Perdue previews the budget

Gov. Beverly Perdue has given a preview of her budget.

Speaking at an economic roundtable at UNC-Asheville this morning, Perdue promised new tax breaks for businesses and more spending for worker training, the Asheville Citizen-Times reports.

Among the tax breaks:

* Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit from 5 to 6.5 percent. 

* Allowing small businesses to exempt some profits from taxes.

* Excluding initial stock investments in some startups from capital gains.

She also pledged to spend $50 million on sewer and water projects, $17 million on workforce preparedness, $7 million on "Main Street" projects in small towns, $5 million on green businesses and $2 million to a small business grant program. 

Perdue will formally present her budget Tuesday. 

Asheville reporter Jordan Schrader writes on his Capital Letters blog that Perdue did not say anything about "how she'll pay for it."