The state’s and county’s budget woes are about to get even worse, partially thanks to Sen. Richard Burr, although it remains to be seen exactly how much worse the problems will be. If you thought the libraries, schools and parks took major hits under the new county budget, the news out of Washington and Raleigh could make you feel faint.
First, in Washington yesterday, the U.S. Senate rejected a bill to extend unemployment benefits and tax breaks; that bill included $500 million in aid to North Carolina for this year’s budget. Without that money, the state’s budget is essentially in freefall, and the most likely casualties will be the UNC system (which, as was reported last week, is already losing many of its best professors to universities around the country), and programs that help the politically powerless, for instance kids who need health insurance (which has already been trimmed so much this year that new children in need of insurance will soon be turned away). In the U.S. Senate, Sen. Kay Hagan voted for the bill that would have sent $500 million to N.C., while Sen. Richard Burr, who is running for re-election this year, voted against the bill. Thankyewsomutch, kind master.
Now comes more bad news from Raleigh that could further screw things up in Mecklenburg County. A “legislative alert” from the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, passed along via Commissioner Bill James’ e-mail list, claims that budget conferees in Raleigh are considering taking money from the counties’ lottery funds in order to balance the state budget. If the state winds up taking all of Mecklenburg’s lottery funds, it will mean a loss of $16.8 million, which county commissioners would then have to cut from the county budget, or else raise property taxes. Without new taxes, the hardest hit areas would be — you guessed it — public schools, libraries, veterans and parks.
What you can do: call your local legislators in Raleigh and let them know you don’t want the county’s lottery money being used to plug budget holes in Raleigh at the expense of our veterans, libraries, schools and parks.
This article appears in Jun 15-21, 2010.
OH, STOP YOUR WHINING!!! There ISN’T 500 Million to give, in case you aren’t aware the Country is broke! Someone in this ongoing fiasco has to be the PARENT to you whiners with your hand out! I applaud Burr for being a PARENT, now stop your whining and complaining and if you see a need – then do something about it instead of throwing a temper tantrum
Looks like someone needs to cut back on Fox News and meth.
Look Im a republican and stumbled on this site looking for information about the extended unemployment benefits, and I am not stupid enough to believe the unemployed are just lazy and should be put on welfare. I know many people who are unemployed and they have all worked years before. One comes to mind is a man I buy wood from in the winter. He has NEVER EVER EVER received unemployment benefits or ANY Govt help in his life. He came to me when he was laid off and asked me about extentions and job leads. If people really think long term unemployed are just lazy or should go on welfare, then I challenge them to quit their job and try to get another one.