Senate Republicans act quickly to pass urgent savings bill

The North Carolina Senate on Tuesday took swift action to cut spending now to help responsibly balance next year’s budget.

It suspended the Senate rules to tentatively pass SB 109, which requires Gov. Beverly Perdue to find more than $537 million in savings in the current fiscal year.

Saving money now will ease the process of balancing next year’s budget, which Republicans have vowed to do without burdening North Carolinians with more taxes.

The governor last week vetoed SB 13, a common-sense bill that would have saved unspent dollars that were not set aside for job-creating projects.

Senate Bill 109, which has bipartisan support, will save the same amount as SB 13 but require the governor to find the extra savings. It trims dollars without harming teachers or rank-and-file state workers.

“The governor didn’t like the savings we proposed in Senate Bill 13, so this bill directs her to find the areas she wants to cut,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham). “Every day of inaction costs taxpayers more money. To responsibly balance next year’s budget, we have to cut spending – now. Just saying ‘no’ is not an option.”

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