As I have said, we are
standing strong
for a better state budget. Governor Cooper has proposed an Alternative Compromise Budget that is sensible and balanced, that
invests in teacher pay
instead of more tax cuts for corporations, that has a true
school and infrastructure bond
instead of a slush fund, and that
Expands Medicaid
for half a million North Carolinians instead of wasting $4 billion each year, all while giving hard-working North Carolinians a solid tax cut and saving money for our state's Rainy Day Fund. We have the options and we have the opportunity to pass a budget that is
Billions of Dollars Better.
Here are the highlights:
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Teacher Pay:
$540 Million Better for NC
The Governor's Proposed Alternative Compromise Budget proposes an
average 8.5% pay raise for teachers,
$540 Million better over the biennium compared to the Republican Conference Budget's proposed raise of a meager 3.5%. The so called Republican Conference Budget Raise is lower than the Federal Cost of Living Adjustment,
i.e. it is not really a raise at all.
State Employee Pay:
$667 Million Better for NC
The Republican Conference Budget only provides raises for 27% of North Carolina's state employees. Governor Cooper's Proposed Alternative Compromise Budget
extends good 5% raises to the other 73% of our state employees,
representing an additional $667 Million investment in the workforce that provides the essential needs of our growing state.
Medicaid Expansion:
$8 Billion Better for NC
Governor Cooper's Proposed Compromise Budget would expand Medicaid this November, unlike the Republican Conference Budget which completely fails to take this vital step to meet North Carolina's healthcare needs.
This $8 Billion difference comes with no new taxes for North Carolinians.
In fact, when the cost-shifting due to uncompensated care goes away, every existing healthcare policy holder's insurance premiums will go down by an estimated 7-11%.
That's real savings!
Invest NC Bond:
$3.5 Billion Better for NC
While the Republican Conference Budget skims taxpayer dollars into the SCIF SCAM slush fund, Governor Cooper's Proposed Compromise Budget would create a
certain, transparent, timely, and fair
voter-approved School and Infrastructure Bond. In fact, Governor Cooper's plan fully funds every single local project identified in the Republican Conference Budget and also take this truly important step to
invest in the real needs of our growing state.
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Bottom Line: A Minimum $12.71 Billion Better
Governor Cooper's Balanced Budget includes $12.71 Billion more for the real needs of the people of North Carolina by making smart investments, accepting federal funding that we have been wasting for a decade, and refocusing our state's budget on the hard-working citizens instead of the wealthiest corporate interests.
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Real Possibilities for North Carolina's Future
There are so many alternatives and possibilities to improve upon the current Republican Conference Budget. Governor Cooper has proposed his Alternative Compromise Budget, which as we have just explained, is Billions Better for North Carolina.
That's why
he's Vetoed their budget.
That's why
the Democrats in this Legislature will sustain his Veto. What we are truly working for is simply what our State Constitution requires: that we work together for the Best Budget for All North Carolinians.
Our State Constitution envisioned and requires us to work together for the Good of All NC.
That is what we will do.
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I recently had the pleasure of attending the annual Defenders of Justice Awards with the North Carolina Justice Center. This ceremony was particularly special because our own Jane Hipps received one of these prestigious awards this year for her life dedicated to expanding justice where it was needed.
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My good friend Representative Billy Richardson of Cumberland County, and I greatly appreciate the incredible work of NC Justice Center Executive Director Rick Glazier, one of our esteemed former members of the North Carolina House.
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Blue Ridge School, What a Joy!
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Earlier this month I received a package of wonderful letters from the Blue Ridge School's bright and civically active fifth grade students! The students wrote to thank me for my support of the
Fiber NC Act
, a great bi-partisan bill to help expand broadband in rural communities across North Carolina. Having opportunities like this one to interact with our next generations of North Carolina leaders are among the best parts of serving as an elected official.
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Thank you, Blue Ridge School! I am working hard to ensure that we get broadband for you. Our ultimate goal: everywhere we have electricity, we will have quality, high-speed internet.
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Even these fifth graders get how important high-speed broadband is. Now, if we can just get this Legislature on board!
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Veterans' Court Graduation
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Last Friday I attended an inspiring graduation ceremony for the Buncombe County Veterans' Treatment Court in the Hon. Marvin Pope's courtroom. Veterans' Treatment Court is an innovative program that assists our country's veterans who have fallen on hard times in some form or another, taking them out of the traditional criminal justice system, instead offering mental health, sobriety counseling, drug treatment, and much more to help them get back on the right path. The program promotes public safety through accountability and responsibility, and it assists and supports veterans and their families through a coordinated effort among the court and community-based veteran services. I'm so impressed with their effort.
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I joined Case Manager Abbey Weans; Colton Hensley, who is in the Veterans Treatment Court program, and his son Noah; our Treatment Court Graduate Crawford Deveaux; and Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams for a photo in Judge Pope's Superior Courtroom. We all joined in congratulations to Crawford Deveaux for his accomplishment.
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Movement on Medicaid Expansion?
This week the House is back in session. Stay tuned for a vote on the House's version of Medicaid Expansion. Speaker Moore has promised a vote on
House Bill 655
, and I am confident that the bill can pass with bipartisan support. HB 655 isn't a clean Medicaid Expansion bill, but I plan to vote for it.
For this Legislature, it will be an important step forward in the negotiation for a healthcare system that will work for all North Carolinians.
House Bill 655 bill has two particular components that I have concerns about, and I will work with my colleagues to negotiate better solutions for both. These components are work requirements and additional premiums tacked on top.
First and foremost, adding work requirements and premiums will add an additional
$40 million in unnecessary, unrequired, bureaucratic costs
to implementing this version of Medicaid Expansion. This is a complete bureaucratic waste that provides no medical benefits. This money can be used much wiser. The premiums charged will not even cover 10% of the extra administrative costs they require. What a boondoggle.
When it comes to "buy in" for healthcare, the real "buy in" we need from our hard-working, low-wage workers is for them to go to the doctor for that annual checkup, with their own primary physician and start a plan to keep themselves healthy.
The rule is better healthcare access lowers cost and improves health outcomes, and the reverse is also true. Reducing access with bureaucratic hurdles or barriers increases costs and diminishes the healthcare outcomes.
Which would you choose?
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Please
share
this with your friends!
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P.S. check out our legislative web page at
www.joesamqueennc.com
. You can find all of my previous newsletters and more!
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