1.
Capitol
Commentary
419B Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
(919) 715-3009 ruths@ncleg.net
June 6, 2011 Legislative Update Raleigh, NC
It is often noted and rightfully so that throughout its history North Carolina has been blessed with
many great government leaders. These praiseworthy men and women were effective, in large
part, because they recognized the critical needs of the state and then worked skillfully through
political channels to meet them.
But often it seems -- as we shower these skilled public servants with accolades it is forgotten that
it was the people of North Carolina who showed the greatest wisdom and foresight by selecting
those leaders.
Last November, voters across the state went to the polls to elect the first Republican-led state
legislature in more than a century. The stunning election results, I believe, reflected a desire on
the part of citizens to change the way things operate in Raleigh, and to create a government that
would better meet the needs of our state today.
Last week, the state legislature passed by an overwhelming majority a budget aimed at doing just
that.
The $19.6 billion spending plan will bolster our economy and spur job creation. It allows a
1-cent sales tax increase to expire less than four weeks from now, keeping the promise that
politicians made in 2009 that it would only be temporary. As a result, state taxpayers will have
$1.3 billion more in their wallets. It also includes a $50,000 tax exemption for small businesses,
the backbone of our economy. Overall, economists say these measures could help create 14,000
private sector jobs in the first year and 30,000 over the next two years.
It takes the first steps toward education reform. Currently, 23 percent of our children leave
third grade without adequate reading skills, yet only 3 percent are held back. This budget would
address the failure of our system in those crucial years by reducing class sizes in first through
third grades. The student/teacher ratio would drop to 17-to-1 from 18-to-1, with the addition of
1,100 teachers.
This budget protects every currently filled teaching and teaching assistant position. And, it calls
for a performance pay model for teachers and state employees aimed at helping us find the best
ways to retain and reward excellence.
It shrinks the size of government by cutting more than $1 billion in spending through
consolidating functions and reducing waste and inefficiency. During the last 10 years, state

2. consolidating functions and reducing waste and inefficiency. During the last 10 years, state
spending has doubled. This budget would reduce it by 4 percent.
This is hardly a radical overhaul of our state government, but it is a pro-jobs, pro-education,
smaller-government step in the right direction. It better reflects the values of our citizens who
continue to strive for better opportunities for themselves and their children, despite our economic
hard times.
Last November, the people of North Carolina elected a legislature for the 21st century. Last
week, that legislature passed a budget for the 21st century.
Best wishes,
Ruth Samuelson, Majority Whip
NC House of Representatives, District 104
Mecklenburg County
http://www.ruthsamuelson.com