Drama, drama, drama
So, one day before the state's ability to spend and, in some cases, raise money expired there is a continuing resolution on the table. The honorables have agreed to keep things running until July 20. I guess we CAN keep the lights on the prisoners locked up.
The agreement is stunning in that there is nothing new or creative about it. Nothing. This is the same agreement that folks were talking about days ago. So why all the drama? You can bet it has something to do with politics.
Sales taxes remain at 7 percent throughout most of the state and the agreement doesn't tinker with the income tax, leaving that until the main budget deal gets worked out.
Just so you won't be totally bored, here's your fun fact of the day: North Carolina now has the lowest per-pack cigarette tax in the nation. At 5-cents per pack, we're 2-cents lower than South Carolina. Of course, the honorables plan on using a cigarette tax hike to help fund their budget, whenever they get around to writing a final version.