State House Committee Approves Budget Plan

House lawmakers have recommended budget changes that would ease funding reductions for public schools and give state employees a small bonus. The House Appropriations committee approved the more than 20 billion dollar proposed budget adjustment earlier today. Republican representative Harold Brubaker chairs the House appropriations committee.

Harold Brubaker: So when you look at the overall budget and say what has it done. It only spent what was taken in, as most households in North Carolina do, we spend what we take in, it didn't raise taxes, and it provided essential services for the people of North Carolina.

The bill reduces the amount of money school districts would have to return to Raleigh by about two-thirds. And it would give state employees a bonus of 250 dollars. But it doesn't give state retirees the cost of living adjustment they had been promised by leading Republicans. The measure now goes to the House floor for consideration.