Senate Overrides Veto, Budget is Law

Lawmakers in North Carolina's legislature have officially overturned Governor Perdue's veto of a Republican-penned 19-point-7 billion dollar budget. The Senate voted to reject the governor's veto this afternoon. House lawmakers voted to override after midnight early this morning. Republican Senator Richard Stevens is a lead budget writer.

Richard Stevens: "The budget back before us is balanced. It covers the needs of the state. It does not incur any new debt on the people of this state. It puts a billion dollars and more back in the hands of the state by taxes being repealed. It creates jobs. It does not cut the number of jobs that some people have said and may even say that this bill does cut."
Democrats say the budget will lead to thousands of lost jobs, especially among teachers. Republicans argue lower taxes and tax breaks for businesses will help stimulate jobs. The budget will end a temporary one-penny increase in the sales tax enacted by Democrats two years ago.