First up this week is the Governor delivering her State of the State address to the General Assembly at 7 pm. You can watch it live via the web at www.wral.com. The Governor is expected to provide some insight into the State budget proposal she plans to deliver shortly to the General Assembly. President Pro Temp Berger will deliver the Republican response and then Speaker Tillis will join him for a Q & A with reporters.
This week could also see the first veto of the Session on SB13 – Balanced Budget Act of 2011. The bill was passed largely on party lines and is headed to the Governor’s office for her signature or veto stamp. The General Assembly can override the veto with the support of 3/5ths of present and voting members.
Committee work is expected to be the focus for much of the week with bills being heard on charter schools, the UNC Board of Governors elections, and continued presentations in Appropriations subcommittees from agencies.
As I have mentioned before, capping the gas tax is an issue that is getting some attention. Remember that capping the gas tax at the current rate (32.5¢ per gallon) will eliminate at least $1 billion from the DOT 10-year work plan. This includes an approximate loss of $800 million from maintenance, $200 million from construction, and $30 million from municipal Powell bill and secondary road funds. The impact will be immediate, roughly $150 million per year, and be felt across all 100 counties. See the potential impact on your county here (letter size) (legal size) and talking points here.
