North Carolina House budget gets initial OK as Senate unveils stripped-down plan

RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina budget-adjustment measure penned by House Republicans received initial approval Wednesday in the chamber, legislation that covers a massive increase in private-school voucher demand, locates money for child care centers and raises worker and teacher pay further than already scheduled. Four House Democrats joined all Republicans present to vote 73-36 for the bill, which makes changes to the second year of the two-year state government budget enacted last fall to reflect new fiscal demands and a nearly $1 billion bump in anticipated revenue collections. “What does it our say about your values when we leave parents wondering if their child care centers are going to close this summer?” The House proposal would raise teacher and state worker pay above the increases already planned in the enacted two-year budget. His budget proposal would have offered even higher raises to teachers and state employees and spend hundreds of millions of dollars more for child care and early education initiatives.