North Raleigh Today

Sen. Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said Republicans aren't the ones keeping pay raises from teachers and benefits from retirees in a March Facebook post. 

Though the General Assembly already approved a budget, Republicans claim Gov. Roy Cooper and his Democratic allies continue to block the plan from taking effect. 

The North Carolina State Senate leader posted to his Facebook page on March 11 that "Gov. Cooper and his Democratic allies have opposed every Republican-sponsored teacher pay raise in the last 10 years. They even opposed the highest raise in the country. There’s no Republican-sponsored budget or pay raise they’d ever support."

North Carolina legislators have called on Berger to negotiate a budget compromise with the governor. Berger's spokesman Pat Ryan said the two have been in talks for some time now, reports said. 

The budget dispute has created problems for public education, according to a Carolina Journal report on March 10. School systems are unable to fill teacher vacancies, support staff members are forced to work multiple jobs to survive, retirees aren't able to keep up with inflation, according to the publication. 

“Funding education isn’t up for debate. It’s required by the state constitution and protected by the court,” Rep. Julie Von Haefen (D-Wake) said to the Carolina Journal. "The problem is Republicans want it their way or the highway. They have presented only one option and that’s their budget."

The governor provided a compromise budget, but Republicans have not responded, according to reports. The General Assembly returns Tuesday, April 28 for a special session. 

The two sides have been locked in debate since June, when Cooper vetoed a $24 billion budget, stating he wanted more money for teachers' pay, school construction and expanding Medicaid, according to the Carolina Journal.

The House overrode the veto in September — which the Senate hasn't attempted.  

In October, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 354 to provide teachers the pay raises outlined in the initial budget. Cooper vetoed this bill as well, according to reports. An attempt to override this veto failed. Democrats said the raises Republicans backed didn't go far enough and didn't do enough for support staff.