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The long awaited Senate budget is here, along with all the debate that normally accompanies a budget.  This year, the Senate and governor seem to be like-minded in their approach to the budget — a large change from the last session and contrary to what the media wants the public to believe.  In 2011, the House proposed a budget that spent $600 million less than former Gov. Perdue’s budget.  Perdue and the House looked at things very differently, from state employee pay raises to tax increases; this year we have seen a different story play out.

The Senate and Gov. Pat McCrory’s budgets are extremely similar, and both plans have parallel views on how the budget should spend taxpayer dollars.  Both plans propose a small increase from FY2012-2013 spending levels of approximately 2.1% or roughly $425,000.  The large differences between the two plans come in three areas: larger cuts to the Justice and Commerce Departments by the Senate and more funding for Reserves, Debt, and Capital Improvements by McCrory.  It is also worth noting that news of the increased Medicaid shortfall came after Gov. McCrory’s budget proposal.  Gov. McCrory’s budget accounted for the $133 million Medicaid shortfall; when the Senate composed their budget, they had to account for a $248 million shortfall — the reasoning for more cuts by the Senate than by McCrory.

The Senate plan also included a small amount of information about the proposed tax plan.  Although the details of the tax plan haven’t been seen in the form of legislation, the budget does account for less revenue as a result of the proposed tax plan.  Amounts of $217.1 million less in the first year and $553.1 million in the second, a total of $770.2 million in tax cuts, are expected over the next two fiscal years.

A lot of news outlets have been giving perspectives about the budget.  One democratic organization even calls it a "mean-spirited, arrogant, and snarling partisan budget," but it is not. You can read the entire committee report on the budget here.  Below are some of the budget items that have gotten less attention than their larger counterparts.

Education:

  • Changes the teacher to student ratios in K-12 schools.  Ratios range from 1:17 for 2nd-3rd graders to 1:29 for 10th-12th graders.
  • Provides funds to replace 1,325 school busses over the next two years.
  • Increases Community College tuition by $2.50 per credit hour.  That makes the cost per credit hour $71.50 for in-state students and $263.50 for out-of-state students.
  • Eliminates the Community College senior citizen tuition waiver.
  • Reduces unding for minority male mentoring program, while expanding the program to mentor all students at community colleges that have a risk of dropping out.
  • Cancels construction for an addition to the NC A&T State University building housing the graduate engineering school.

Health & Human Services:

  • Increases state’s funding for child-care subsidies to include an additional 7,800 children over two years.
  • Increases funding to the NC Tobacco Use Quit line, which provides free tobacco services and treatment for NC residents.
  • Closes the Wright School, a residential school for children with mental health or behavioral disorders.
  • Limits Medical Assistance office visits to 10 per year; chronic illnesses are exempt.

Natural & Economic Resources:

  • Provides $1.5 million to expand domestic and international marketing of NC Agriculture; also supports NC Wine and Grape Grower’s Council.
  • Creates a new Water and Land Conservation Authority to be within the new Division of Water Infrastructure; other new programs include Joint Enforcement Agreement (Marine Patrol) and At-Sea Observer Program.
  • Gives a total of $1.25 million for Shale Gas Exploration.
  • Eliminates funding for Adopt-a-Trail Program.
  • Funds the repair and replacement of NC Zoo trams.

Justice & Public Safety:

  • Funds an additional 175 new probation officers for increased caseloads.
  • Creates 19 new toxicology positions in the western crime lab.
  • Restores previously cut magistrates; now a minimum of four magistrates per county.
  • Transfers responsibility and funding for teachers in juvenile facilities to the Department of Public Instruction.
  • Closes and removes funding for Lenoir Youth Development Center, Richmond Detention Center, and Buncombe Detention Center.

General Government:

  • Eliminates funding for Roanoke Island Festival Park.
  • Reduces funding for furniture purchases in the General Assembly.
  • Funds North Carolina Symphony and The Bridge Down East; eliminates funding for North Carolina Humanities Council.
  • Eliminates the Displaced Homemakers Program and transfer funds to Domestic Violence Center.

Transportation:

  • Reduces Rail and Ferry funding by 2%.
  • Creates $100 surcharge on registration fees for electric vehicles and $50 surcharge on registration fees for hybrid-electric vehicles.
  • Spends $6.3 million in two years to repair and renovate eight DOT owned facilities.
  • Supports transaction costs to accept credit and debit card payments for registration, title, and highway use tax transactions.

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