32 Days and No Republican Budget Counteroffer | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    RALEIGH: It's been 32 days since Governor Cooper proposed a detailed budget compromise. Republican leaders have refused to present a counteroffer, even though House Democrats have made it clear the votes are not there to override the Governor's veto.

    A majority of North Carolina voters are in favor of expanding Medicaid and, as this morning's editorial from WRAL stated, are ready for Republicans to stop playing political games and work towards a compromise:

• There's no question just whose job it is to act. Moore knows he doesn't have the votes to override Cooper's veto. Instead of voting and moving on, he plots and waits to spring a roll call on unsuspecting legislators when the right number of Democrats are absent.
• ...
• Moore is aware there are Republicans who know the right thing to do is to expand Medicaid - nearly entirely paid for with federal funds -- so more than a half-million hard-working North Carolinians and their families can access health care.

    Where is the Republican Counteroffer?

    Every day that Republican leaders avoid negotiations is another day that more than half a million North Carolinians go without access to affordable healthcare. Yesterday, the Governor spoke with early childhood teachers in Shelby who fall in the "coverage gap" about the impossible choices made to try to survive without acces to healthcare. From the Shelby Star:

• Stacy McDaniel, assistant director at Mama Lissa's, said she recently had to turn down a $3 raise because it would have meant losing Medicaid for her son.

    Governor Cooper's compromise offer can be found HERE. It would close the health care coverage gap, raise teacher pay, cut taxes for people and guarantee school construction while balancing the budget and saving money in the Rainy Day Fund.

• Contact: Ford Porter
•     govpress@nc.gov