McCrory wants lawmakers to borrow, raise teacher base pay

RALEIGH, NC (AP/WWAY) — North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory wants legislators to let the state borrow roughly $2.5 billion for transportation and government infrastructure and to fulfill their promise to raise base teacher pay to $35,000 this fall.

McCrory’s office released goals Wednesday night as he delivered his second State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly.

He told lawmakers, members of the Council of State and appeals courts members that North Carolina’s resilience has helped it get back on its feet economically. But he says he knows some people and small towns are still hurting.

The governor urged the legislature to work with him so that everyone who wants a job can get one in a vibrant economy. He also talked about education, public safety and health care.

Folks in our area said they’d be listening to see if he gave any inkling about revisiting the film incentives program, which he didn’t.

We talked with the owner of Cinema Catering, a service for the film industry exclusively.

They say it isn’t just about losing the film industry it’s also about regular everyday jobs and businesses.

“Every day I read the newspaper, I watch TV, and I keep hoping that our governor will give it a second look and think about the business ramifications because it is just not us,” said Phyllis Gallichet, owner of Cinema Catering.

She says her husband has already started operating parts of their business out of Atlanta and without incentives she’ll soon go too.

We asked whether she’d consider changing her business model and doing more than just film. She said their trucks are too big and are built to accommodate too many people. Plus, she said she’s being doing this for 20 years and it’s what they love to do.