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Perdue Working on Next Budget Proposal
Monday, March 08 2010
by Laura Leslie
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Governor Bev Perdue is already working on her budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. She says the shortfall is expected to be about $1 billion, or a little more than five percent. It's a sizable gap, but Perdue says it's workable--especially compared to last year's $4 billion dollar shortfall. She says the gap is already half-covered by money she held back from state agencies this year. And she wants to cut more than $350 million in programs she says are redundant or outmoded.
"That's not to say the General Assembly's going to agree with me. I know they'll go over it, and every program has a constituency group," says Perdue. "We have a real chance now to change the way state government does business, and I really am hopeful--very hopeful--that the leadership of the General Assembly and the general public will stick with me."
As for the current budget year, the governor says state workers will not be furloughed again. She's planning to roll out her 2011 budget recommendations as soon as final tax numbers come in next month.
More Marines Deploy to Afghanistan
Friday, March 05 2010
by Eric Hodge
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A group of Marines based at Camp Lejuene leaves for Afghanistan today. Military officials say about 1,000 Marines are scheduled to deploy to the southern part of the country, where an offensive is underway against Taliban militants.
First Lieutenant Evan Pettyjohn says recent casualties are on the minds of those preparing to leave. "Well as a Marine, it always hits you when you hear about another Marine who loses their life in the line of duty," says Pettyjohn. "It's definitely on all of our minds, but we train and we're prepared and it kind of gives us a new sense of the seriousness of what we're doing."
Pettyjohn says for many of the Marines, this will be their first deployment to Afghanistan. He says most were last deployed to Iraq.
State Crime Lab Under Investigation
Wednesday, March 03 2010
by Laura Leslie
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NCCAI's Chris Mumma (Photo: UNC Law)
The state attorney general's office is reviewing blood testing done by the SBI Crime Lab. That's after a recent hearing exposed reporting standards that helped put an innocent man in jail for 17 years. Defense attorneys are wondering how many other cases could be affected.
Wake Schools to End Diversity Policy
Wednesday, March 03 2010
by Dave DeWitt
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Yesterday, over the course of 11 and a half hours, the Wake County School Board considered a decision on the future of the superintendent, heard a demoralizing report on the budget for next year, and changed the calendar for several schools.
But it was a vote to eliminate the district’s socio-economic diversity policy that brought out a crowd.
