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Top Story
Budget
refills two key reserve funds,
leaving Moore ‘cautiously optimistic’
state will keep its Triple A credit rating
North
Carolina's new biennial budget pours more than $300 million
into the state’s two primary savings accounts, an amount
that hopefully will persuade the New York bond ratings firms
to continue North Carolina’s Triple A credit rating. State
Treasurer Richard Moore tells us he thinks the state's
sterling credit reputation is safe. “Gov. Easley and
the legislature worked very hard to address the concerns that
the ratings agencies had regarding the budget, and I am
cautiously optimistic that the budget does that.” Read
that story.
Budget prescribes tough medicine
for ailing state employees’ health plan
Escalating
health care and drug costs, coupled with a generally aging
population, have left the ailing state employees’ health
plan needing more than $927 million to remain solvent and
maintain minimum claim stabilization reserves over the
biennium. The state is immediately injecting $150 million in
cash, slashing benefits and raising premiums to keep the
health plan afloat. Read
that story.
NCCBI’s
call for government efficiency study
makes headway with special budget provision
NCCBI
was pleased when the General Assembly, in a special provision
included in the state’s two-year budget adopted last year,
heeded the association’s call for a study to discover
additional ways of improving government efficiency. NCCBI has
applauded the nearly $800 million in spending cuts implemented
by the governor and the General Assembly. Read
that story.
We have several other budget stories
and charts, including:
Easley
takes quick steps to tighten spending
General
Assembly limits lobbying by government agencies
New
limits placed on using state-owned airplanes
More
detail on fall "sales tax holiday"
How
the House and Senate voted on the budget
State
starts the year with empty bank accounts
How the state divides $8.3
billion in education funds
A closer look at the higher
tax rate on the rich and not-so-rich
Detailing the salaries of top
government officials, who get no raise this year
Legislative
Actions
Air
permits bill passes Senate
By
a vote of 3-9, the Senate on Thursday gave second- and
third-reading approval to S. 1037 No Air Permit Till
Facility Operational {Hoyle} and sent the measure to the
House. The legislation will codify what had been the state’s
practice of many years until this past year – that a
business could begin construction on a facility that
discharges air emissions but could not put the facility into
operation until it had received all necessary air permits. The
measure, which is strongly supported by NCCBI, would require
businesses to notify state regulators before beginning construction.
Be sure to check the dates
of upcoming NCCBI meetings and events -- including several
more Area Meetings -- at the Master
Calendar.
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