Perdue readies for first speech to NC Legislature

RALEIGH -- Beverly Perdue gives her first speech as governor to the Legislature as she tries to manage North Carolina's worst budget problems in a generation. Perdue is slated to deliver the biennial State of the State address Monday night to a joint session of the General Assembly in Raleigh. The televised speech is expected to be frank about troubles facing the state and what to do to keep citizens working now and in the future. Perdue already has ordered spending cuts of up to 9 percent in state agencies to narrow a projected $2.2 billion shortfall this year. She'll release her two-year budget next week. Perdue has heard many State of the State addresses as a former legislator and lieutenant governor. (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)