House Republicans: Budget emphasizes veteran teacher pay

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina House Republicans rolled out nearly all of their proposed state government budget for the next two years Tuesday, saying the proposal will build up veteran teacher pay, recruit new teachers and address more school safety needs.

The GOP plan would spend $23.9 billion in the fiscal year starting July 1, which is 3% higher than current-year spending, according to the General Assembly nonpartisan fiscal staff.

Separate from that dollar amount is hundreds of millions of dollars for state building repairs and construction. Republicans are proposing a small personal income tax cut and some business tax reductions, spread out over several years. They'd also attempt to collect more sales taxes from consumers buying online.

"We're spending responsibly, saving wisely and we're putting as much of the funding growth into education as we can," said Rep. Donny Lambeth, a Forsyth County Republican and a House Appropriations Committee senior chairman.

The proposal, which cleared one House committee earlier Tuesday and heads to another Wednesday, also distributes more money already set aside last year to address Hurricane Florence recovery and begins to build back up the state's current $1.2 billion rainy-day reserve fund. Lawmakers took nearly $800 million from the fund right after the storm for aid.

The House wants to give final approval to its plan by the end of the week. The Senate, also controlled by Republicans, should pass a competing proposal by late May, setting up negotiations between the two chambers.

Specific House budget language addressing pay for teachers will not be disclosed until Wednesday.

But Speaker Tim Moore, Lambeth and other budget-writers held a news conference to discuss some education details late Tuesday. It was held...