Governor Cooper to veto a $24 billion budget in less than 24 hours
Governor says he will “study this budget in detail next week,” after a veto
Raleigh, N.C. – Budget funds for disaster relief efforts, pay raises for state employees and teachers, and historic school construction investments will be blocked by Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto Friday, less than 24 hours after the General Assembly approved the $24 billion spending plan.
State House Speaker Tim Moore released a statement:
“Blocking billions of dollars in funding for North Carolina communities less than a day after receiving the budget is a reckless and irresponsible decision by the Governor that must be overridden to deliver critical investments in infrastructure, disaster relief, public safety, pay raises, and school construction, to our state’s citizens,” Speaker Moore said.
Seven legislative Democrats – four in the state Senate and three in the state House – supported the Republican-led General Assembly’s compromise spending plan.
The State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC) is urging support for the spending plan because it “prioritizes pay raises for state employees.”
The budget authorizes $1.5 billion for capital expenditures on K-12 schools and $400 million for community colleges to fund repairs, renovations, and new buildings on public education campuses across North Carolina.
Major capital projects at state universities are also funded by the budget, including a $215 million authorization to build a new Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.
Governor Cooper said Friday he will study the budget in detail next week despite vetoing the spending plan on Friday.