Former Speaker Dan Blue (D-Wake) had one of the best amendments to the budget offered today in the full House Appropriations Committee. His amendment took all of the money from unfilled positions in state government and gave it to raise the state employees’ salary increases from 2.5%, as was originally proposed, to 4.25%.
State agencies like to hold on to the funding for these phantom positions even though many of them have been vacant for years. There is wide discrepancy in how those funds are used and very little oversight or accountability.
Rep. Blue’s amendment helps to bring transparency to the budgeting process.
The budget bill, House Bill 1473, can be found here.
Update from busy Becki: An oversight — Blue’s amendment did pass.
