Governor McCrory unveils budget plan

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Tags:

pat mccrory, local/state

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Gov. Pat McCrory released his first two-year state budget proposal Wednesday - calling for no new debt, no tax increases, and a budget surplus at the end of the first year.

The $20.6 billion dollar plan focuses on education, the economy, and making North Carolina government more efficient.

For education, McCrory proposes:

$54.4m more to NC pre-K to serve a total of 30,000 kids statewide
hiring 1,800 more full-time teachers
$43m more for digital learning
$625,000 for Center for Safer Schools
$28m more to further the Excellent Public Schools Act
$7.5m to remedial courses in grades 8-12
$32m more for "high demand" community college courses
$28m more for equipment and infrastructure in community colleges
$63m to help fund UNC Strategic Directions Plan for high growth sectors

Under government, the Governor wants:

ALL state employees (including teachers) get a 1% raise
$77m to upgrade IT reserve
$7.2m for drug treatment courts
$72m to state pension system and $181m to state health plan
Sets aside $600m in reserves
$400m to Savings Reserve Account
$300m for Repairs and Renovations
$20m more for Disaster Relief Reserve

Under cost savings, McCrory lists:

2-3% in efficiencies
$54m by realigning "outdated and inefficient" correctional facilities

For healthcare:

Medicaid - adds $575m
Establishes Medicaid Risk Reserve of $180m
Mental Health - adds $13m
Puts almost $30m to opening Broughton Psychiatric Hospital

Under commerce:

$2.7m for branding
$1.8m for "Main St. Solutions" - downtown economic development "resumes" One North Carolina Small Business Program"
$1m to Agriculture Water Resources Assistance Program (Ag oriented)
$76.2m for JDIG (job development)
$14m for JMAC (job retention in high paying jobs and large cap projects)

Eugenics: