THE “DO-NOTHING” DEMOCRATS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Six Months into the Legislative Session Without Distinction 

RALEIGH—Today marks the 104th legislative day and the 183rd calendar day of the current session at the General Assembly.  But what do we have to show for it?  Still there is no budget in place as the Democrats continue to squabble among themselves about the best way to raise our taxes.  Meanwhile, Republicans offered a proposed budget more than a month ago that would cut taxes while still adequately funding state programs.  Unfortunately, Democrats have not included Republicans in the continuing debate on the budget preferring instead to decide among themselves which taxes to raise and how high to raise them. 

Linda Daves, Chairman, North Carolina Republican Party made the following statement: 

“104 days into this legislative session and the Democrats in power have failed to do the one thing they are constitutionally obligated to do: create a budget.  Instead of doing what they were sent to Raleigh to do by the people of North Carolina, they have been fighting among themselves about how best to raise our taxes.  It is irresponsible for Democrats to be looking for more ways to raise our taxes in order to further expand government when our state is enjoying a second consecutive year of budget surpluses in excess of a billion dollars.  When you are experiencing surpluses in the budget, it indicates you are collecting too many taxes.  Unfortunately, these Democrats have never met a tax they could not raise.   

Inserting himself into the fray, Governor Easley has intervened like a disapproving parent by issuing an Executive Order to fund certain education programs.  That might be a solution if it did not run afoul of the North Carolina Constitution.  According to Article 5 Section 7 of the North Carolina Constitution, the legislature is the only appropriate authority for the appropriation of money. 

The Democrats in the legislature have to get themselves out of this mess, but after six months in the state capitol, the Democrat leadership has nothing to show us but ethics scandals, exposed corruption, and failures.  The people of North Carolina expect more.  Enough is enough.  It is time for Democrats to stop bickering like children and do the job they were sent to Raleigh to do.”

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