8 UCW JANUARY 22-28, 2020
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM
OPINION
Legislative update: 2019-2020
long legislative session
by KIRK DEVIERE
Friend, the 2019-2020 long Legisla-
tive Session has adjourned, and we
still don't have a budget. e failure
to pass this budget lies with Sen. Phil
Berger and the Republican leadership
who are unwilling to compromise
and work for all the people in North
Carolina. Our educators deserve a pay
increase, we need investment in our
public education infrastructure, we
must protect our water from contami-
nants like Gen X, North Carolinians
need Medicaid expansion, and we
can pay for it all by cutting corporate
welfare in favor of taking care of the
people of North Carolina.
It is time to govern and put people
over politics. Republicans continue
to make excuses rather than working
for the people of North Carolina and
compromising on a budget that works
for everyone. I am committed along
with the other 20 democratic mem-
bers in the Senate to continue this
fight for a better budget.
On Jan. 14, the North Carolina
Senate met for a brief session before
adjourning until April.
During this session, no compro-
mise was made on the budget. Senate
Minority Leader Dan Blue and all
Senate Democratic members offered
to stay for as long as it takes to get an
adequate budget that supports public
education (K-12 and higher ed),
teachers, support staff and retirees.
What I'm fighting for in the budget
process:
· Adequate pay raise for teach-
ers — GOP budget has a 3.8% raise,
Gov. Cooper proposed 8.6%. Senate
Democrats are fighting for a compro-
mise of 6.5%.
· Adequate pay raise for retirees
— GOP budget has a 0.5% raise. Gov.
Cooper proposed 2%. Senate Demo-
crats suggested a compromise of 1.5%.
· Adequate pay for noncertified
educators — GOP budget included a
$500 bonus. Gov. Cooper proposed
1.5%. Senate Democrats suggested
2%, while other state employees saw
an increase of the minimum to $15/
hour, facility staff like bus drivers,
janitors, cafeteria staff and others
have not seen a meaningful pay raise
in years.
· Democrats proposed a $100
million increase in public school
infrastructure, including $19 million
in additional funding for Cumberland
County.
· Democrats also proposed $5 mil-
lion in additional resources to address
contaminants like Gen X.
e North Carolina General As-
sembly session has adjourned and
will be back in session April 28. Please
know that the office will continue to
be open, so feel free to visit us at any
time. Please contact us by phone at
919-733-5776 or by email at Deviere-
la@ncleg.net for further questions.
It is time to govern and put people over politics.
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The City of Fayetteville provides a great service with loose
leaf collection beginning during the fall part of the year.
You do not have to wait for leaf pickup! If you put your
leaves out in sturdy bags or containers on your regular
yard debris day, they will be picked up weekly.
This also helps keep leaves out of the storm drains.
Collection schedule determined by
Collection schedule determined by
zip code and neighborhood.
Questions?
Call (910) 433-1532 or 910-433-1FAY (433-1329).
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SEN. KIRK DEVIERE. COM-
MENTS? Editor@upandcomin-
gweekly.com.
910-484-6200.