks to reduce the number of repeat criminal offenders in North Carolina, and in turn inmate beds. The “Justice Reinvestment” project started nearly a year ago and was billed as a bipartisan effort by Democrats who held the majority at the time. […]
Rep. Mike C. Stone led a closed-door committee meeting last week to give House Republicans the chance to hear from lobbyists and special interest on video gambling. Stone, a Sanford Republican, is himself connected to the video gambling industry: he owns a small grocery where customers can play a variety of sweepstakes games on four […]
This week the General Assembly put the finishing touches on SB13 Balanced Budget Act of 2011. The House gave final approval to the bill today which directs Governor Perdue to find $400 million in savings in this year’s budget and takes about $75 million from three economic development funds. The Governor objected to […]
The Senate has unanimously approved legislation outlawing herbal incense that simulates the effects of marijuana. The Senate voted 50-0 on Thursday to ban the synthetic compounds sold in gas stations, convenience stores and head shops under names including “Spice” and “K2.” The products mix herbs and spices that are then sprayed with a chemical compound […]
Some legislators want to make public access to government records, documents and meetings part of the state constitution. A bill introduced Thursday by Rep. Stephen LaRoque, R-Lenoir, would allow voters to decide whether to enshrine current open-records laws in the constitution. Voters could decide in November 2012 if the measure is approved by the General […]
House Republicans have approved and sent to Gov. Beverly Perdue’s desk a measure directing her to sweep $142 million from state accounts and giving her authority to cut another $400 million. However, the measure may not make it past the governor’s desk: she is signaling that she may veto it. Partisan debate on the bill […]
A House committee has given its OK to two bills that would undo local annexations. Annexations in Lexington and Kinston would be repealed under the legislation approved by the House Government Committee on Thursday. The votes came after residents representing the annexed areas told committee members that the local decisions were unfair and arbitrary; local […]
Perdue: State deficit cut by $1B (WRAL)
2.9.11
Raleigh, N.C. — Gov. Beverly Perdue took to the Internet Wednesday to deliver some big budget news.
In a YouTube video, Perdue announced that the budget shortfall for the fiscal year that starts in July will be about $1 billion smaller than previously projected.
As recently as last month, economists said […]
Joint Transportation Appropriations Meeting 2.9.11
Today the members of the Joint Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee heard a presentation by the Fiscal Research Division staff entitled, “Transportation Primer.” I would summarize the meeting by saying staff laid […]
Electric-car owners not only don’t buy gasoline, they also don’t pay gas taxes. A bill introduced in the state Senate would try to get back some of that money for the state by charging electric-car owners an annual $100 fee.
A bill in the Legislature would require owners of cars like this Nissan Leaf to pay […]
