Jacumin criticizes Senate Democrats' budget-making

State Sen. Jim Jacumin, R-Burke/Caldwell, has joined a chorus of his Republican colleagues who criticized Senate Democrats for crafting the 2009-11 state budget without much GOP input.
And some House Democrats have added their own criticism to Republican concerns that the Senate didn't say how the state will fund the budget that calls for spending $20.05 billion in its first year.
The Senate, on a 30-16 vote, passed the two-year proposed budget on Thursday, three days after unveiling it. With a solid majority, the Democrats cut off debate on the budget before the first of three votes. They also prevented amendments, such as ones Jacumin favored, to increase career and technical education in the schools and to prevent the state from taking local school districts' construction money to balance the budget.
"Senate Democrats emerged from their secret budget meetings with their 347-page version on Monday evening," Jacumin said. "Their budget increases spending over what we actually will spend this year by 7.5 percent! Who among us will receive a 7.5 percent raise to pay for that?"
The proposed budget closes an estimated $3.4-billion gap in revenues with $1.1 billion in spending cuts, $1.7 billion in federal stimulus money and nearly $600 million in higher taxes and fees.
"The budget uses one-time stimulus money to budget for recurring expenses," Jacumin said. "This is like winning $50,000 in the lottery and obligating yourself to pay $50,000 a year on a dream house you can't afford. We just saw what this causes on a national level with all the foreclosures and bankruptcies."
The proposed budget also includes a line item setting aside $500 million for future tax adjustments that weren't detailed in the bill — another reason most Senate Republicans voted against the measure.
Jacumin said his preference is for the General Assembly to cut spending.
"With every business and every family having to cut back, we just don't get it in state government. Look for huge tax increases to pay for this over the next few years," Jacumin warned.
He said the budget already contains more than $50 million in increased fees — "(taxes) that will hurt families and small businesses...."
House leaders cautiously accepted the Senate's proposed budget, worried whether they'll ultimately need to make more cuts or raise more taxes than their counterparts.
In any event, the House's chief budget-writers predicted they'll make some significant changes in the Senate plan when they unveil their version later this spring.
"It leaves a lot to be desired," said Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, senior co-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. "It appears, though, we're going to have to do some serious realigning of the budget."
The House is expected to give close scrutiny on Senate efforts to raise class sizes in public schools and phase out the More at Four preschool program championed by former Gov. Mike Easley.
The Senate plan reduces spending for K-12 schools more deeply than Gov. Beverly Perdue sought in her budget proposal released three weeks ago, shifting more money over to the community college and University of North Carolina systems.
Perdue and the N.C. Association of Educators oppose a change that would increase the average size of public school classrooms by two students through the 2010-11 school year at a savings of $322 million annually. Perdue's office said it could jeopardize 6,000 teachers' jobs in the next two years.
The More at Four program provides free, high-quality preschool to 32,000 at-risk 4-year-olds.
The Senate passed the budget bill a few weeks before key April revenue figures are released. These revenues are usually the most volatile of the fiscal year and could affect the current year's budget shortfall and, in turn, adjust revenue projections necessary to fashion the budget.
"It's early in the session. We do not have April 15 numbers. I just don't think that the most fundamental budget decisions have yet been made," said House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange. "It's apparent the general public does not yet realize the kind of cuts that may ultimately be necessary."
Once the House approves its own budget, negotiators from both chambers will work out a compromise they hope Perdue will sign into law.

Gary D. Robertson of The Associated Press contributed to this report.