Here are some of the more interesting items in the budget that might not be reported on in the media:
Education
- Creates an Opportunity Scholarship (vouchers) for low income students to use towards private school tuition.
- Eventually will eliminate all K-12 teacher tenure.
- UNC out-of-state tuition increases.
- Community College tuition increases by $2.50/credit hour.
- Expansion of Teach for America.
Justice & Public Safety
- Closed 5 correctional centers because of declining prison populations
- Closed 3 youth development centers
- Repair and renovations for the state’s armories.
Health and Human Services
- Increase funding for NC Pre-K to bring total available slots to 27,500.
- Continue funding for the NC Quitline providing free tobacco cessation services and treatment for NC residents.
- Continue Medicaid at current levels costing $991 million over two years
- Even though NC decided not to expand Medicaid eligibility under Obamacare, there will be 142,109 new enrollees to join Medicaid over the next two years, costing an additional $163.8 million.
- Obamacare also mandates that all children under 133% of the Fedeal Poverty Level are required to be covered under Medicaid, causing that to increase by $68 million in the next two years.
Natural and Economic Resources
- Creates four new positions to assist Energy and Mining Commission for shale gas exploration with data collection and analysis.
- Eliminates funding for the Adopt-a-Trails Program.
- Provides funding to support repair and replacement of zoo trams.
- Creates a new division within the Department of Commerce for the new Rural Economic Development Division, this eliminates the Rural Center.
General Government
- Over $2.5 million in state appropriations for Tryon Palace in FY2013-14.
- Reduces funding for Roanoke Island Commission.
- Add three employees to the Lieutenant Governor’s office.
- Compensation for sterilized victims.
Transportation
- Creates $100 surcharge on registration fees for electric vehicles.
- Caps motor fuels excise tax rate at 37.5 cents per gallon.
- Allows the usage of credit and debit cards for registration and title at DMV.