This combines with other discoveries of waste and mismanagement in state government programs:

$152.4 million in cost overruns in Department of Transportation (“Delayed road projects cost millions,” News & Observer, 2/7/08)

$100 million overrun in Department of Public Instruction Computer Program (“Schools’ network deficient,”News & Observer, 1/11/04)

Millions of dollars in compensation for victims of crimes diverted to government accounts (“Courts divert victims’ money,” News & Observer, 7/12/09)

Governor Perdue and Legislative Democrats are poised to pass a tax increase of $1 billion or more on North Carolina families and small businesses – tax increases that would be unnecessary if they handled taxpayer money with better care.

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) made the following statement:

“Democrats in state government have wasted nearly a billion dollars through mismanagement and incompetence.  For them to ask struggling North Carolinians to pay a billion dollars more in tax increases while Democratic leaders are asleep at the switch is beyond belief.  Teachers, taxpayers, and the disabled, sick, and elderly should not be forced to pay the price for Democratic mistakes and mismanagement.”