Both houses of the State Legislature have passed a final $20.6 billion dollar budget. Much of today's debate in the House and Senate centered on the cuts to public education. Those cuts include eliminating about 2,000 teacher assistant positions and ending teacher tenure.
"You cut a half a billion dollars out of education in this budget in order to make up for the tax giveaway that you did for the wealthy and the out-of-state corporations," said Democrat Martin Nesbitt, the Senate Minority Leader.
Republicans, like Senator Jerry Tillman, argued that this budget spends more on education than the last one.
"I think you will end up liking it, the schools will not close, they will operate, and yes, tenure, we took out," said Tillman. "Everyone I know except teachers want us to take out tenure and we’re finally doing it."
The budget now goes to Governor Pat McCrory, who is expected to sign it.