President Pro Tempore Phil Berger - Legislative Update: NC Senate Passes Fiscal Year2019 /2020 Budget | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Last week the Senate passed a budget that maintains the responsible budget growth that has defined Republican fiscal policies since 2011 and prioritizes tax relief, state employees who haven't received equitable treatment in previous years, and health care reform.

    North Carolina is enjoying a boom decade under Republican budget and tax policies. More people work in this state than ever before, and they get to keep more of the money they earn. This budget continues the policies that brought about our North Carolina success story

    Although a few Democrats did vote for the budget, the majority of them did not, citing reasons that included the fact that the budget does not include Obamacare Medicaid expansion.

    As a result of their singular focus on the incredibly costly expansion of socialized health care for able bodied adults, most Democrats are opposing a budget that increases access to health care for disabled individuals, lowers taxes for families and employers, provides the largest pay increase for state employees in more than a decade and provides the sixth and seventh consecutive teacher pay raises.

    It's unfortunate that some Democrats are willing to vote against a budget that includes so many important priorities for North Carolinians but I can't say that I am surprised as many of them appear to be taking their marching orders from Governor Roy Cooper.

    Since day one of this session, Governor Cooper has made it clear that Obamacare Medicaid Expansion is his number one priority and that he is willing to put all these other critical priorities at risk by vetoing a budget that does not include expansion. One of his aides even went so far to say that, "The session ends when we get Medicaid expansion."

    The budget process is not done yet, as we now need to work together with the House to come to an agreement on a final budget that we will hopefully pass in the next few weeks. Once we pass that budget, the ball will be in Governor Cooper's court as to whether he signs or vetoes it.

    I hope he signs it, but there is a very good chance that he instead chooses to hold the critical needs of hardworking North Carolinians hostage over the budget's exclusion of expanding socialized healthcare for able bodied adults.

    If it comes to that, rest assured that we will do everything in our power to override his ill-advised veto and continue delivering on the promises we have made to you, just like we have over the past eight years that have led to North Carolina's success story.

    Contact: Senator Phil Berger

       http://www.philberger.org/