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Top Story
House
and Senate finally agree
on budget-balancing tax package,
clearing way for adjournment soon
By
stitching together proposals from the House and Senate and
throwing in a few loophole-closing ideas advanced by a
blue-ribbon commission, the General Assembly finally came up
with a tax package that raises enough money to balance the
budget and has enough support to pass both chambers. The
package, with raises $1.05 billion in new revenue over the
biennium, also was endorsed by Gov. Mike Easley. There
will be a half-cent hike in the sales tax and a temporary
half-point increase in the state income tax rate on wealthy
individuals. Read that story.
See a chart detailing the
tax package.
NCCBI issues call for a new
government efficiency study.
Read that story and get
caught up on other association news
Legislative News
Senate
approves changes to Bill Lee Act
The
Senate gave final approval Friday to legislation expanding the
job credits offered in the Bill Lee Act to include companies
that build large distribution warehouses in the state’s
poorest counties. The change in the law could affect a number of businesses
but it was
designed to lure a Lowe's distribution center proposed in
Northampton County. Read that
story.
Other stories from the General
Assembly:
 NCCBI
testifies in support of air permits bill
Senate redistricting plan
moves toward a House vote
Senate
gives Treasurer more leeway in investments
Bill
to extend sunset on state ports tax credit passes Senate
Conferees
named on Patients Bill of Rights
State
Government News
State workers seek
collective bargaining rights
The
State Employees Association of N.C. (SEANC) voted at its
annual convention to begin
lobbying the General Assembly for collective bargaining rights
and the power to possibly organize strikes. One prominent observer
said the movement should be taken seriously. “The
potential for the state employees to be a very successful
political force is great,” said N.C. FREE Executive Director
John Davis. “Therefore, the business community should take
this saber rattling seriously. They have the raw numbers
statewide to be a very powerful political force.” Read
that story
Elsewhere in state government
Education
Seven
colleges get A's
for teacher-training programs
Seven
of North Carolina’s 47 teacher education programs received
an exemplary rating and one received a low-performing rating
in the third Performance Report on Teacher Education Programs
for 2000-01 presented by the State Board of Education. The seven
are ASU, Duke, ECU, Salem
College, UNC-Greensboro, UNC-Pembroke and Western Carolina University.
Shaw University received a low performing designation. Story,
chart.
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