House Lawmakers Override Budget Veto

House lawmakers voted early this morning to override Governor Perdue's veto of a Republican-penned 19.7 billion dollar budget.

Republican leaders in the House held their session late into the night so they could override the governor's veto very early this morning. She vetoed the budget on Sunday, protesting its cuts to education. House rules required waiting until today before lawmakers could attempt to overturn the veto. The budget would eliminate a temporary one-cent sales tax enacted by Democrats two years ago. Majority leader Paul Stam told fellow lawmakers it's the right thing to do.

Paul Stam: "The governor promised that there would be no tax increases during a recession. Ever since she was elected as governor, she has consistently demanded one thing: higher taxes, higher taxes. "
Governor Perdue's veto this weekend marks the first time a Tar Heel governor has rejected a budget created by lawmakers. The North Carolina Senate is expected to take up the measure tomorrow.