STATEMENT: Senate budget misses out on investments, has process problems

Statement from Alexandra Sirota, Director, Budget & Tax Center

RALEIGH (June 16, 2015) — When the Senate leadership provided an overview of their budget proposal, what you didn’t hear were all of the investments that are missing from their proposal due to the huge price tag of their tax plan – a tax plan that will do nothing to strengthen our economy. If it weren’t for this tax plan, North Carolina would have more to invest in our public schools, in the health of families, the efficient delivery of justice and in communities across the state. We wouldn’t see Teacher Assistants sacrificed for smaller class sizes or higher tuition rates at community colleges to finance pay raises for professors.

But even more troubling is the speed with which policymakers hope to move forward on a proposal that was not released in full until midnight and for which amendments to the tax plan were not allowed in committee.. A more transparent and inclusive process for developing this important document that sets the state’s priorities is needed to ensure that the choices are clear and considered.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Alexandra Sirota, alexandra@ncjustice.org; Tazra Mitchell, Policy Analyst, NC Budget & Tax Center, tazra@ncjustice.org; 919-861-1451; Jeff Shaw, jeff@ncjustice.org, 503.551.3615 (cell).