Update: The Budget and the Social Pages
I’ve been working on a trio of stories (one of which is two of which are REAAALY, really boring according to the editor who read it them) for the weekend dead tree editions, so blogging has taken a back seat for a couple days.
I know, I know. Where are my priorities?
To make amends and by way of updates:
- House budget writers sent their crack at how to spend $18.8 billion or so off to the printers at the end of the week. The sub-committees that vet the budget met for a last time Thursday afternoon to deal with last minute changes and give their official blessing.
That means the full House will vet the budget next week, giving it their final blessing by Thursday or Friday. And then the real work begins.
There will be substantial difference between the House and Senate plans, and all those will have to be ironed out before something can be sent along to the governor. There is a possibility the honorables could finish all this on time (by July 1) this year, but both chambers will have to give and take a little to make that happen. Otherwise, it could be a long hot summer, just like last year.
Click here for an early look from the AP.
- I’m pretty sure there may have been more leaders from Greensboro and High Point wandering about Cap City last week than were actually back minding the store. In an hours span, along with a bunch of business types, I ran into Allen Purser of the Chamber of Commerce, former City Manager Ed Kitchen now works with the Bryan Foundation, High Point Library Director Kem Ellis and Greensboro Library Director Sandy Neerman. I also spied school board member Calvin Boykin and hear tell of some city council folks being around, but didn’t see any of them. I did catch former Greensboro council member Don Vaughan, but he’s down here quite a bit so I don’t know if it counts as a sighting.
All were up here lobbying for various causes, including more library funding and more state aid for economic development for the Greensboro area.
I have three stories planned for this coming Sunday and Monday, including one regarding the state budget and the High Point Furniture Market, and another on the proposed change to the age at which children enter Kindergarten.
Until then, have a pleasant weekend.