Nothing to brag about

It's not entirely clear why Gov. Beverly Perdue decided to sign the budget in private today.

"I just chose not to do a public ceremony," she said this morning.

Perdue had just finished a public signing in Morrisville of a bill restructuring the Energy Policy Council, reports Lynn Bonner. She posed with representatives of companies that won grants from the state's Green Business Fund.

She did say the budget wasn't the best she's ever seen.

"It's nothing that people can brag about, but it is something that has protected education, and that's what leaders do. It's about the future and it's about kids."

Perdue sidestepped questions about a controversial budget provision that gives a $10 million break to state university booster clubs by allowing out-of-state athletes to pay in-state tuition.

"I think there are several provisions that are problematic. I'm not at the point today that I can pick and choose provisions that I find problematic," she said.

"I think there has to be a commitment to all of the schools and the people of the state to keep college tuition as low as possible. So those kinds of decisions are problematic."

Update: At 4:37 p.m., a press aide to Perdue, sent an e-mail message to reporters. The message, which didn't include the standard "Office of the Governor" or even Perdue's name, was a list of 31 bills.

"The governor signed the budget today as noted in the below list of bills.  These are the rest of the bills she signed today." 

Number 29 on that list was Senate bill 202, which is better known as the state budget.