Union County Passes Resolution Urging Passage of Vetoed Budget

Union County commissioners highlight $27.1 million currently on hold because of Gov. Cooper’s obstructionism

Cooper-blocked budget also funds an additional District Court judge and a prosecutor

Raleigh, N.C. — Union County commissioners last night voted unanimously in support of a resolution urging passage of the budget that Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed last June. See video of the proceeding here.

The resolution “strongly encourages all members of the General Assembly to act in accordance with the needs of the State and support the County of Union” by enacting the vetoed budget.

Sen. Todd Johnson (R-Union) said, “Union County joins a growing number of localities in condemning Gov. Cooper’s obstructionism and supporting the state budget, which passed with a bipartisan supermajority last year. Gov. Cooper needs to drop his Medicaid-or-nothing ultimatum so teachers can get raises, schools can get built, and this state can get on with functional government.”

The state budget that Gov. Cooper vetoed includes:

• $20 million in capital funding for K-12 schools in Union County;
• More than $5.5 million in capital funding for South Piedmont Community College;
• $600,000 for The Bridge to Recovery in Monroe to provide treatment and recovery services to individuals with substance use disorders;
• $50,000 to the Union County Education Foundation to support Union County Public Schools;
• $50,000 to the Town of Unionville for fire equipment;
• $50,000 for Ground 40 in Monroe for drug recovery support for men;
• $30,000 to the City of Monroe for downtown revitalization projects;
• $25,000 for the Union County Community Shelter in Monroe to support the homeless;
• $15,000 to the Union Academy Foundation to support the Union Academy Charter School;
• $15,000 to the Union Day School Foundation to support the Union Day School;
• funds for an additional District Court Judge in Union County;
• funds for a District Attorney Investigator position in Union County.

Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the state budget hours after the legislature passed it. In private meetings, he and his staff have repeatedly told legislators that he would not sign any budget, including his own proposal, unless the legislature first passes Medicaid expansion.

In a press conference about his budget veto, Gov. Cooper said, “I don’t want us to be passing the budget and just having the House pass Medicaid expansion because then you’re not going to get Medicaid expansion.”

Gov. Cooper vetoed 3.9% and 4.4% raises for teachers, and he rejected a compromise proposal that included a 4.9% pay raise for teachers plus a $1,000 bonus.