Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON

North Carolina House and Senate budget-writers are close to completing their work on proposed adjustments to the second year of a two-year state spending plan approved last fall, top Republican legislators said Tuesday.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger separately told reporters they anticipate meeting later this week to negotiate differences over adjustments that the appropriations committee leaders could not bridge.

“So hopefully by … next week we’ll have something for folks to vote on,” Berger said.

Republicans, who control both chambers, have been deciding what to do with $6.2 billion in projected revenues above and beyond what they anticipated state government would receive this fiscal year and the next year that begins July 1. The enacted budget already tells state government how to spend about $27 billion for the next 12 months.

Moore said an agreement had been reached on additional salary changes, while Berger said he expected some kind of tax reduction. Details weren’t disclosed. Moore said last week he expected a large amount of money would be earmarked to ensure state construction projects had enough cash to be completed despite inflation.

Policy changes usually also are included in the budget adjustment bill, which would require affirmative House and Senate votes before it heads to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk.

Berger and Moore said they expected to speak with Cooper before moving forward on votes. They are hopeful that Cooper, who offered his own proposed budget adjustments, will sign their plan into law.

With an enacted budget already in place, Republican lawmakers sound less inclined to work out a replacement plan should Cooper veto the proposal. Republican leaders have said they are aiming to adjourn this year’s work session around July 1.

Berger said he’d still like to see the compromise product contain the state’s acceptance of federal money to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of additional low-income adults. But many House Republicans remain skeptical of Medicaid, expansion, and Moore has said repeatedly there’s isn’t time to address it during this session.

Berger recently reversed his position on expansion after opposing it ardently for years. He advanced through his chamber late last month legislation that contained expansion and other health care items. Cooper is a strong Medicaid expansion supporter, too.

“I think it’s something that ought to be in the budget,” Berger said, and “let’s see if we can reach an agreement.”

 

Photo via Robert Willett/The News & Observer and Associated Press.

 

Related Stories
‹
North Carolina Republicans Are in a Budget Standoff Because of Gambling Provisions
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON Republicans at the North Carolina legislature converged Tuesday in a standoff over an already long-delayed budget plan because the House and Senate disagree on adding provisions that would further expand state-sanctioned gambling. House Speaker Tim Moore said not enough of his GOP colleagues in the chamber are willing to support a […]
North Carolina Legislators Consider Vetoes, Constitution Changes as Work Session Winds Down
The North Carolina General Assembly raced Wednesday to advance legislation before completing its chief working session for the year
Republicans Ditch Efforts to Expand Legal Gambling in North Carolina, Will Pass Budget This Week
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON North Carolina Republican legislative leaders ditched late Tuesday efforts this year to dramatically multiply legal gambling in the state, announcing instead that they will pass a final budget without it that also would trigger Medicaid coverage to begin for hundreds of thousands of adults. “We think this is the […]
North Carolina Senate Unveils State Budget With Deeper Tax Cuts, Lower Raises Than House Proposal
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON North Carolina Senate Republicans revealed their proposed two-year state government budget proposal Monday, one that would further reduce personal income taxes but offer less generous pay raises for workers compared to what their House counterparts sought. The Senate plan spends the same amounts as the House budget bill approved last month, with $29.8 […]
N. Carolina Legislators Reach Medicaid Expansion Deal
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON North Carolina legislative leaders announced Thursday an agreement to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of additional low-income adults through the Affordable Care Act. The deal, which likely won’t be voted on until later this month, marks a milestone for Republican lawmakers, most of whom opposed expansion for a decade […]
North Carolina Budget Plan Advances as Senate Republicans Double Down on Tax Cuts
North Carolina Senate Republicans advanced a two-year budget that doubles down on already enacted income tax cuts.
North Carolina Legislature Likely Heading Home Soon for a ‘Little Cooling Off’ Over Budget
With each legislative chamber uninterested in hearing the other's spending proposal, North Carolina lawmakers look ready to go on hiatus.
North Carolina House Budget Gets Initial OK as Senate Unveils Stripped-Down Plan
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON A North Carolina budget-adjustment measure penned by House Republicans received initial approval Wednesday in the chamber, legislation that covers a massive increase in private-school voucher demand, locates money for child care centers and raises worker and teacher pay further than already scheduled. Four House Democrats joined all Republicans present to vote […]
With Spending Talks Idling, North Carolina House to Advance Its Own Budget Proposal
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON While spending talks idle between Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly, the House is rolling out its own proposed budget adjustments for the coming year, and plans to vote on them next week, Speaker Tim Moore said Tuesday. House and Senate GOP leaders have been negotiating privately for weeks on a […]
Medicaid Expansion Won't Begin in North Carolina on Oct. 1 Because There's Still No Final Budget
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON With the state budget’s passage now two months late, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration announced Monday that it can’t start the implementation of Medicaid expansion to hundreds of thousands of low-income adults in the early fall as it had wanted. State Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley said that […]
›