Up & Coming Weekly

January 21, 2020

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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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. LooseLeafSeason.com 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). CAN'T BEAT $ARAH THE JACKPOT GROWS BY $25 EACH DAY SARAH ISN'T BEATEN! POWERED BY: TUNE IN AT 6:10AM AND 8:10AM EVERY WEEKDAY! SEN. KIRK DEVIERE. COM- MENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200.

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