McCrory signs NC budget, which includes increase to teacher pay

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory was in Union County Thursday morning as he continues to drum up support for re-election.

While at Shiloh Elementary School, McCrory signed the state budget, which increased average teacher pay to more than $50,000.

McCrory said that since 2013, teacher pay has increased faster in North Carolina than any other state.

"This budget further fulfills my vision to increase average annual teacher pay to $50,000 for the first time in state history, provides a middle class tax cut, makes college more affordable and makes much needed investments to improve mental health services, all while strengthening our position as one of the fastest growing economies in the nation," McCrory said.

The General Assembly sent the bill to McCrory two weeks ago on the last day of its annual work session. McCrory's signing was expected -- he never made any public pronouncements against the $22.3 billion plan, which adjusts the second year of the two-year budget approved last year.

The Legislature said the measure raises teacher pay by 4.7 percent on average and gives opportunities for third grade and some high-school teachers to get performance bonuses. Rank-and-file state employees also get a 1.5 percent pay raise and bonuses. There are also income tax cuts through higher standard deductions.

The budget lowers tuition at three state schools to $500 a semester: University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Elizabeth City State University and Western Carolina University.

According to the Governor's Office, the budget increases funding for textbooks and ensures WIFI will be in all classrooms by 2018.

A spokesperson for Attorney General and Democratic candidate for governor, Roy Cooper, said the budget does not do enough.

"Today's press conference is vintage Pat McCrory: A campaign-style rally with a giant banner paid for with taxpayer money, touting a plan that makes big promises but doesn't actually get the job done," Ford Porter, spokesperson for Cooper, said. "This budget leaves North Carolina noncompetitive with neighboring states who are actively recruiting our best teachers out of state. Meanwhile, the governor has repeatedly refused to even meet with teachers who just want a real plan to improve our schools."

The General Assembly sent the bill to McCrory two weeks ago on the last day of its annual work session. McCrory's signing was expected -- he never made any public pronouncements against the $22.3 billion plan, which adjusts the second year of the two-year budget approved last year.

The legislature says the measure raises teacher pay by 4.7 percent on average and gives opportunities for third-grade and some high-school teachers to get performance bonuses. Rank-and-file state employees also get a 1.5 percent pay raise and bonuses. There are also income tax cuts through higher standard deductions.

While much of the campaign for governor in North Carolina this summer is being dominated by the controversy over House Bill Two, candidates spent Wednesday talking about a different topic: jobs.

The focus of the race has now turned to jobs, as both candidates aim to get more North Carolinians back to work.

Democrat Roy Cooper spoke against the backdrop of a machine shop classroom at Central Piedmont Community College to announce his jobs plan.

Cooper called the economic policies, which McCrory calls the Carolina Comeback, a failure.

“We want to make NC a state that works for everyone,” Cooper said.

At the same time, McCrory was in Mebane, where he cut the ribbon for a new Walmart distribution center that will add close to 500 new jobs.

“We’ve got the fourth-fastest growing economy in the United States of America, and that’s where my emphasis is,” McCrory said.

In outlining his own jobs plan, Cooper insisted too many of the new jobs the governor is taking credit for don’t pay enough.

“Simply because there are more jobs doesn’t mean they’re better paying jobs and doesn’t mean people are making more money,” Cooper said.

He is calling for more training for high tech manufacturing jobs at community colleges. In addition, he says he wants tax cuts for the middle class, including a restoration of the Childcare Tax Credit that was eliminated by Republican legislators.

Cooper said he also wants the state to expand Medicaid and to reinstate the tax credit for the film industry.

Political expert Michael Bitzer said Cooper and McCrory need to offer voters some substance in a campaign dominated by negative ads and attacks will be important.

“They need to at least make sure they have some solid policy issues that they can go out and sell to the general public,” Bitzer said.

Cooper outraises McCrory by nearly $2M over past 4 months

Democrat Roy Cooper has extended his fundraising advantage over Republican incumbent Pat McCrory in the North Carolina governor's race — one that's been shaded so far by a state law McCrory signed limiting anti-discrimination rules for LGBT people.

Cooper's campaign announced Tuesday it has raised more than $5.1 million during the past four months, compared to McCrory's $3.2 million the governor's campaign. Cooper's team said it has $9.4 million in cash on hand as of June 30, compared to $6.3 million in McCrory's coffers.

Cooper, the attorney general since 2001, has now outraised McCrory for four consecutive reporting periods dating to early 2015.

The "fundraising numbers show a strong grassroots enthusiasm for Roy Cooper for governor," campaign spokesman Jamal Little said in a release. Both campaigns highlighted their percentages of small donations and donors from North Carolina residents.

Campaign reports for candidates in state races on November's ballot were due at midnight. This most recent reporting period, starting March 1, marks the first since the General Assembly approved the law known as House Bill 2.

The national controversy over the law certainly contributed to the strong financial showing for Cooper this spring and injured McCrory, Meredith College political science professor David McLennan said.

McCrory is the "public face of HB 2, at least nationally," McLennan said. "Any time there's controversy and you're an incumbent governor, it's going to hurt fundraising."

Cooper has blamed the governor for the legislation that has discouraged some companies from making investments in North Carolina. Trade associations have moved their conventions out of state and entertainers have canceled concerts.

Speaking to reporters before his campaign numbers were released, Cooper referred to the law as "this mess that the governor has gotten us into."

McCrory has defended signing the bill, which directs transgender people to use the restroom and locker room in schools and other government buildings that correspond to the gender on their birth certificate. He has downplayed the law's effect on the economy, highlighting the state's low unemployment rate and job creation.

The race is expected to be among the most expensive gubernatorial races this November. Democrats nationally see North Carolina as their best chance to flip a governorship currently held by a Republican. Based on previous reports, Cooper has now raised an estimated $12.7 million this cycle compared to $8.7 million by McCrory.

Speaking to reporters, the governor reinforced his campaign's narrative of Cooper of shirking his responsibilities by refusing to defend the state in court and challenging President Barack Obama's policies. Cooper "has obviously found a lot of time to raise money instead of doing his job," the governor said.

"We're going to do just fine," McCrory said following a business expansion announcement in Cary. "We've got sufficient money to get our message out and build upon the success we're having in both teacher pay raises and job creation here in North Carolina."

Democratic Governors Association spokesman Jared Leopold said Tuesday's news is another sign the McCrory campaign is in crisis and is saddled with "the economic disaster caused by his House Bill 2."

Among other top statewide races, Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest's finance report shows he raised $364,350 during the past four months and has $210,400 on hand. His Democratic challenger, former state Rep. Linda Coleman of Wake County, will report raising $226,000, with $97,900 on hand, according to figures provided by her campaign. Forest has outraised Coleman by a nearly 3-to-1 margin to date. He narrowly defeated Coleman in the 2012 election.

For attorney general, the campaign of Democrat Josh Stein of Raleigh said he will report raising more than $875,000 during the period and had more than $2.1 million on hand. A spokesman for the campaign of Republican nominee Buck Newton of Wilson said late Tuesday that Newton has raised more than $300,000 in the period and had $230,000 in cash starting in July.

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