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Editorials
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Thursday, July 03, 2008, 10:25 AM
Legislators fail primary test The N.C. General Assembly has failed its most critical test. Legislators failed to pass a new state budget before the 2008-09 fiscal year began Tuesday. Even though leaders of both chambers held marathon sessions over the weekend to try to work out differences, the two sides were not able to agree on a single spending plan by Monday night. Because this is a "short session" that only tweaks an existing two-year state budget passed in last year's "long session," neither the state nor the public will suffer from legislators' disagreeable lateness. Gov. Mike Easley, who proposed tax increases and big pay raises for teachers that legislators couldn't justify fiscally or politically, has not been much help. The usually detached Easley stepped forward over the weekend to criticize legislators and to urge them to stick to his original plan. He only succeeded in stirring ill will on Jones Street. At the same time he was warning legislators that state revenues will likely be less than projected because of the global economic slowdown, Easley urged legislators to give higher raises to teachers and state employees. He also is insisting on keeping a Senate provision that allows Easley to raise teacher salaries above the level set in the budget if revenues rise. But revenues aren't going to rise. They are likely to stagnate or even fall, depending on just how low the economy sinks. House and Senate leaders aren't that far apart in their budget plans, but leaders on both sides appear to be digging in their heels on some disputed provisions. At this point, the state's budget is in the hands of a handful of leaders in each chamber of the legislature. And the budget discussions are being held behind closed doors. Any doubt about that fact came last week when a News & Observer reporter was refused entry into a committee room by none other than Tony Rand, the Senate majority leader from Fayetteville. Rand told the reporter no budget discussions were taking place in the unannounced meeting, although budget negotiators could be seen through the partially opened door. City councils, county commissions and public school boards could not get away with such disregard for the public's right to know. But legislators have exempted themselves from the state's Open Meetings Law and each year reach key agreements in secret meetings without any public oversight. Even then, they can't pass a budget on time.
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