The state House this morning started releasing portions of its proposed $20 billion budget for North Carolina. No news yet on proposed pay raises for teachers or state employees - or on what the House proposes to do with various taxes or fees.
But Dan Kane reports that the House is calling for full funding of enrollment growth at schools, community colleges and universities. The proposed budget would not fully fund inflationary increases in Medicaid spending.
Other tidbits:
- The proposal would provide nearly $10 million to purchase and store roughly 670,000 treatment dosages of Tamiflu in case of an influenza pandemic.
- The proposal would increase community college tuition by 6.3 percent.
- Need-based financial aid at the state's colleges would grow by nearly $28 million. The colleges would be expected to come up with nearly $19 million in savings by cutting middle management positions.
- The proposal calls for $7 million in dropout prevention grants.
- The plan would provide $8.4 million to subsidize child care for an additional 2,000 children.
House members are hoping to vote on a full budget package by late next week.
