Rep. Carl Ford (District 76)
♦Twenty-Eighth Week of the 2015 Long Session
With the budget set to expire on August 31, on Tuesday the Governor announced that he, the House, and the Senate agreed to a spending level for the 2015-16 budget, $21.74 billion. This ceiling is roughly $300 million more than the Senate’s initial proposal and $400 million less than the House’s proposal. It’s a spending increase of 3.1 percent from 2014-15. While this doesn’t mean that we’ve reached a compromise budget, it means that the details can now be negotiated and puts us one step closer to a final compromise. The House and Senate could adjourn the 2015 session at the end of August, though there are rumors we might continue our session pass the budget negotiations in order to address Medicaid reform.
Bill updates
“Unemployment Insurance Law Changes” – Senate Bill 15
Beginning in 2013, when Republicans took control of the House, Senate, and Governor’s office, we set out to bring much needed reforms to North Carolina’s Unemployment Insurance system, widely considered one of the worst in the country. After years of massive tax burdens on North Carolina employers, we are reaching the conclusion of North Carolina’s recovery from the 2008 recession and years of Democrat mismanagement. Senate Bill 15 continues our reforms and oversight and triggers the close of a 20% surcharge to employer’s unemployment insurance tax.
The surcharge was set to expire when the trust fund exceeded $1 billion in reserves, which, thanks to diligent monitoring of benefit payments and restoring fiscal sanity to our system, we’re expected to accomplish after only 3 years. Remember, we were $2 billion in debt to the federal government after the 2008 recession depleted the trust funds’ meager reserves. SB 15 will continue the surcharge trigger, keeping $240 million in employer’s bank accounts, but will check our reserves on a quarterly basis, rather than annual basis.
Rowan Little League Softball World Champs
I am so pleased to congratulate our Little League softball team who brought home the world championship after defeating Rhode Island 4-2 on Wednesday. I’m sure I join the rest of Rowan County in celebrating the girls’ lifetime achievement. We couldn’t be more proud!
Thank you for taking the time to read about the work I was able to accomplish this week for Cabarrus and Rowan. Expect to hear big news as the 152nd resumes its legislative session and budget process.
God Bless,
Carl
Legislative Office: (919) 733-5881
District Office: (704) 305-3541
carl.ford@ncleg.net
