Today, NCDP Chair Bobbie Richardson released the following statement in response to the North Carolina General Assembly Republicans’ budget proposal that puts corporations before families and tax cuts for the wealthy before investments in our communities:
North Carolina General Assembly Republicans are facing pushback on their budget proposal that prioritizes tax cuts for corporations over investments in North Carolina families, even as the state sits on “nearly $7 billion” in unspent revenue.
As Democratic Representatives spoke out against “putting corporate interests first” and “neglecting vital services,” Democratic Senators were told they needed to review over 1,000 pages of budget proposals overnight and submit any amendments by 10:00 am this morning. Senator Sarah Crawford argued that “this doesn’t exactly meet my definition of a collaborative effort” — and North Carolinians agree.
Here’s a look at what North Carolinians are watching in their local news about the Republican’s irresponsible proposal.
“The tax cut package Senate leaders unveiled earlier in June is included in the budget, but with the news of the larger surplus, it’s gotten even larger…the proposed budget calls for lowering the individual income tax rate from 5.25% to 3.99% over five years, rather than previously proposed 4.99%. That means the package gets much pricier, costing state coffers a total of $2.5 billion in the next two years…also means that teachers and state employees would see only a 1.5% raise for each of the next two years under the Senate proposal.”
WATCH WRAL: Senate budget limits NC teacher, worker raises in favor of tax cuts
“Real budget negotiations will be critical,” he [Governor Cooper] said in a statement. “In order to have a shared recovery, we must invest in education, health care, child care and tax cuts for those who need it, not tax breaks for corporations and people making more than $200,000 per year.”
WATCH CBS17: Amid $2 billion surplus, NC Senate budget plan calls for big tax cuts, modest state worker raises
“Just last week Gov. Roy Cooper (D) announced North Carolina had the additional funds, saying they received more in tax revenue than they expected. That leaves the state with a nearly $7 billion surplus. So what does the Republican controlled Senate hope to do with the money? They’re proposing keeping the budget at about $26 billion and lowering taxes…The North Carolina Association of Educators wants more. ‘It’s really indefensible to put forth a budget that is so tone-deaf to the needs of public schools,’ Kristin Beller, the Wake County NCAE President said. That money would instead go to tax cuts.”
WATCH FOX46: NC GOP budget proposal: tax cuts and teacher raises for two years
“The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) released a statement saying: ‘When presented with an added $6.5 billion in unexpected revenue, the NC Senate has opted to reward North Carolina educators for working nonstop to support our students through the most difficult school year in history with a pitiful 1.5% annual pay raise. This proposed budget shows that corporate tax cuts take priority over North Carolina students yet again.’”
What North Carolina Democrats Are Tweeting
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