GOP leaders in the state House unveiled a $21 billion spending plan Tuesday, that includes an average 5 percent pay increase for teachers
RALEIGH, NC (WECT) -
Leaders of the North Carolina House of Representatives
unveiled a $21.1 billion budget proposal Tuesday morning, which includes an
average 5 percent raise for public school teachers, avoids changes to eligibility
for Medicaid, and does not mention the state's film incentives program, which
is set to expire at the end of 2014. According to a release from House Speaker
Thom Tillis' office, the proposal will be heard by budget subcommittees on
Tuesday, and the full House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.
"When Republicans took over the legislature a few years
ago, the state faced double-digit unemployment and a $2.5 billion budget
deficit," House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) said in a news release from
his office. "Today, because of the hard work we have put into turning our
economy around and efficiencies we have made in our state budget throughout the
year, North Carolina is finally in a position to meaningfully address our
priorities including increased teacher and state employee salaries."
"The House budget proposal provides the services our
citizens need and promotes North Carolina's ability to grow our economy and
create more jobs," Rep. Nelson Dollar (R-Wake), the Senior Chairman of the
House Appropriations Committee, said in the same release. "This plan
reflects North Carolina's improving fiscal picture which has enabled us to make
teacher and state employee raises a top priority."
Here are other points contained in the budget plan, as outlines in a release from Tillis' office:
Salaries and Benefits
- As announced in February by the Governor, Lt.
Governor, Senate Leader and House Speaker, starting teacher salaries will begin
at $33,000 per year
- Provides an average five percent increase for
teachers
- Gives a $1000 salary increase to most state
employees (includes UNC faculty and Community College employees)
- Increases step-eligible Highway Patrol Troopers
between five and six percent
- Maintains existing premiums and benefits to the
State Health Plan
Education
- Follows through on the promise made in February
to provide $18.7 million to restore the Master's supplements for a graduate
program if coursework was started as of July 1, 2013 and reestablishes the
program for all teachers if the degree is in their subject field
- Fully funds the Career Pathways pilot program at
$9.8 million to provide differentiated pay to teachers demonstrating
effectiveness or assuming additional responsibilities
- Maintains full funding for K-3 teaching
assistant positions statewide
- Provides $15.4 million for the Closing the
Skills Gap initiative in our Community Colleges
- Slates $5.9 million to offer veterans and
dependents in-state tuition rates via the Yellow Ribbon matching fund program
at UNC and the Community Colleges beginning Fall 2014
Health and Human Services
- Does not change Medicaid eligibility
- Establishes a $117.8 million State Risk Reserve
for Medicaid Program
- Includes $9 million of additional funding for
Pre-K, an increase of 13 percent
- Provides $9.3 million in state and federal block
grant funds for mental health crisis services
- Includes an 18 percent funding increase of $5
million for Foster Care Assistance Payments to address a sharp increase in
caseloads
- Increases by 101% to $27 million state funding
to expand and enhance Child Protective Services including funding to reduce
county department of social services caseloads
- Provides $1 million (23% increase) to the
Medical Examiner to address operational issues
Natural and Economic Resources
- Provides $1.8 million and 25 positions to
implement long-term coal ash management and clean up statewide
- Allocates $3.6 million in additional funding for
the North Carolina Biotechnology Center
- Appropriates $1 million to The Support Center,
which provides loans and advisory services to start-ups in low and moderate
income communities
- Provides $2.5 million to the One North Carolina
Small Business Program for early-stage support of high-tech and high-growth
small businesses
- Increases Rural Economic Development Division
grants by $2.3 million and utilizes $1 million to support downtown economic
development and job creation through the Main Street Solutions Program
- Provides $1 million to match federal dollars
that will be used to preserve farmland around military bases, thus reducing the
potential for encroachment that threatens national security
Justice and Public Safety
- Transfers the State Bureau of Investigation
(SBI) to the Department of Public Safety (DPS), streamlining all law
enforcement agencies under one department and saving the state approximately $1
million
- Establishes the Computer Crimes Unit within SBI
which will investigate Internet-based crimes against children
- Moves the Domestic Violence Center and Rape
Crisis Grant program to DPS streamlining public safety measures
General Government
- Funds three new positions within the State Board
of Elections (SBOE) to investigate fraud in elections, discrepancies in voter
registration information and to pursue prosecution for violations of election
law
- Appropriates $10 million to the Housing Finance
Agency to create a loan program for the construction of qualified low-income
housing units
- Establishes a Taxpayer Assistance Call Center in
Guilford County to provide better customer service to individuals with
tax-related questions
Information Technology
- Maintains the Information Technology Internal
Service Fund at $190 million, supported by agency receipts
- Extends the state Chief Information Officer's
authority to approve unmanned aircraft systems to December 31, 2015
- Designates $21 million to the Information
Technology Reserve to support infrastructure and security
Transportation
- Increases appropriations from the Highway Fund
and the Highway Trust Fund by 3.9 percent
- Funds resurfacing contracts by $12 million and
provides $62.8 million for pavement preservation
- Repeals tolls and prohibits future tolling of
the North Carolina Ferry System routes and fully funds a new system-wide
reserve for vessel and facility improvements
To see the entire House budget proposal, click here: http://bit.ly/1l4fZDT
Copyright 2014 WECT.
The Associated Press contributed material to this report.
