Governor Vetoes Budget Bill

Governor Bev Perdue has vetoed the first bill approved by the new Republican majority at the legislature.

The governor's decision to veto Senate Bill 13 comes as no surprise. She's said for weeks that she doesn't like it. The measure would take money from current funding for economic incentive programs and the Golden LEAF foundation. Perdue says it would discourage companies from setting up shop in North Carolina. But Republican lawmakers say it's necessary to take about 540 million dollars from those funds to help ease the state's looming budget crisis. The bill will now head back to the legislature, and it won't pass again very easily. Three-fifths of members voting on an override must approve it. And Republicans in the House don't have enough votes to pass the measure by themselves.