“Together, we are working to bring North Carolina back!”
The North Carolina General Assembly convened on May 12th. Like last year’s legislative session, we face many challenges. We responded to the crisis by cutting spending by $2.4 billion dollars, yet still fulfilling our promise to maintain a strong education system that will keep our workforce prepared for when opportunities arise.
Too many of our citizens are out of work, but North Carolina remains one of the best places in the nation to raise a family and to run a business. When the national economy recovers, we are poised to attract new, well-paying jobs and to continue our economic growth.
North Carolina’s sound balance sheet is the main reason that we are in a strong position relative to other states. We are among just a handful of states that maintain the highest possible bond ratings and our strong management of the state’s finances allows considerable fiscal flexibility as the economy recovers.
Though we made significant cuts in many areas of state government, we preserved our investment in public schools. More than 55 percent of the total budget is devoted to education at all levels. Good schools lead to good jobs – a principle that eluded all of my Republican House colleagues who voted against investment in education.
With your support, I am committed to help elect candidates across North Carolina who will rise to the challenge of governing this state responsibly, ethically, and with the recognition that government bears a unique responsibility to foster economic growth and enhance our quality of life.
– North Carolina Speaker of the House Joe Hackney
Speaker Hackney introdues Bill Gates at the National Conference of State Legislatures legislative summit on education.
Click here to read the Special Report “Reformer in Power” from the January 2009 edition of Governing Magazine.
