State Senate Releases Version Of Budget

State Senate leaders have unveiled their budget proposal. Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger says the $20.1 billion-dollar plan contains adjustments that allow more money to be replaced in medicaid. But the Senate version spends nearly $130 million dollars less than the House budget on education. One place the Senate budget does spend money is on the Republican's Excellence in Public Schools Act that Berger sponsored.

Sen. Phil Berger: That will strengthen student literacy, improve graduation rates, increase accountability in the classroom, reward effective teachers, give parents tools to make better-informed decisions about their child's education.

The Senate budget was immediately denounced by Democratic governor Bev Perdue as "not good for children or the economic future" of North Carolina.

Berger says he expects to strike a compromise between the Senate and House budgets for a quick approval.