立法 leaders indicated this week that they are close to finalizing budget negotiations 和 are optimistic that a final budget might be put to a vote before the House 和 Senate next week. 前 chamber leaders planned to continue meeting today to try to settle remaining disagreements. Passage of a budget should clear the way for adjournment of the legislative session within two to three weeks. A continuing budget resolution that allows state government to operate in absence of a final budget is set to expire a week from today.
目前尚不清楚是否会有实质性的税收变化, Medicaid reforms or business recruiting incentives -- issues removed from the budget talks -- will be considered after approval of a budget. 立法 leaders did indicate on Thursday that the House 和 Senate had agreed to a $2 billion bond referendum to be held next year, with much of the money going toward state building construction 和 some toward local school construction. 公投预计将在3月份的初选期间举行. 阅读更多关于预算谈判的内容 在这里. 联系人: 罗斯·沃恩·威廉姆斯
众议院少数党领袖拉里·霍尔说 this week addressed long-st和ing rumors that some legislators were planning significant changes to the state pension system, 从固定收益计划转变为固定缴款计划. 代表大厅 held a news conference on Thursday in which he criticized such plans 和 cited previous studies showing North Carolina's pension system in a strong financial position. 与此同时, 众议院议长蒂姆·摩尔 和 参议院领袖菲尔·伯格 他说今年没有任何立法的计划.
代表大厅, 在新闻发布会上, said he had been told of plans to "drastically change the pension system" for state employees 和 that this "major policy change" might appear in the state budget or in a separate bill. "If this happens without the full involvement of the General Assembly, everyone loses," he said. He added that such a change might benefit stock traders but not the workers in the system.
一个365足彩下载 立法的目标 calls for support of legislation that "defends the fiscal integrity of Local Government Employees' Retirement System 和 its defined benefit structure, 推动具有前瞻性的合理养老金改革, 并满足当地员工的需求, 雇主及退休人员." One provision included in the Senate version of the budget would have begun phasing out health insurance coverage for state retirees. Another would have continually lowered the assumed rate of return of pension fund investments, potentially forcing higher contributions to the fund 和 leading to higher unfunded liability projections.
北卡罗来纳7席.25 percent assumed rate of return is already the fourth lowest in the country 和 considered sound by independent investment research firms like Morningstar. That firm has consistently ranked North Carolina's pension system one of the best in the country. 的 local government portion of the state pension fund is considered 100 percent funded, 也就是说没有资金缺口. 阅读更多关于养老金计划的反复讨论 在这里 和 在这里. 联系人: 莎拉·柯林斯
Various publications reported this week that legislative budget writers have agreed to put $30 million toward a grant program for film incentives. 的 figure represents a substantial increase over the $10 million allocated in the previous budget 和 was cheered by film industry advocates as an appropriation likely to pave the way for more film 和 TV production in the state.
365足彩下载的一个 市政365体育足彩目标 calls for support of legislation to establish a competitive film incentive program 和 to restore historic preservation tax credits. Tax credits for both historic building restoration 和 film production expired in January, 和 the League has advocated for adequate replacements to promote economic development in both 2014 和 during this year's legislative session. 的 future of historic preservation tax credits also is the subject of budget negotiations, 和 Senate leaders appear to have softened in their opposition to the tax credits. 阅读更多关于电影授权协议的内容 在这里.
阿伯丁, 烟囱岩, Elon 和 Laurinburg have been chosen to participate in the North Carolina Main Street Center's new Downtown Associate Community program. 的 program will allow officials in the four municipalities to receive training 和 technical assistance for up to three years related to developing their downtowns 和 bringing new business investments t在这里. At the end of the three years, each can apply for official designation as a Main Street community. 阅读N.C. 商务部新闻发布关于选择和计划
在这里.
在联合国最近的一次会议上.C. 环境管理委员会， N.C. 空气质素科 导演希拉·霍尔曼说，她期待 U.S. 环境保护署(EPA) to set new ozone st和ards at a level that likely will keep the entire state in compliance. Director Holman said the EPA should release its new ozone st和ard by October 1. She explained that EPA originally proposed reducing the current st和ard from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to somew在这里 in the range of 65-70 ppb, 和 that EPA has recently indicated that the st和ard will likely be set at 70 ppb.
At that level, the whole state would remain in compliance, otherwise known as "attainment." Attainment is important to cities because transportation funding can be affected in areas that violate air quality st和ards. 霍尔曼局长还解释说，即使标准设定为65 ppb, 该州只有五个地区违反了这一规定——梅克伦堡县, 福赛斯县和三个山顶监测站. 联系人: 莎拉·柯林斯.
我们将继续寻求申请者为365足彩下载政策委员会服务, 哪一个是参与倡导工作的好方法. 填写的截止日期
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政府事务协调员凯伦Waddell. 的
立法行动委员会和监管行动委员会 serve a crucial role in developing League priorities 和 in making the needs of cities 和 towns known to state 和 federal policymakers. 今天就参与进来! 联系人:
凯伦Waddell