RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Five items in the proposed Senate budget adjustments for the 2014-15 fiscal year approved by several committees Thursday that are getting attention:
- CLOSE ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY? A provision would direct the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to study the feasibility of dissolving any campus with enrollment decreases of more than 20 percent since 2011, and develop a closing plan for the General Assembly next year. The bill doesn’t name a campus, but a legislative staff employee said in the Senate Appropriations Committee the parameters would only apply for now to Elizabeth City State University, which has faced recent financial and leadership struggles. The appropriations committee narrowly rejected an amendment by Sen. Don Davis, D-Greene, that also would direct the board to study possible solutions to enrollment. Rules Chairman Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson, opposed the amendment and said there have been enough studies on the school. Members of the Legislative Black Caucus said they would fight any effort to shutter the historically black school and worried aloud at a news conference whether other historically black campuses would be on the chopping block next.
- MEDICAID SPENDING: The budget predicts spending $206 million more for Medicaid expenses starting July 1 and puts aside $144 million to meet a Medicaid shortfall and other expenses this year. Republicans said they’ve had to give more than $2 billion in extra state funding since 2011 to the federal-state insurance program for 1.8 million people - mostly poor children and older adults and people with disabilities. But the measure also would eliminate automatic Medicaid eligibility for about 15,000 people, most of which receive financial help for living in adult care homes or group homes. The state chapter of AARP said it’s worried Medicaid changes could make it harder for them to receive care.
- PRISON CHANGES: Continuing a recent trend, the state would close two minimum-security women’s prisons in Nash and Davie counties with about 675 beds, while converting a men’s prison in Greene County with 430 beds to a women’s prison. The changes come as the number of state prisoners keeps declining and more people convicted of misdemeanors are serving their time in county jails through a financial agreement with local sheriff departments. Currently, people convicted of misdemeanors serving sentences of three to six months are serving the time in county jails. The budget would move misdemeanants with longer sentences to jails.
- PAY RAISES: Veteran public school teachers would get large pay increases in the Senate budget if they agree to give up their tenure rights, but other public workers wouldn’t have to make such hard choices to get their compensation increases. Senate Republicans recommended that rank-and file state workers get the same $1,000 pay and benefit increase as Gov. Pat McCrory recommended in his budget. They would receive $809 raises, with the rest going to their pension accounts. Central staff at local school district offices would receive $618 in pay and benefits, $500 of which would be in the form of a salary increase. Retirees would get a cost-of-living raise of 0.8 percent.
- EDUCATION ENDOWMENT: The budget inserted a provision promoted by Lt. Gov. Dan Forest that would create a special fund to supplement teacher pay in North Carolina. Individuals and businesses could make donations to the North Carolina Education Endowment, or taxpayers could have part of their tax refunds earmarked for the fund. Proceeds from a new “I Support Teachers” license plate also would go into the fund. Forest has said he ultimately wants to reward teachers through the fund’s earned interest.
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