HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93010_0925 (2)Commissioner Johnson said he had recently observed Governor Easicy's
..propagandists" saying the Governor had no choice but to withhold the
reimbursements due to the fact that he (Governor) was compelled by law to
balance the budget. Johnson said the "no choice" statements were -baseless- and
showed "no semblance of fact," He continued by saying:
Fair 1, The Governor has had several choices, and at each juncture he
has made the wrong choice. Xin Haiti has left the Governors office
twice, and each time the State has been in a budget deficit. Easley knew
this when lie took office. There was adeficit ofbetween Jit to$4million.
During the winter the deficit grew, but the State was using optimistic
econoinieforecasts when numerous economists had agreed the State was
in or economic slowdown. Easley did not listen to the forecasters,
instead he continued spending by pushing new programs and services.
The budget deficit grew reaching over a billion dollars. Easlel, their
raised taxes. When you raise taxes it reduces people's disposable
income, they have less money -- fewer jobs are created, profits are less,
and it inakes the economic- turndown worse. Corporate income taves are
now the highest in the southeast. Easley raised the marginal personal
income tax, arid it's now the highest in the southeast. Now, we will have
the highest sales tax in the southeast, with the exclusion of Tennessee
which has no personal income taxes. Easley had choices, but he made
the wrong choices. As a percent of income in the southeast, North
Carolina ranks number one. As a percent of the gross disposable
product in the State, we rank number one in the percentage of wealth
conjiscated in the forth of corporate income taxes. The State budget
office said that the budget decisions in Raleigh to confiscate money that
was title to the cities and counties would force local governments to raise
property taxes, statewide, by $60 million. That is a statement front the
State budget office. After the Governor confiscated the money, he
continued by creating new programs. When the legislative leaders in his
own party expressed concerns about the new programs in a tight budget
year, the Governor threatened to veto the budget if it did not include his
expansion part. The law makers made cuts to prisons, public health, and
other departments to raise some of the money. The State budget ofjice
their used $6 million in non-recurring money to fund expenditures likely
to continue next year. How will the budget be balanced next year? 11's
apparent the Governor is not finished raising taxes. Conran' to what
the Governor says, he has cut education funding. Here in Iredell County
over $900.000 has been cut by the Stale for education. New educational
programs are being mandated by the State, but the State is only funding
one half of the portion. About $3 million was owed to the comfy, and
the Governor neglected to pay his bill. He chose to spend the money on
something else. Statesville, Mooresville, Troutman, Harmony, and Love
Valley did not get the money owed to thein. Tire Governor also took $1
million in Medicaid costs, that was previously paid by the State, arid put
the funding burden on the county and its taxpayers.
Fact 2. Hard times have hit everywhere except in the Governors office.
As of June 4 in the Governor's office, there were 65 employees, Tile
senior assistant for government affairs is paid an annual salary or
$139,625, the senior assistant for policy/legal matters is paid $139,000,
eight other members have salaries ranging front $83,000 to $119,000
There is an executive assistant to the First Lady, who reaches at North
Carolina Central University, arid this person makes $48,000. A
Hispanic -Latin Liaison ispaid $75,625 each year, and a food director is
paid $51,995. The salaries for the guards arid chauffeurs are not
included. These salaries appeared in the Dunn Daily Record.
Johnson said it was not his desire to pass the sales tax resolution, but the
county taxpayers would be faced with a property tax increase otherwise.
KM:P—T�MENT TO THE MOTIO : Commissioner Bowles made an
amendment to commissioner Williams motion. The amendment was: That the
sales tax replace the amount budgeted as a loan from Solid Waste with the
difference to be appropriated to the schools.