House OKs NC gov’t spending plan while awaiting budget deal

By GARY D. ROBERTSON

Associated Press

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — Republican leaders in the General Assembly have tentatively agreed on a stopgap measure that dictates how North Carolina’s government should keep spending as budget negotiations go into overtime.

The House voted Monday night for legislation that lays out funding and spending for when the new fiscal year begins Wednesday without a new two-year plan in place.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown says Senate GOP leaders support the proposal.

The measure largely keeps government funding at current levels, save for areas where the chambers have already agreed to identical cuts in competing budget measures.

The bill spends $100 million more to pay for expected public school enrollment growth. It also raises the minimum teacher salary to $35,000.

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