BRADENTON, Fla. – North Carolina's new governor, Roy Cooper, proposed a $57.2 billion budget that has already received pushback from the Republican-controlled General Assembly.
Cooper, a Democrat, said he wants state spending to increase 4.5% in fiscal 2018 to make "critical investments" in education, expanding health care, economic development and public safety without raising taxes or fees, or cutting services.
The general fund portion totals $23.48 billion, an increase of 5.1% over the current year.
"As our economy recovers, we need to invest with an eye toward the future," Cooper said Wednesday. "By bringing common ground solutions front and center, North Carolina's economy can grow strong."
Despite uncertainty about the future of the Affordable Care Act, Cooper's budget calls for expanding Medicaid to insure an additional 624,000 people "without additional state costs," he said.
Cooper's proposal also adds $300 million to the state's reserve savings account, $100 million to the disaster assistance reserve, and $150 million to the retiree health care reserve to address the state's other post-employment benefits liability.
The additions to reserves, he said, will help preserve the state's triple-A ratings.
A $351 million bond package is included to fund state government and university capital needs.
The budget would give average teacher raises of 5%, while most state employees would get raises equal to 2% or $800, whichever is greater.
The GOP was quick to criticize Cooper's budget via
Sen. President Pro Tempore, Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, indicated that GOP lawmakers likely will develop a more conservative budget.
"We believe a more prudent approach is investing generously in public education and other priorities while still saving for a rainy day and returning hard-earned tax dollars to our taxpayers," Berger told the News Observer. "The governor's proposal is a step backward from this successful approach that has led to a booming North Carolina economy and helped generate close to 500,000 new jobs."
The North Carolina General Assembly is in session through mid-July.
