GOP outlines budget priorities

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on May 13, 2008 - 11:38am.
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Phil BergerRepublicans object to the so-called "sin taxes."

At a press conference this morning, Republican leaders of the state House and Senate said that the state budget should not raise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes.

"In tough economic times, it is not the time to raise taxes, particularly the taxes that hit the poorest people," said Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger.

He called the governor's budget "an attempt at legacy building."

For their budget priorities, Berger and House Minority Leader Paul Stam called for cutting spending, completely ending the annual transfer from the Highway Trust Fund, putting a roads bond before voters in November and not raising any state taxes.

On non-budget items, they called for lifting the cap on charter schools, putting constitutional amendments banning gay marriage and curtailing the use of eminent domain before voters, making the murder of an unborn child a crime and ending the de facto moratorium on the death penalty.

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Re: GOP outlines budget priorities

Submitted by MattM on May 13, 2008 - 4:17pm.

Really? I could have sworn it was Democrats exploiting voters for power, and now they're getting thrown in jail left and right as a result.

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Re: GOP outlines budget priorities

Submitted by riverrd on May 13, 2008 - 1:48pm.

The GOP "priorities" are the same this year as they are every year. Serve the rich and powerful, hate the middle class and poor, attack minorities and attempt to frighten the voters into put them into office.

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Re: GOP outlines budget priorities

Submitted by MattM on May 13, 2008 - 1:15pm.

It looks to me like it's one of many priorities, Melissa. Their top priorities are stopping Sleasley's increases in cigarette and alcohol taxes. I'm ok with the cigarette tax increase, but the alcohol tax increase is ridiculous, because NC already has one of the highest, in addition to state-run ABC stores. I would love to see privatization of spirits become a priority.

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Re: GOP outlines budget priorities

Submitted by melissaaprice on May 13, 2008 - 12:47pm.

I wonder why an amendment on banning gay marriage is a priority with a down-turned economy? Couldn’t the GOP better serve their constituents by serving them in a more proactive capacity? I doubt that a laid off textile worker's biggest concern is banning gay marriage.

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