The NC House and Senate released their 2019-2020 fiscal budget agreement this week and within the $24 billion spending plan is a good deal of money for special projects in Guilford County.
That budget, once it gets final approval from the legislature, will almost certainly get vetoed by NC Governor Roy Cooper; however, if the final state budget looks like the current one, Guilford County leaders will be very pleased.
On Wednesday, June 26, NC House Rep. Jon Hardister stated in a press release that he’s very pleased with the budget agreement. According to Hardister, this is a fiscally responsible budget that keeps the growth rate of government within that of inflation and the state’s population growth.
He said he was particularly pleased with the benefits to Guilford County.
“Guilford County fares very well in this year’s budget,” Hardister stated.
Among the state money that would flow into Guilford County is $7.5 million to North Carolina A&T State University to enhance the school’s doctoral programs and $1.6 million in matching funds for federal research grants. The proposed budget also calls for the university to get $18.5 million for the renovation of Carver Hall.
Hardister stated Wednesday that this will help enhance North Carolina’s flagship historically black university, which, he added, is “a major asset for education and economic development.”
According to Hardister, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro would receive a total of $84 million to renovate the Jackson Library. He said that this is “a much-needed project that will enhance the campus and modernize the university.”
In the budget, Greensboro would get $1 million for disaster relief for the tornado that devastated parts of the city last year. Also, several small towns in Guilford County – including Gibsonville, Pleasant Garden, Sedalia and Whitsett – would receive small town development grants in the state’s new 2019-2020 budget agreement.
As the Rhino Times reported earlier this week, the new budget agreement also calls for $7.7 million to help cover construction costs on a planned mental healthcare project in Guilford County.
Also, the North Carolina Folk Festival receives a $100,000 grant for operational and marketing purposes in the budget proposed by the Republican legislature.
Another major component of the budget for Guilford County is funding for the world-renowned furniture market in High Point, the largest furniture market in the nation. State legislators say they appreciate the fact that the event draws tens of thousands of visitors to the state every year, generating millions in economic impact.
The county’s students benefit from this state budget as well. The Guilford County school system is scheduled to get $28.7 million for school construction from the state in the Republican budget.
Are conservatives supposed to be thrilled at all this spending? If our state government has so much money – which they do – where are the taz cuts? Liberals reliably explode spending when they’re in power, so why are we doing their work for them?
The state ought to be delivering tax relief, if our representatives claim to be conservative, and ideally tax relief which the Democrats eould find very difficult to undo.
Final repeal of the Sales Tax on groceries would be perfect. It helps everybody, particularly low income working families, and it would be politically impossible to re-impose when the liberals return to power.
Margaret Thatcher used to think strategically like this, and she made the UK the 4th largest economy in the World.
No more RINOS!