North Carolina legislature likely heading home soon for a ‘little cooling off’ over budget

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — With each legislative chamber uninterested in hearing the other’s spending proposal, North Carolina lawmakers look ready to go on hiatus after next week while a stalemate simmers between Republicans over how to adjust the current two-year state budget.

“Perhaps during this summertime with a lot of heat, maybe a little cooling off might be a good thing,” House Speaker Tim Moore told colleagues Thursday after the full House gave final approval to its $31.7 billion plan for state government spending starting with the new fiscal year July 1.

But the Senate has signaled no interest in considering the measure, which passed the House 68-36 after a similar initial affirmative vote Wednesday night.

Senate GOP leaders instead advanced earlier Thursday their own $31.4 billion plan through a budget committee. Their measure contains 240 fewer pages than the House bill, omits scores of House provisions and declines to raise teacher and state worker salaries beyond what the enacted two-year plan already directs for the next 12 months.

Senate leader Phil Berger has expressed frustration with House counterparts over their higher spending levels and liberal use of reserve funds. Berger said later Thursday that his chamber plans to hold perfunctory floor sessions after the end of the month, then wait to see if continuing conversations lead to the House agreeing on a plan more to the Senate’s liking.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«RELATED COVERAGE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> RELATED COVERAGE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> North Carolina