North Carolina budget heads to Gov. Cooper

North Carolina Republican legislative leaders are daring Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to sign the two-year state budget that will soon be heading to his desk, saying the spending plan contains many items that Cooper sought.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters Thursday the plan contains middle-class tax cuts, nearly 10 percent teacher raises on average over two years and money for Hurricane Matthew relief and reserves. The Senate’s already approved the budget. The House was slated to hold its final vote Thursday afternoon.

Cooper already has blasted the budget as possibly the most fiscally irresponsible budget he’s ever seen, so a veto sounds likely. But Berger said legislators “will quickly override” Cooper if he uses his veto stamp.

House Minority Leader Darren Jackson says fellow Democrats will support Cooper’s veto and calls the final budget petty and partisan.

___

2:50 a.m.

It’ll be up to Cooper whether to veto the measure, which would spend $23 billion in the coming year. He’s already called the two-year spending plan fiscally irresponsible and fails when it comes to education and economic development.

Cooper’s veto would be difficult to sustain — Republicans hold veto-proof majorities and even a handful of Democrats have voted yes on the budget this week.