Perdue has tough choices with NC budget plan

RALEIGH — After writing state budgets as a legislator, Gov. Beverly Perdue now tries her hand at a spending proposal as North Carolina’s chief executive.

Perdue was to release her budget plan Tuesday to the General Assembly as the state faces its worst economic conditions in a generation.

The new governor and former senator has said her budget would attempt to protect public education and create and retain jobs.

She said the state’s share of federal stimulus money would help raise overall education spending by $350 million. Perdue hasn’t said whether she’ll ask the Legislature to raise taxes to help close a projected $3.4 billion budget gap.

The Legislature will review the plan as it approves its own budget for the two years starting July 1.

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