House Speaker Joe Hackney said this morning that the House likely has the votes to pass the budget, but he added that he is willing to give people time to examine it and make a final decision.
"We believe that we will have the votes to pass the bill," he said. "There are people obviously still reading the details of the bill, and we will be talking to people throughout the day."
The bill needs the support a majority of members to pass, and three Democrats are out of town this week. When the House passed the last version of the budget earlier this year by a vote of 64-53, two Democrats, Rep. R. Van Braxton of Kinston and Rep. Cullie Tarleton of Blowing Rock, voted against it.
Hackney said the undecided votes this time around probably could be counted on one hand, and he would know by the time the bill comes to the floor where everybody stands.
"We'll know that by the end of the day, and we'll make an intelligent decision about whether to go ahead today or not."
Correction: Post updates to state it takes a majority to pass a budget.
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Re: Hackney: House can pass budget. Maybe
"he added that he is willing to give people time to examine it and make a final decisision."
So it is 300 pages thick, the copies are being made today, and he hopes it is voted on later today?? Does not give people much time to read it, and the citizens sure are not going to get a chance to look at it to provide their opinion to their Representatives.