North Carolina

GOP leaders in NC General Assembly announce agreement on budget plan

Published

2 years ago

June 28, 2022

GOP leaders in NC General Assembly announce agreement on budget plan

RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) – Republican leaders in North Carolina’s Common Meeting introduced Tuesday that they had reached an settlement on a spending plan for the 2022-23 fiscal yr. Referred to as the 2022 Appropriations Act, Home Invoice 103 is on the calendar to be taken up within the state senate on Thursday, June 30.

“This can be a accountable funds that responds to our present wants and plans for an unsure financial future,” Home Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) and Senate Chief Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) mentioned in an electronic mail information launch despatched from Berger’s workplace. “This funds takes under consideration the pressure of runaway spending from our federal authorities that’s stretching North Carolinians’ budgets skinny, and the burden of skyrocketing gasoline costs and inflation. It’s crucial that we keep on observe and proceed the nice work we’ve achieved in North Carolina to strengthen our financial system, meet the wants of our residents, and safe a shiny future for our state.”

The compromise funds plan should go each the state home and senate, and be signed by Gov. Roy Cooper (D-North Carolina), earlier than it takes impact.

Gov. Cooper posted on social media previous to the discharge going out from the Senate Chief’s workplace:

I’m inspired that each the Home and Senate agree that North Carolina must develop Medicaid. It’s crucial that an settlement is reached to get this achieved now. – RC
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) June 28, 2022

Listed here are highlights of the invoice as famous within the launch from Senate Chief Berger’s workplace:

Topline

· Web appropriation for FY 2022-23 is $27.9 billion, which is a 7.2% enhance from FY 2021-22.

· The Wet Day Fund steadiness will likely be $4.75 billion on the finish of the biennium.

· Transfers $1 billion right into a newly created State Inflationary Reserve in anticipation of a recession.

Salaries

· Establishes a labor market wage reserve of $80 million for state companies to handle workers shortages and assist recruit and retain succesful workers.

· A 3.5% pay increase for many state workers, for a 6% increase over the biennium.

· On common, lecturers will obtain a 4.2% pay increase, bringing the typical instructor pay increase to six.7% over the biennium. Over the biennium, together with bonuses, lecturers will obtain a mean 14.2% extra compensation.

· Will increase the beginning wage for entry stage lecturers.

· Noncertified public college workers, like bus drivers, will obtain both a 4% pay increase or a rise to $15/hour, whichever is larger.

· A further $70 million to the state-funded instructor wage complement. This brings the whole quantity to $170 million. The funds will increase the state-funded instructor complement cap to $5,000.

· Supplies an extra 1% one-time retiree complement for a complete of 5% over the biennium.

· Continues the improved COVID charges that the Division of Well being and Human Providers paid out to nursing houses and different long-term care services.

Schooling

· Funds an extra $1 billion over the FY 2021-22 quantity for a complete of $16.5 billion.

· Consists of $3.9 million to cowl the copays for college students that qualify for reduced-price lunches.

· Funds an extra 124 literacy coaches and early studying specialists to assist in early literacy efforts.

· A $431 million switch over the biennium from the N.C. Schooling Lottery to the Wants-Primarily based Public College Capital Constructing Fund. Over the course of the following 6 years, a projected $2.6 billion will likely be spent on college capital.

· Expands the earnings stage necessities for the Alternative Scholarship Program so extra households can ship their youngsters to a college of their alternative. The brand new earnings eligibility stage is the same as or lower than 200% of the quantity required totally free or reduced-price lunch.

· Allocates an extra $56 million in recurring funds to the Alternative Scholarship Grant reserve, for a complete of $150.8 million that may be awarded to households that qualify for the scholarship.

· Supplies an extra recurring $16.3 million to the Private Schooling Pupil Accounts for Youngsters with Disabilities Program, to clear this system’s waitlist. This system’s whole funding in FY 2022-23 is $47.9 million.

· Creates a recurring $250,000 grant for faculties to buy female hygiene merchandise in faculties.

College Security

· Supplies an extra recurring $15 million for the College Useful resource Officer Grant program, particularly for elementary and center faculties.

· Will increase the state match for the College Useful resource Officer Grant program for low-wealth college districts to $4 per each $1 in non-state funds. All different college districts will likely be eligible for a state match of $2 per each $1 in non-state funds.

· Supplies an extra $32 million for College Security Grants to assist college students in disaster, college security coaching, and security gear in faculties.

· Allocates $26 million extra to the At-Danger allotment to mirror the present wage essential to offer one College Useful resource Officer for every highschool.

· Supplies $5 million for cybersecurity and bomb risk preparedness at North Carolina’s HBCUs.

· Requires the Middle for Safer Faculties to collect knowledge on present college security methods, insurance policies, and procedures, and to report info and proposals for bettering college security to the Common Meeting.

Capital/Infrastructure

· Supplies $883 million for water and wastewater infrastructure initiatives, bringing the whole quantity out there for water and wastewater infrastructure for the biennium to $2.5 billion.

· Supplies $300 million to construct a brand new Schooling Advanced and Governor’s Workplace in downtown Raleigh, and to renovate and demolish different downtown authorities buildings.

· Consists of $250 million for a reserve to assist defray value overruns for state capital initiatives because of inflation.

· Supplies $120.8 million in extra capital grants to native governments and non-profit entities.

Different Gadgets

· Redirects 2% of gross sales tax income — roughly $193.1 million — to the Freeway Fund to assist quite a lot of transportation functions, growing to six% in 2024-25 and thereafter. This is step one to handle declining transportation revenues to maintain up with inhabitants progress.

· Supplies an extra $5 million for the GREAT Grants to develop broadband entry in underserved areas. This will increase the quantity for GREAT Grants to $20 million recurring. The state expects to obtain no less than $100 million from the federal Infrastructure and Funding Jobs Act for broadband.

· Transfers $950 million to the State Emergency Response and Catastrophe Aid Reserve, of that $215.8 million is appropriated for catastrophe restoration efforts from earlier occasions and mitigation efforts to arrange for future flooding and pure disasters.

· Will increase the NC Pre-Ok supplier reimbursement charges by 5%. Personal youngster care services, which have been slated to obtain a 4% price enhance with funds from the 2021 Appropriations Act, will now obtain a 9% reimbursement price enhance in FY 2022-23.

· Appropriates $1.8 million from the federal Assist America Vote Act (HAVA) grant to replace and keep voter lists and to proceed enhancing election know-how and safety enhancements.

· Supplies $1 million to the Financial Improvement Partnership of North Carolina’s Megasite Readiness Program, with the intent to establish extra megasites in North Carolina.

· Allocates $1 million to assist the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub at Fayetteville State College.

WECT Information will present response to the invoice from different lawmakers as we obtain it.

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North Carolina

College basketball winners and losers: North Carolina saves season, Auburn dominates

Published

18 minutes ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

College basketball winners and losers: North Carolina saves season, Auburn dominates

It’s not even the end of December and North Carolina badly needed a win.

The schedule was tough, and almost every test resulted in a loss. The promise that came with a top 10 preseason ranking was fading; and the Tar Heels were headed toward spending the rest of the season on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament bubble

But the Tar Heels finally came through with a defeat of UCLA in New York City.

What has hurt North Carolina for much of the season has followed the same script: slow starts that mostly has been too much to overcome. It happened against unbeaten Florida team. UNC managed to lead in the second half before the Gators rallied.

Against UCLA it looked like it was headed down the same path. The Bruins came out hot, and after the Tar Heels showed some fight, UCLA got the lead to 16 points with 12 minutes left. Then North Carolina stopped making mistakes. The baskets started to go in. Senior guard RJ Davis overcame some earlier mistakes by hitting the game-winning free throws to knock off the Bruins.

Come tournament time, North Carolina will benefit from playing one of the nation’s toughest non-conference schedules All five losses have been by teams ranked in the top 20. Saturday’s victory was the second Quad 1 win for the Tar Heels. They’ll need more to justify putting a spot in the field.

Still, there’s most of the ACC schedule to play, and Hubert Davis’ squad has some much-needed momentum heading into January, making North Carolina one of the biggest storylines from the past weekend of hoops.

Auburn looks like the best team in the country

Yes, there’s no No. 1 next to Auburn’s name. Nevertheless, the Tigers are playing like the top team in the nation after another crushing win over a ranked team.

Purdue hung around for about eight minutes before Auburn went on a 16-2 run over a seven-minute span. It was the Tigers’ ninth double-digit victory and sixth against a Quad 1 opponent.

As Auburn has looked like the top team in the country, its big man Johni Broome continues to look like the best player in the country. His 23-point, 11-rebound performance was his eighth double-double of the season, and he did it on a bad shoulder.

Ohio State plays big against Kentucky

What a Saturday it was in Columbus. Not only did the football team win its first-round game of the College Football Playoff on campus, but the men’s basketball squad went to New York City and handled Kentucky by 20 points. It was the most surprising result of the weekend given how good Kentucky has looked under Mark Pope and how shaky Ohio State has looked.

It was one of the worst shooting nights for one of the best offenses in Kentucky, but the Buckeyes deserve credit for taking advantage of it by controlling the paint and getting a career-night from junior guard Bruce Thornton. One week prior, Ohio State lost to Auburn by 38 and didn’t look like much. Seven days later, the Buckeyes look capable of competing in a crowded Big Ten.

Connecticut back as a contender

Remember when the sky was falling in Storrs after Connecticut didn’t win a single game in Maui?

It seems like ages ago with the Huskies not faltering since then, winning six-straight that includes wins over Baylor, Texas and Gonzaga. The latest result came with UConn holding off a pesky Butler team on the road to move to 2-0 in Big East play.

Mississippi State overpowers Memphis

As if the SEC needed another solidified contender, Mississippi State picked up the best win in the conference with a thrashing of Memphis on the road. The Bulldogs went into FedEx Forum and quickly forced turnovers while knocking down their 3-point shots, and by the time Memphis realized what happened, Mississippi State had already had a firm grasp on the game.

The key to Mississippi State’s success has been taking care of the ball and generating steals. While the Bulldogs uncharacteristically turned the ball over more often on Saturday, they were stripping the ball away from Memphis with 15 steals, the fourth time they’ve had at least 10 in a game this season.

The dominant win over Memphis gives Mississippi State three Quad 1 wins. It’s a crowded SEC, but Mississippi State is looking less like a bubble team and more like one eyeing a top four seed in the tournament.

Creighton shoots its way to much-needed win

Before the season, Creighton was expected to be a squad that could possibly dethrone UConn in the Big East. It hasn’t looked like one to start the season, but the Bluejays got a boost by beating Villanova.

Creighton lives and die by the 3-point shot and they made 14 on Saturday. While both teams could’ve used the victory, the Bluejays needed it with a slate coming up that includes St. John’s and Marquette next and Connecticut in the middle of January. It could be a slate that determines whether Creighton is legit or not.

Rutgers gets stunned and continues to drop

The arrival of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey gave optimism for Rutgers to be a relevant basketball team. So far, it’s not working out well.

The Scarlet Knights had a win snatched away by Princeton in the final second for their fourth loss in six games. To be fair, Harper and Bailey have been sensational and have lived up to expectations. The problem has been the defense, which is allowing opponents to stick around and capitalize late. It’s those mistakes that currently doesn’t have Rutgers on a trajectory toward the tournament, which would be a massive disappointment for Steve Pikiell given the talent he brought in.

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North Carolina

Steve Belichick heads to North Carolina as defensive coordinator

Published

8 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

Steve Belichick heads to North Carolina as defensive coordinator

In the 11 days since Bill Belichick officially became the head coach at North Carolina, not much information has surfaced about his coaching staff.

One big — and expected — piece fell into place today.

Via Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, Steve Belichick will become the defensive coordinator at UNC. He has spent 2024 as the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington.

During Bill’s courtship by the Tar Heels, reports and speculation emerged regarding an effort to create a succession plan that would make Steve the next head coach after Bill leaves. The contract negotiated and published by North Carolina makes no mention of that.

Still, if things go well and if Belichick remains until he’s ready to retire, he’ll be in position to make a strong case for family continuity. Especially if Bill is poised to become, essentially, coach emeritus of the program with Steve in charge.

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North Carolina

Huskies DC Steve Belichick set to join father at North Carolina, per report

Published

16 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Huskies DC Steve Belichick set to join father at North Carolina, per report

In unsurprising news, CBS Sports reported that Washington defensive coordinator Steve Belichick is set to follow his father, Bill, to North Carolina. It is the second lost to UNC for the Huskies after linebacker Khmori House pledged to the Tar Heels earlier this week.

Belichick’s defense was often the highlight for the Huskies throughout the regular season. Washington had the fifth-best pass defense in the nation, allowing just 166.8 yards per outing and 13 touchdowns on the year. It was an obvious strength for the Dawgs leading into the season and was pivotal in all six wins.

Belichick spent just one season on Montlake. He joined Jedd Fisch’s highly touted NFL experience-rich staff. He’ll continue that trend, once again joining forces with a man many consider the greatest NFL head coach of all time. Bill will lead a college program for the first time in his career.

Suddenly, North Carolina is an intriguing destination that the Huskies must be wary of after already losing House. USA Today college football reporter Matt Hayes said on X that UNC would increase its NIL package for football “from 4 million to $20 million in effort to land Belichick.”

On the surface, there isn’t much to fear about UNC on the gridiron. However, the sweet selection of uniforms, a sudden surplus of NIL funds, Power 4 residency and the opportunity to play under the Belichick duo could be very attractive to NFL hopefuls.

Fisch addressed the potential of having to replace Belichick earlier this month.

“If (Steve) joins (Bill) then we’ll have to hire a new defensive coordinator,” Fisch said. “If he stays here then we won’t have to hire a new defensive coordinator. I think they’re separate. Bill Belichick is not on our staff. Steve Belichick is on our staff. So, Bill will determine whether or not he wants to continue. He’s the greatest coach of all time. So, if he goes and coaches somewhere, then he’ll make a decision, and then Steve will make a decision and we’ll figure it out from there.”

As for what’s next on Montlake, our Luke Kemper has you covered.