THE
State Employees Association of North Carolina, SEIU Local 2008 P.O. Drawer 27727, Raleigh, NC • www.seanc.org 800-222-2758 • 919-833-6436 • Circulation 55,000
June 2013
• Vol. 31, Issue 7
Senate Scoffs at Public Services in Budget Budget proposal includes no pay raise, cuts 1,600 jobs and closes six prisons by Jonathan Owens
Senate Budget Proposal at a Glance
SEANC Assistant Director of Communications
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Would give no pay raise for active employees or cost-of-living adjustment for retirees Would cut more than 1,600 jobs, mostly from the Departments of Health and Human Services and Public Safety Would close Bladen, Duplin, Robeson, Wayne, Buncombe and Orange prisons as well as parts of the Western Youth Institution. Would close Lenoir, Buncombe and Richmond Youth Development Centers
Gov. Pat McCrory and legislators are playing a game of • who loves state employees the least in this year’s budget debate. A month after McCrory announced his first budget • proposal, which included a modest 1-percent pay raise for state employees while closing five prisons, the North Carolina • Senate one-upped him with a $20.6 billion budget proposal of its own that would put our state’s priorities in the wrong place while devaluing vital public services. To stay informed on the budget process, be sure to The Senate’s budget plan in combination with its tax proposal read the SEANC Legislative Update each week in the Legislative Action section of seanc.org. — which includes effective tax increases on poor and the middle class while slashing taxes treatment center at Foothills. for the wealthy and corporations “The Senate’s cuts to public The budget also would close — eliminates hundreds of vital jobs Lenoir, Buncombe and Richmond services and tax increase and jeopardizes public safety and Youth Development Centers, and on the middle class will help infrastructure needs for the state. What’s more, it includes no millionaires get more of our tax eliminate 50 positions from the pay raise at all for state employees dollars. That’s not North Carolina DHHS Oral Health section. “The Senate’s cuts to public or cost-of-living adjustment for values. We are better than that.” services and tax increases on the retirees. middle class will help millionaires SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope Most state employees didn’t get more of our tax dollars,” expect to get the 8-percent salary SEANC Executive Director Dana increase that Gov. McCrory gave his cabinet, which was Cope said. “That’s not North Carolina values. We are better necessary because, he said, “I’m trying to make it at least than that.” where (his cabinet appointees) can afford to live.” As of press time in late May, the Senate had voted to pass But state employees did expect the rising tide to lift all its proposal to the House, which will likely offer its own boats to some extent. The Senate budget would wipe out nearly 1,600 jobs, with proposal and changes. A reconciled budget will then be sent the Departments of Health and Human Services and Public to McCrory to sign. SEANC will continue to work with the General Assembly Safety bearing the brunt of the cuts. It also proposes closing several prisons including Bladen, Duplin, Robeson, Wayne, and the governor to keep vital public services while Buncombe and Orange as well as parts of the Western Youth compensating our state’s public employees for their hard work. Please contact your legislator today to tell them that state Institution. Sen. Pete Brunstetter (R-Forsyth) successfully employees deserve to be treated with respect. Call the General amended the proposal to move 55 of the jobs slated for the Assembly’s main line at 919-733-4111. cutting room floor at Western Youth to Foothills Correctional Institute. The amendment also establishes a substance abuse jowens@seanc.org