1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,239 my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,600 go to thepeakclendarshow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free right to your 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,679 smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so much for 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,960 your support. And I want to welcome to the program 10 00:00:31,039 --> 00:00:33,840 Andrew Dunn. Andrew Dunn is the publisher of long Leaf 11 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:38,039 Politics longleafpol dot com. He's also a contributing columnist to 12 00:00:38,079 --> 00:00:41,439 the Charlotte Observer as well as the Raleigh News and Observer. 13 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,119 It's all one parent company. Andrew, how are you this week, sir? 14 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,119 Speaker 2: I'm fantastic, great to be back with you. 15 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 1: Good. Thanks again for your time. We appreciate it. You 16 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,840 got a couple pieces, one at the Observer and another 17 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,880 at your your website, long Leaf Politics, that I wanted 18 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,560 to ask you about. Let me start with Tricia Cotham 19 00:01:00,119 --> 00:01:02,640 say that there was a time when the name Cotham 20 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,480 was the gold standard in Mecklenburg County politics. You talk 21 00:01:07,519 --> 00:01:11,120 about her mom or Tricia Cotham, the state representative, but 22 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,760 also her mom Pat Cotham, longtime county commissioner John Cotham 23 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,719 also was uh that's her dad chair, former chair of 24 00:01:19,719 --> 00:01:22,079 the Democrat party. So yeah, like this was like a 25 00:01:22,079 --> 00:01:26,519 political powerhouse family. And then of course Cotham switched parties. 26 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:32,920 Outrage ensued and Pat lost in the Mecklenburg County commissioner 27 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,760 primary in the Democrat primary because that's how they chose 28 00:01:35,799 --> 00:01:38,719 to take out their anger on Tricia was to hurt 29 00:01:38,719 --> 00:01:41,200 her mom, which makes sense, I guess to some people, 30 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,719 but not to me. So Tricia Cotham, you say, is 31 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:48,719 not going to be welcomed back in Charlotte's Democratic circles. 32 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,920 That door is closed. But legacy is a different thing, 33 00:01:53,319 --> 00:01:57,040 and you think she's got a chance to actually build 34 00:01:57,079 --> 00:02:01,120 a legacy here. So okay, explain what that what that means? 35 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, And that was a great summation of the 36 00:02:05,519 --> 00:02:10,120 ongoing saga, and honestly, it's really sad in my mind. 37 00:02:10,599 --> 00:02:13,759 You know, I started covering Charlotte politics back in two 38 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:18,120 thousand and nine, and you know, at that time, as 39 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,719 I would go around and cover events, you know, Pat 40 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,240 Copham would always be there. She was everywhere. I ran 41 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,520 into her all the time, always great to talk to, 42 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,199 and you know, you could really tell that she she 43 00:02:30,319 --> 00:02:33,199 did and still does care about the community and wanted 44 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:37,240 to do a good job for Charlotte, you know. And 45 00:02:37,879 --> 00:02:42,400 really from that time on, the Cophams were really viewed 46 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:44,879 as you know, the types of people with good hearts. 47 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,879 You know, Democrats voted for him, Republicans voted for them. 48 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:49,800 You know, there was a reason that Pat Cotam was 49 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,479 always are almost always the top vote getter, and Tricia 50 00:02:53,479 --> 00:02:57,560 Cossam was also, you know, very highly respected. And then obviously, 51 00:02:57,719 --> 00:03:00,800 you know, as you just described of the whole Tricia 52 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:05,599 Coffin party switch put a damper on that. So yeah, 53 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,280 I mean, and the reaction to my column has been 54 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,560 kind of predictable. It's been, oh, you know, Tricia Cossam's 55 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,759 a trader. We hate Tricia Conon, which again is very sad. 56 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,319 But you know, the reason that I think that the 57 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,439 Cossams have got into politics in the first place is 58 00:03:22,479 --> 00:03:25,639 to actually make a difference in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. 59 00:03:26,199 --> 00:03:28,840 And now, you know, you were seeing Tricia Cosin come 60 00:03:28,879 --> 00:03:32,159 out with a new bill, a new Charlotte transportation bill, 61 00:03:32,599 --> 00:03:34,520 and I think we you and I talked about this. 62 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:36,319 I wrote a column a couple of weeks ago on 63 00:03:36,439 --> 00:03:39,199 the first pass at a bill to get that referendum pass, 64 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,400 and we talked about how there were some significant issues 65 00:03:42,439 --> 00:03:44,960 with it and I didn't think it would pass, nor 66 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,520 did I think it should pass. But when I look 67 00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:50,879 at Tricia Coffham's new bill, it really addresses a lot 68 00:03:50,879 --> 00:03:54,520 of those problems. That there's a lot better oversight, you know, 69 00:03:54,599 --> 00:03:56,960 the people that are going to be on this transportation 70 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,479 authority have more expertise, you know, there's a little bit 71 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,800 more influenced in a positive way from the General Assembly. 72 00:04:04,919 --> 00:04:06,719 And it's also more prescriptive. 73 00:04:07,159 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: You know. 74 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,759 Speaker 2: One of the big problems with the earlier bill, and 75 00:04:09,919 --> 00:04:12,479 one of the things that I'm hearing from Republicans is 76 00:04:12,879 --> 00:04:15,919 they don't want to just cut Charlotte a big check 77 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,759 to do whatever they want with, which is very reasonable 78 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,040 in my view. And so this bill from Representative Costume 79 00:04:24,399 --> 00:04:28,319 is more prescriptive. It says that they need to examine 80 00:04:28,519 --> 00:04:31,519 certain things. It takes into account more of what the 81 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,519 towns they're looking for. I know Matthews actually got off board. 82 00:04:35,519 --> 00:04:38,120 They no longer supported it when they found out from 83 00:04:38,199 --> 00:04:41,439 Charlotte that, you know, a silver line to Matthews was 84 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,720 off the table. So this bill actually requires them to 85 00:04:44,759 --> 00:04:47,920 study that. So all in all, you know, I don't 86 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:49,959 know if it will pass. I think it'll still be 87 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,160 tricky and difficult, but I think this bill has the 88 00:04:53,199 --> 00:04:57,399 greatest possibility of passing. I think it does the best 89 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,920 job threading the needle of what everybody wants. And if 90 00:05:00,959 --> 00:05:03,600 it actually comes to pass, I mean, this is going 91 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,279 to be a signature accomplishment, you know, something that's thirty 92 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:09,800 forty years from now people will still be talking about. 93 00:05:10,319 --> 00:05:14,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, you mentioned Matthews. Matt and the East Side, Uh, 94 00:05:14,639 --> 00:05:21,240 sort of generally they were always lukewarm on the transit 95 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,959 plan because rail was such a heavy lift to get 96 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,879 it out there, because of the route where it was, 97 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,079 you know, they thought it was going to run. They 98 00:05:30,079 --> 00:05:32,519 were like, well, it just you know, we've gotten Independence Boulevard, 99 00:05:32,879 --> 00:05:35,240 so we're going to run bus rapid transit, so it's 100 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,040 like a bus line, but it's it'll have fixed stations. 101 00:05:38,079 --> 00:05:40,240 That was always the big deal for like the East Siders. 102 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,920 They wanted fixed stops because if you can move the 103 00:05:43,959 --> 00:05:46,399 stops around, then you don't get the economic development that 104 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,759 you see in the South End, right, Like that's that's 105 00:05:49,759 --> 00:05:52,920 always been their beef. And they want the rail out 106 00:05:52,959 --> 00:05:55,519 there too. And Pat McCrory always talked about wanting rail 107 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,920 out to the airport too, but at the time the 108 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,240 numbers did not justify it. And to your point about 109 00:06:01,319 --> 00:06:04,879 not writing a blank check, I know that State Senator 110 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,199 Vicki Sawyer's talked about, you know, not want and this 111 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:12,160 goes for all transportation funding. They're not interested in writing 112 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:16,040 these big blank checks for like NCDOT for even road projects. 113 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:17,360 They want to know what you're going to use it 114 00:06:17,439 --> 00:06:20,120 for and how you're making those lists. And if the 115 00:06:20,399 --> 00:06:22,759 if the DOT can't give them the lists and they 116 00:06:22,759 --> 00:06:25,480 can't justify the stuff on the list, then the legislature 117 00:06:25,519 --> 00:06:27,360 is going to look at that with side eye. They're 118 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:29,879 they're not going to be cool with a lot of that. 119 00:06:29,959 --> 00:06:30,879 So it does track. 120 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's exactly right. And you know, so far, the 121 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,399 City of Charlotte has really held all the cards, done 122 00:06:37,399 --> 00:06:40,839 all the planning. And that's another big benefit of COSP 123 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:42,879 of the bill is that it's going to take a 124 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,600 lot more of the planning out of the city hands 125 00:06:45,879 --> 00:06:48,800 and put it in this transportation authority that's going to have, 126 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,839 you know, other voices, perhaps more reasonable voices, you know, 127 00:06:53,879 --> 00:06:58,160 people who look at transportation about moving people around rather 128 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,600 than you know, how can we give an echan boost 129 00:07:00,639 --> 00:07:02,199 to this area versus that area. 130 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, I thought it was important you mentioned micro transit. 131 00:07:05,959 --> 00:07:08,160 We're seeing a lot of this. I think Gastonia has 132 00:07:08,199 --> 00:07:12,000 it now too, where rather than paying to maintain a 133 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,360 bus fleet, it's like, well, why don't we just give 134 00:07:14,399 --> 00:07:18,560 people vouchers for uber right, it gets them from point 135 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:19,920 A to point B, and you don't have to worry 136 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,040 about that last mile problem where you get them closed 137 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:24,680 with a bus stop and then they're on their own 138 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,480 to get to the final destination unless that's right in 139 00:07:27,519 --> 00:07:30,560 front of the bus stop. So it like they're talking 140 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:35,040 about micro transit. You also mentioned autonomous vehicle technology that's 141 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:38,040 part of the mix. Don't know what do we know 142 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,160 to what extent that's part of the mix. 143 00:07:41,959 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 2: It's not spelled out specifically, but I think it's really 144 00:07:45,279 --> 00:07:48,160 notable that it's even mentioned. I mean, so you know, 145 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,879 Kenny Smith was talking about this ten to fifteen years 146 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,959 ago that Charlotte keeps talking about transit that doesn't even mention, 147 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,959 you know, the autonomous vehicles, the micro transit. It's been 148 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,240 a huge hole in Charlotte's transportation planning. So I think 149 00:08:02,279 --> 00:08:05,720 it's extremely notable. This is really the first time it's 150 00:08:05,759 --> 00:08:06,759 come up as part of this. 151 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,959 Speaker 1: So the name of Tricia Coffin's bill is the Projects 152 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:17,519 for Advancing Vehicle Infrastructure Enhancements, also known as the PAVE Act. 153 00:08:17,879 --> 00:08:19,720 And I don't know if you know this about me 154 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:23,319 or not, Andrew, but I'm a big fan of acronyms 155 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:29,800 for legislation, and so I actually enjoyed your peace over 156 00:08:29,839 --> 00:08:34,200 at Long Leave Politics. The great acronym arms race, and 157 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:36,759 that how there's this new legislative arms race and it's 158 00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:40,879 over who can come up with the cleverest bill acronym, 159 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,360 and you list some of them. I did like the 160 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:49,879 Cooper Act the close Out Operations Provide Emergency Relief Cooper, 161 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,799 which is a shot at former Governor Roy Cooper. You 162 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,080 also mentioned Rick Flair. That's the name of a piece 163 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:00,000 of legislation as well. We've got there was one an 164 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,000 the Rains Act. I think people have heard that one. 165 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,360 But then there was also the Reclaiming college education on 166 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:11,840 America's Constitutional Heritage or the Reach Act, and that that 167 00:09:12,399 --> 00:09:16,600 I don't think that passes because reclaiming college education that's 168 00:09:16,639 --> 00:09:19,399 not You can't just drop a word out of the 169 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,440 title like that. That's not. That's my rule. 170 00:09:23,039 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 2: Fair enough. Yeah, I'm with you. I really like a 171 00:09:26,039 --> 00:09:28,120 good acronym bill, and this was a fun one to 172 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,399 put together. You know, for whatever reason, it just seems 173 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,399 like there's been a lot of these acronym bills. I mean, 174 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,240 there's always some of them, but this year it really 175 00:09:37,279 --> 00:09:41,320 seems to be part of legislators branding around a bill. 176 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,120 So I kind of set up a framework for you know, 177 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,080 two things that I think make a good acronym bill. 178 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,759 You know, one is the acronym. The short version has 179 00:09:50,799 --> 00:09:53,600 to clearly communicate what you're doing. But then on the 180 00:09:53,639 --> 00:09:57,080 back end, the full title actually has to make some sense. 181 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,000 So my my personal favorite, which I think that both 182 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,639 really well with the data back you know, it's the 183 00:10:03,799 --> 00:10:08,799 division of accountability, value and efficiency that checks out for 184 00:10:08,919 --> 00:10:11,279 what it's trying to do. And then Dave refers to 185 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,080 Dave Bullock the New State audience. So I thought that 186 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,200 one was pretty. 187 00:10:15,919 --> 00:10:19,679 Speaker 1: Great, right, And look, this is it's a good hook 188 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,120 to sell the messaging, to sell whatever it is you're 189 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,080 trying to get passed, and to get people aware of 190 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,759 what the bill would do. That's important. The branding is important. 191 00:10:28,759 --> 00:10:31,120 Which to that point, I heard you use the term 192 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,639 vote getter. I have been on a mission for like 193 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:39,120 fifteen years to get that word replaced in our vernacular 194 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:43,000 with votainer. So any help you can help, any help 195 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,559 you can offer on that front, I would greatly appreciate 196 00:10:45,799 --> 00:10:49,200 the use of the word votainer. I just think it's cleaner, 197 00:10:49,399 --> 00:10:51,360 you know, I like it. 198 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,799 Speaker 2: Yeah, let me see what I can do. I think 199 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:54,919 we can make this big. 200 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,519 Speaker 1: Yes, I already got Chris Cooper from Western Carolina on board, 201 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,000 but he's the only one so far. So but he's 202 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,879 a good one. But you know, baby steps. All right, 203 00:11:04,919 --> 00:11:07,759 Andrew Donne, I appreciate your time, as always, their great stuff. 204 00:11:07,799 --> 00:11:10,799 He is the publisher of Long Lead Politics and contributing 205 00:11:10,799 --> 00:11:13,600 columnists over at the Charlotte Observer. Thanks Andrew. We'll talk 206 00:11:13,639 --> 00:11:16,440 with you next month or next Tuesday round. Thank you, 207 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:18,720 all right, buddy, seem all right if you're listening to 208 00:11:18,759 --> 00:11:20,279 this show, you know, I try to keep up with 209 00:11:20,279 --> 00:11:22,399 all sorts of current events, and I know you do too, 210 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,039 and you've probably heard me say get your news from 211 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:29,759 multiple sources. Why Well, because it's how you detect media bias, 212 00:11:29,799 --> 00:11:32,360 which is why I've been so impressed with ground News. 213 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,120 It's an app and it's a website and it combines 214 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,240 news from around the world in one place so you 215 00:11:38,279 --> 00:11:41,679 can compare coverage and verify information. You can check it 216 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:46,240 out at check dot ground, dot news slash pete. I 217 00:11:46,279 --> 00:11:49,159 put the link in the podcast description too. I started 218 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,919 using ground News a few months ago and more recently 219 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,120 chose to work with them as an affiliate because it 220 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,000 lets me see clearly how stories get covered and by whom. 221 00:11:58,279 --> 00:12:01,240 The blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored 222 00:12:01,279 --> 00:12:04,200 by the left and the right. See for yourself check 223 00:12:04,279 --> 00:12:08,759 dot ground, dot news slash pete. Subscribe through that link 224 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,720 and you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use 225 00:12:11,759 --> 00:12:14,879 the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature. 226 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,840 Your subscription then not only helps my podcast, but it 227 00:12:17,879 --> 00:12:21,039 also supports ground News as they make the media landscape 228 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:28,519 more transparent. Alrighty, so the Senate up in Raleigh has 229 00:12:28,799 --> 00:12:35,480 unveiled their budget plan. First thing, you're gonna hear is biennium. 230 00:12:36,519 --> 00:12:41,080 That means basically two years, right, So their fiscal biennium 231 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:46,639 budget is for twenty twenty five through twenty twenty seven, right, 232 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:49,639 So it's fiscal year starts in July, right, and so 233 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:54,000 would run through through twenty six and then into twenty seven. 234 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,559 And that's the way they always do it. This is 235 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:01,080 the long session. They run in two year by an right, 236 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:06,080 which tracks right. It's part of the election cycle too, 237 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,159 so the new class comes in, they do a budget 238 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:12,519 in the first year of their two year stint. That's 239 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:14,919 the long session. That's what we're in right now. They 240 00:13:14,919 --> 00:13:17,559 do a lot of work the long session. They build 241 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,120 the budget and that's a two year budget, and then 242 00:13:20,159 --> 00:13:23,360 they come back in the short session next year for 243 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:25,759 the second year of the buyennium of their term. They 244 00:13:25,799 --> 00:13:28,279 come back in and then they make any adjustments to 245 00:13:28,639 --> 00:13:32,039 the budget. But the building of the budget happens now, 246 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,440 so that's what they're doing now. So they unveiled their plan. 247 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:38,679 This is just the Senate side, right. The governor put 248 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:43,480 out his budget plan, but the legislature basically just files 249 00:13:43,519 --> 00:13:45,840 that one in the garbage bin because they don't care. 250 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:50,919 The Senate they roll out there is. The House is 251 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:52,840 going to roll out its version two, and then they 252 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,919 go into a conference committee and they hammer out and agreement, 253 00:13:57,039 --> 00:13:59,399 and no, I don't think they include Democrats in any 254 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:03,480 of those new negotiations. And then the Democrats complained that 255 00:14:03,519 --> 00:14:05,360 they weren't involved in it. So they all vote no. 256 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:07,919 And that's generally how it plays out when you have 257 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,159 a near supermajority in the House and a supermajority in 258 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:16,480 the Senate. So the Republican plan includes additional tax relief 259 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:22,639 for all North Carolinians, pay increases for state employees and teachers, 260 00:14:23,559 --> 00:14:28,159 funding for hurricane recovery needs, as well as targeted reductions 261 00:14:28,559 --> 00:14:33,000 to reign in unnecessary government spending. The first year of 262 00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:35,799 the budget. Gosh, I remember when the budget used to 263 00:14:35,879 --> 00:14:38,440 be twenty billion dollars and now it's up to thirty 264 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:47,519 two point six pursue Republicans creating economic devastation since taking over. 265 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,000 Now it's a fifty percent growth in the budget since 266 00:14:52,039 --> 00:14:55,519 Republicans took over, and they've cut taxes in the meantime, 267 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:58,320 They've cut all of our taxes. And this was, by 268 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,840 the way, by design. This was the pla that they 269 00:15:00,879 --> 00:15:04,279 would keep cutting taxes, that Democrats had, you know, had 270 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,799 continuously built up year after year they would put quote 271 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,759 temporary taxes in place and then not not pull them back, 272 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,919 making them permanent. And so Republicans got in and they're like, 273 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:17,960 we're going to keep We're going to keep our promise. 274 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:19,759 We're going to start bringing this thing down. But it 275 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:23,720 is a multi year plan. They can't just they did 276 00:15:23,759 --> 00:15:25,320 not want to do it. I guess they could have, 277 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,759 but they did not want to do it all in 278 00:15:27,879 --> 00:15:32,600 one year. Particularly the reduction in the personal income tax 279 00:15:33,159 --> 00:15:36,639 rate that you know, you and I pay as individual taxpayers, 280 00:15:36,639 --> 00:15:40,399 but also the corporate income tax rate. They said, we're 281 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:44,559 going to keep ratcheting this down on a set schedule, 282 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:47,480 like half a point every two years or so, or 283 00:15:47,519 --> 00:15:49,840 every year quarter point half a point. They're going to 284 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:56,879 keep bringing it down while monitoring revenues. And so if 285 00:15:56,919 --> 00:15:59,399 they get to a point where they run into a 286 00:15:59,399 --> 00:16:02,879 budget death, if they you know, if the cut to 287 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:08,440 the income taxes creates a deficit, then they would freeze 288 00:16:08,519 --> 00:16:12,879 the cut. That has never happened. Every single year they 289 00:16:12,879 --> 00:16:16,799 have tested this philosophy, which is when you reduce the 290 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,200 income tax rate, you get more economic activity, more investment, 291 00:16:20,519 --> 00:16:24,320 and that generates more revenue for the state budget. And 292 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:29,759 that has occurred despite all of the prophecies of catastrophe 293 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,840 from the left and the media. But I repeat myself, 294 00:16:32,879 --> 00:16:35,559 and so we are seeing the fruits of this labor. 295 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:42,919 They are continuing to knock down the income tax rates. Meanwhile, 296 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,159 the budget went from twenty billion to thirty two point 297 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,320 six that'll be this coming year, and then the following 298 00:16:49,399 --> 00:16:52,720 year it'll go up to thirty three point three billion dollars. 299 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:56,399 So what is in the budget? Well, it's about four pages. 300 00:16:56,639 --> 00:16:58,840 I shall read every line. I'm kidding. I'm not going 301 00:16:58,919 --> 00:17:00,639 to do that to you. I'm going to give you 302 00:17:00,639 --> 00:17:07,720 the highlights. This came from the Senate Republican press shop. 303 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,359 This is their news release that they sent out, and 304 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:16,920 so they highlight the top items in the budget. So 305 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,880 the stuff that they want you to know about. Okay, 306 00:17:20,519 --> 00:17:25,119 Number one, funding to replenish the Rainy Day Fund, taking 307 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:28,680 it back up to four point seventy five billion dollars, 308 00:17:29,079 --> 00:17:31,640 and that puts it back to what it was prior 309 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:36,880 to Hurricane Helene. Democrats are outraged over this. Here's a 310 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,799 great idea. How about making an escape to a really 311 00:17:39,839 --> 00:17:43,079 special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina just a 312 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,759 quick drive up the mountain and Cabins of Ashville is 313 00:17:45,839 --> 00:17:49,680 your connection. 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Call or text eight two 329 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,039 eight three, six, seven, seventy sixty eight, or check out 330 00:18:45,079 --> 00:18:47,839 all there is to offer at cabins Offashville dot com 331 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:51,440 and make memories that'll last a lifetime. Got a message 332 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,319 from Russ who says, you remember the twenty billion dollars 333 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:58,119 North Carolina budgets. I have an elementary school memory of 334 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,079 my dad venting about the fools and Raleigh are going 335 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:06,119 to spend a billion dollars this year. A billion dollars. Yeah, 336 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:08,920 one billion. That's like half of the City of Charlotte's 337 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:19,200 budget now and Mecklenburg and the school district uh huh um. 338 00:19:19,559 --> 00:19:22,079 Got a message here from Andy who says, if you 339 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:26,079 search the budget report for the word eliminate, the results 340 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:29,039 will add up to over sixty seven million dollars in 341 00:19:29,079 --> 00:19:32,880 budget cuts. Some DEI related items are also cut, like 342 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:39,920 the Hub and Minority Mail's Success Initiative. The Human Relations 343 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,799 Commission also eliminated. So that's good. That's good to hear. 344 00:19:44,559 --> 00:19:47,200 So they are replenishing the Rainy Day fond. Let me 345 00:19:47,279 --> 00:19:49,880 jump ahead, Like I said, it's a massive document that 346 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:59,599 the state Senate Republicans put out. Yeah, hurricane where is it? Yeah, 347 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:03,519 Hurricane Kane Helene relief. So first off, you've got the 348 00:20:03,559 --> 00:20:06,759 Rainy Day Fund pushed back up to four point seventy 349 00:20:06,759 --> 00:20:09,920 five billion dollars, which, by the way, just as an aside, 350 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:15,279 if I have not verified this, but I suspect with 351 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,160 near certainty that this is the case that the Rainy 352 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,880 Day Fund actually kicks off a bunch of interest for 353 00:20:23,079 --> 00:20:26,279 state coffers. You put that kind of money into an account, 354 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,920 into CDs and stuff, and it will just generate interest 355 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:34,680 while it's not being tapped. And that's a very good idea, right, 356 00:20:34,759 --> 00:20:38,839 make the money generate more money, and it's there if 357 00:20:38,839 --> 00:20:41,160 you need to use it, you just have to wait 358 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,839 for the CD to mature, but at any rate. So 359 00:20:44,079 --> 00:20:48,160 there's that. And then there is the allocation of seven 360 00:20:48,279 --> 00:20:53,599 hundred million dollars for Hurricane Helene recovery needs, plus six 361 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,640 hundred and thirty three million more in temporary and permanent 362 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:02,599 repurposing of funds within the Department of Transportation to support recovery. 363 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:06,160 So they're moving six hundred and thirty three million around. 364 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,599 This was temporary and permanent repurposing a fund, so some 365 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,519 of it will be supplanted in the following budget cycles. 366 00:21:13,559 --> 00:21:17,799 But what it means is that you're putting about one 367 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:23,680 point three billion towards Hurricane Helene recovery. And that is 368 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:28,079 in addition to the one point four billion that has 369 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:32,640 already been put towards recovery efforts. So we are in 370 00:21:33,039 --> 00:21:38,279 we would be at two hundred or sorry, two point 371 00:21:39,559 --> 00:21:45,759 seven billion dollars total from the state alone. Now I 372 00:21:45,799 --> 00:21:52,279 mentioned Democrats are not happy. Here's a statement from the 373 00:21:52,279 --> 00:21:59,960 state Senate Democrat leader Sidney Batch. Quote. The Senate Republican 374 00:22:00,079 --> 00:22:05,079 budget is a blueprint for neglect and cowardice instead of 375 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:07,759 investing in the people who by the way, whenever our 376 00:22:07,799 --> 00:22:12,240 Democrat says investing, they mean spending money. Okay, And I'm 377 00:22:12,319 --> 00:22:16,599 going to give you the economic philosophy of Democrats, particularly 378 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:20,720 North Carolina Democrats. But this is really writ large. Every 379 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,839 now and again you might find an exception to this rule, 380 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:28,119 but this is the philosophy. See a penny, spend a penny. 381 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:33,359 That's it. All of it needs to be spent. That's 382 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,960 how we got into structural deficits in this state. We 383 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:41,759 were running deficits every year. I always point this out 384 00:22:41,799 --> 00:22:44,039 because people have a lot of people have arrived in 385 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:47,039 North Carolina that were not here when Democrats were in control. 386 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:52,599 I'm talking like fifteen years ago, well seventeen years ago 387 00:22:52,640 --> 00:23:00,559 now probably we had our tax refunds withheld. So like 388 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:04,839 you file taxes, which, by the way, happy tax day everybody, 389 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,680 I didn't get you anything, And so the tax refunds 390 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:14,480 that people were due were withheld by the state because 391 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,680 they didn't have money to push out the door. They 392 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:22,200 needed the money to keep the budget running, to keep 393 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:26,319 the books operating right, keep the lights on, pay the bills, 394 00:23:27,039 --> 00:23:31,000 and so they delayed the refunds by months. They did 395 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,200 the same thing to I forget what the term is 396 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,759 for it. It maybe it's not reimbursements, but it might be. 397 00:23:36,839 --> 00:23:40,880 It's something like that though, where the local jurisdiction, so 398 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:46,119 like the city collects money and then sends it up 399 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,279 to the state, or maybe the state collects it, but 400 00:23:48,319 --> 00:23:52,319 either way, the money is supposed to be allocated between 401 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:56,440 both of the jurisdictions city and state. So like if 402 00:23:56,440 --> 00:24:00,039 it's a sales tax, for example, right the state, it 403 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,480 is supposed to send that money back down to the city, 404 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:08,000 to the cities, and they withheld that too. They tried 405 00:24:08,039 --> 00:24:11,680 to seize that money because they were running deficits. When 406 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:18,039 we hit the economic recession in eight nine, we ran 407 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:22,519 up massive unemployment deficits. We took out loans from the 408 00:24:22,519 --> 00:24:25,000 federal government. I think our loan was about two billion 409 00:24:25,079 --> 00:24:29,799 dollars because we were sending out money under the unemployment 410 00:24:29,799 --> 00:24:33,279 insurance system, which, by the way, employers pay that. Businesses 411 00:24:33,319 --> 00:24:35,319 pay that, which means what it means, it's coming out 412 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,960 of your paycheck. It's just never in there in the 413 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,759 first place. Right, the businesses pay the unemployment insurance rates, 414 00:24:43,559 --> 00:24:46,400 and if they fire more people, they pay higher rates. 415 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,160 So it's an incentive for them not to pay or 416 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,319 not to fire a bunch of people, make good hires, right, 417 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,000 and keep people on the books. Anyway, So we ran 418 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,720 deficits with the federal government because we had loans. Well, 419 00:24:57,759 --> 00:24:59,279 we had deficits in the program, and so we had 420 00:24:59,279 --> 00:25:03,240 to take loans the federal government. When Republicans took over 421 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:07,359 and Pat McCrory got elected governor, this was twenty well, 422 00:25:07,799 --> 00:25:11,200 Republicans won in twenty ten, took office in twenty eleven, 423 00:25:11,559 --> 00:25:16,039 McCrory wins in twenty twelve, and they go about reforming 424 00:25:16,079 --> 00:25:21,559 that unemployment program and they pay off the debt to 425 00:25:21,599 --> 00:25:24,119 the federal government within like I think it was within 426 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:27,640 two years or something, so they paid that back, which 427 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:31,559 then of course lowers the unemployment insurance rates for the 428 00:25:31,599 --> 00:25:35,000 companies because you don't have this big debt, this liability 429 00:25:35,039 --> 00:25:38,759 hanging out over the program's head. So that then lowers 430 00:25:38,799 --> 00:25:41,400 the costs for employers, which means you can now have 431 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,839 more money to hire more people, right, invest in your company, 432 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:53,680 give raises, whatever. So the proponents of this Democrat spending philosophy, 433 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:57,000 and then then you get into the Medicaid problems that 434 00:25:57,039 --> 00:25:59,720 they were running. They were running a multi billion dollar 435 00:25:59,799 --> 00:26:02,960 debt deficits on Medicaid. It was a mess. It was 436 00:26:03,039 --> 00:26:06,039 just an absolute mess. Republicans come in, they're like, we're 437 00:26:06,079 --> 00:26:09,920 gonna reform this tax system, and Democrats you can't do that. 438 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, we're gonna go bankrupt, Like you mean 439 00:26:12,519 --> 00:26:15,480 what you guys did. But you are in no position 440 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,960 to tell us that we are going to cause a 441 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,960 bankruptcy when you guys have been running multi billion dollar 442 00:26:22,039 --> 00:26:27,960 deficits for years on end. So I don't believe Democrats 443 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,440 when they talk about this because their philosophy is still 444 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,599 the same. See a penny, spend a penny, she says 445 00:26:33,599 --> 00:26:36,200 in her statement. Instead of investing in the people who 446 00:26:36,279 --> 00:26:40,640 make this state work. Republicans are continuing to hoard taxpayer 447 00:26:40,759 --> 00:26:43,880 dollars in a rainy day fund. There you go, that's 448 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:47,480 the philosophy right there. Don't put money aside for a 449 00:26:47,559 --> 00:26:49,519 rainy day fund where we you know, in case of 450 00:26:49,559 --> 00:26:52,960 an emergency. Wait, so we should just spend the rainy 451 00:26:53,039 --> 00:26:55,240 day fund. Yes, that is what Democrats want to do. 452 00:26:55,799 --> 00:26:59,200 Roy Cooper wanted to do it right. They want to 453 00:26:59,279 --> 00:27:03,200 take the rain day fund, which again is more than 454 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:05,599 likely generating revenue for the state. 455 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 1: You build up the reserve. And by the way, there 456 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,240 are state law. There are state laws that require cities 457 00:27:13,279 --> 00:27:17,960 and counties to have healthy rainy day funds. I think 458 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,279 it's sixteen percent. You gotta have a sixteen percent rainy 459 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:25,319 day fund of your total budget. So they constantly want 460 00:27:25,319 --> 00:27:29,359 to raid this pot of money. And they say that 461 00:27:29,599 --> 00:27:33,640 Republicans are undermining critical agencies and ducking their responsibility by 462 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:36,960 kicking tough decisions over to the House of Representatives. Well, 463 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:39,000 don't worry, they're going to go into a conference committee 464 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,759 and hammer out the differences. All right. So spring is 465 00:27:41,799 --> 00:27:47,119 here a time of renewal and celebrations. You've got graduations, weddings, anniversaries, 466 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,680 and the special days for mom and dad. Your family's 467 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:51,720 making memories that are going to last a lifetime. But 468 00:27:51,799 --> 00:27:54,839 let me ask you, are all of those treasured moments 469 00:27:54,839 --> 00:27:57,279 from days gone by? Are they hidden away on old 470 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:02,359 VCR tapes, eight millimeter films, photos slides? Are they preserved? 471 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,160 Because over time, these precious memories can fade and deteriorate, 472 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:10,000 losing the magic of yesterday. At Creative Video, they help 473 00:28:10,079 --> 00:28:13,799 you protect what matters most. Their expert team digitizes your 474 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:17,240 cherished family moments and transfers them onto a USB drive, 475 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:19,720 freezing them in time so they can be enjoyed for 476 00:28:19,799 --> 00:28:23,200 generations to come. I urge you do not wait until 477 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:27,079 it's too late this spring. Celebrate your past. Visit Creative 478 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:30,000 Video today and let them preserve your legacy with the 479 00:28:30,079 --> 00:28:33,920 love and care that it deserves. Creative Video Preserving Family 480 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,359 Memories since nineteen ninety seven, located in mint Hill, just 481 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,519 off four eighty five, mail orders are accepted to get 482 00:28:40,519 --> 00:28:45,200 all the details that createavideo dot com All right. Sidney Batch, 483 00:28:45,319 --> 00:28:48,960 the Senate Democrat leader up in Raleigh, put out a 484 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,680 statement after the Republicans released their budget plan and She 485 00:28:52,759 --> 00:28:56,240 says that the budget does nothing to keep our communities safe. 486 00:28:56,519 --> 00:29:00,559 It offers pathetic raises to public servants. A b abandons 487 00:29:00,599 --> 00:29:02,759 our law enforcement officer. By the way, do you think 488 00:29:02,759 --> 00:29:05,000 that this is the case, Like, do you really think 489 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:09,160 that Republicans are abandoning law enforcement officers? Anyway? It short 490 00:29:09,279 --> 00:29:13,359 changes the public infrastructure in North Carolina desperately needs at 491 00:29:13,359 --> 00:29:17,799 a time when families are squeezed by rising costs, schools 492 00:29:17,839 --> 00:29:21,440 can't find teachers for their classrooms, and emergency services are 493 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:25,480 stretched to the brink. Senate Republicans have made the active 494 00:29:25,599 --> 00:29:30,519 choice to sit on billions of taxpayer dollars. So this 495 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,759 is how they view a rainy day emergency fund is 496 00:29:33,799 --> 00:29:38,519 they're just sitting on this money, right, It's like a 497 00:29:38,559 --> 00:29:42,079 savings account, you sit on it. Dave Ramsey talks about this. 498 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:46,559 You should have six months of bills, like six months 499 00:29:46,599 --> 00:29:50,119 worth of whatever your bills. You know, monthly bills are 500 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:55,039 six months of living expenses saved. That's your emergency fund. 501 00:29:55,519 --> 00:29:59,480 You lose your job, right, something happens, whatever, you need 502 00:29:59,519 --> 00:30:02,519 to be able to have a pool of money to 503 00:30:02,599 --> 00:30:07,799 tap into while you get back on your feet. That's 504 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,359 what a rainy day fund is. That's what a reserve 505 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:15,359 fund is. Okay. She goes on to say, making matters 506 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,319 worse worse than all of that. That sounds really bad. 507 00:30:18,519 --> 00:30:23,119 But Republicans have spent years leaning on temporary federal funding 508 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,720 to give themselves political cover, avoiding investments in course services, 509 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:31,720 while funneling state dollars to pet projects like private school vouchers. 510 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:36,039 But with federal cuts looming, their strategy is collapsing. So 511 00:30:37,319 --> 00:30:40,920 I would point out here I don't take you seriously, 512 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:45,480 Sydney Batch, Senator Batch, because you have been demanding the 513 00:30:45,519 --> 00:30:50,400 expansion of Medicaid. Republicans finally did it. They finally caved, 514 00:30:51,319 --> 00:30:54,480 joining like forty five other states or whatever it's been. 515 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,720 And that is exactly what you are now criticizing Republicans 516 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:05,799 for leaning on temporary federal funding. That's what the Medicaid 517 00:31:05,839 --> 00:31:12,799 expansion is. That's what you demanded we do. So I 518 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:16,240 don't have any no, I don't have any confidence in 519 00:31:16,279 --> 00:31:19,599 your statement, and I don't believe you. Back to the 520 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:24,079 Republican's press release, they're giving it across the board one 521 00:31:24,119 --> 00:31:27,279 in a quarter pay one and a quarter percent pay 522 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:31,480 increase in the first year for the two year budget 523 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:35,640 plus for most state employees plus a three thousand dollars 524 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,920 bonus over the two years, So like fifteen hundred bucks 525 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:43,160 bonus each year. Teachers will receive an average of two 526 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,599 point three percent pay increase and an average increase of 527 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,480 three point three percent over the buy aennium plus a 528 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:51,759 three thousand dollars bonus. Oh and by the way, that 529 00:31:51,759 --> 00:31:55,400 does not account for the step increases that they get 530 00:31:55,720 --> 00:32:03,519 every single year of one thousand dollars. On average, teachers 531 00:32:03,559 --> 00:32:09,240 will receive additional compensation of eight point nine percent over 532 00:32:09,319 --> 00:32:16,519 the biennium. This is what she calls ducking their responsibility right, 533 00:32:17,319 --> 00:32:24,359 shortchanging the public, abandoning civil service workers, pathetic raises an 534 00:32:24,359 --> 00:32:32,680 eight point nine percent pay raise, three thousand dollars bonus, Yeah, 535 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,119 three thousand dollars bonus for the biennium for local law 536 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:39,920 enforcement officers across the state. What else initiating guaranteed tax 537 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,799 relief for all North Carolinians by cutting the personal income 538 00:32:42,839 --> 00:32:47,400 tax rate to three point four nine percent in twenty 539 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:50,519 twenty seven and then dropping it another half a percent 540 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,240 to two point nine nine percent in twenty twenty eight, 541 00:32:55,559 --> 00:33:00,160 so a full point drop by twenty twenty eight. That 542 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:04,359 means you get to keep more of your own money. 543 00:33:05,119 --> 00:33:07,720 Adjusting the tax rate revenue triggers with the goal of 544 00:33:07,839 --> 00:33:11,160 reaching a one point nine to nine personal income tax rate. 545 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:13,319 That's where they want to get to. They want to 546 00:33:13,359 --> 00:33:15,559 get to a personal income tax rate of one point 547 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:21,039 ninety nine percent. And then this was my favorite. They're 548 00:33:21,079 --> 00:33:24,519 going to increase support to the North Carolina for NC Children's, 549 00:33:24,599 --> 00:33:29,880 a partnership between UNC and Duke Health Systems to build 550 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:34,880 the state's first and only freestanding children's hospital. So they're 551 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,240 increasing that support by six hundred and thirty eight and 552 00:33:37,279 --> 00:33:41,480 a half million dollars. And here it is exempting this 553 00:33:41,599 --> 00:33:49,279 project from the certificate of need reviews. Right, I've railed 554 00:33:49,279 --> 00:33:53,440 against certificate of need in this state. It's a stupid law. 555 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:55,440 It's been on the books for way too long. It 556 00:33:55,519 --> 00:33:58,200 needs to be repealed. And that right there is proof 557 00:33:58,359 --> 00:34:01,920 of its idiocy that they're going to exempt the project 558 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:06,400 from the certificate of need. What else, salaries and benefits 559 00:34:06,799 --> 00:34:09,119 I mentioned most state employees across the board one point 560 00:34:09,159 --> 00:34:11,960 twenty five percent, correctional officers getting additional five and a 561 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:16,719 quarter percent probation and parole officers and additional two percent 562 00:34:17,159 --> 00:34:21,039 state law enforcement officers, State Capitol Police, law enforcement officers 563 00:34:21,039 --> 00:34:25,159 at the Division of Marine Fisheries, Forestry, Parks, Wildlife Resources 564 00:34:25,199 --> 00:34:28,000 they get an additional five and a quarter percent. That's 565 00:34:28,039 --> 00:34:31,119 on top of the one point twenty five State Highway 566 00:34:31,119 --> 00:34:39,760 patrol officers, ALEE officers. They're getting raises to do National 567 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:44,800 Guard gets recruitment and retention bonuses. So under this proposal, 568 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:50,480 the average teacher pay in North Carolina will go to 569 00:34:51,119 --> 00:34:55,679 sixty two thousand, four hundred and seven dollars sixty two 570 00:34:55,679 --> 00:34:57,960 four to oher seven. That is the average teacher pay 571 00:34:58,159 --> 00:35:00,719 under the budget. And this it's just the Senate. We 572 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:03,880 don't know what the House version looks like yet. And 573 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:09,320 they are going to increase the teacher supplements that the 574 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:14,400 state now started paying for in select counties, in poorer counties. Basically, 575 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:17,880 this is the county supplement, So Mecklinberg County gives I 576 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:19,519 think we're in the neighborhood of like five or six 577 00:35:19,559 --> 00:35:23,599 thousand dollars supplement. In addition to the state funding for 578 00:35:23,639 --> 00:35:33,320 the teacher positions, what else to childcare subsidies. The budget 579 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,400 also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to 580 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:41,000 move ahead with seeking a work requirement for Medicaid recipients. Also, 581 00:35:41,119 --> 00:35:45,199 it repeals the States Certificate of Need laws that drive 582 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:52,079 up costs for patients by stifling competition. Yes, thank you. Now, 583 00:35:52,079 --> 00:35:53,679 will the house go along? I don't know. I think 584 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:55,840 they will. I think they will because Tim More, isn't 585 00:35:55,840 --> 00:36:01,360 there anymore thirty five million dollars in each of the 586 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:07,000 two year budget for school safety grants. Let's see your 587 00:36:07,039 --> 00:36:09,599 final page, and I'm just giving you a couple of 588 00:36:09,639 --> 00:36:13,719 the highlights. It's like packed body cameras for ALA officers 589 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:19,199 and safety equipment for highway patrol. More Highway patrol positions 590 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:22,639 new positions to meet local needs based on the Administrative 591 00:36:22,679 --> 00:36:27,039 Office of the Courts workload formula. These new positions include 592 00:36:27,199 --> 00:36:32,360 full time magistrates, deputy clerks, assistant das, and victim witness 593 00:36:32,800 --> 00:36:38,039 legal assistant positions. Right, so that's good. I hear all 594 00:36:38,079 --> 00:36:40,960 the time that we need to help fund the DA's offices. 595 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:44,360 So that's good. We'll see what happens though. All right, 596 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:46,760 that'll do it for this episode. Thank you so much 597 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:48,840 for listening. I could not do the show without your 598 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:51,639 support and the support of the businesses that advertise on 599 00:36:51,679 --> 00:36:54,480 the podcast. So if you'd like Please support them too 600 00:36:54,519 --> 00:36:56,199 and tell them you heard it here. You can also 601 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:58,800 become a patron at my Patreon page or go to 602 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:01,920 the Pete Calender show dot com. Again, thank you so 603 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,400 much for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.