North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed the state budget into law on Thursday, the last the country to pass a budget Cooper a Democrat told reporters on Tuesday that he would sign the compromise budget revealed on Monday by the Republican-majority agature It followed nearly two months of negotiations between Cooper House Speaker Tim Moore Senate leader Phil Berger and the legisladors. The Senate and House the budget bil week with broad bipartisan support for Cooper said he would sign it. The final vole was in the House Thunday morning Cooper said Tuesday that the good outweighs the bad in the budget, which brings verage wees of over to years for teachers and other state employees, cuts individual income thes and starts the phasing out of the state's corporate income tax This budget moves North Carolina forward in important way." Cooper said in a statement Funding for high speed internet our niversities and community Colleges, clean air and drinking water and desperately needed pay increases for teachers and store employees are critical for our store to emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever I will continue to fight for progress where this budget faits short but believe that on balance is an important step in the night direction The budget spends 525 9 bilion in the current fiscal year, which started July 1, and $27 bilioni the 2022 2023 year. Bonuses and raises retroactive to say I could be given to state employees by January, or earliera House Republican staff told reporters on Thursday Earlier Thursday on the House for Rep Donny Lambeth a Winston-Salem Republican and a head budget writer, said we're already we and hoped for unanimous support. I passed 101-10 on its final House vote. On Wednesday, Lambath compared the final budget to a fine wino aging to perfection. He said it will inceove the lives of every in North Carolina and called it once In a generation budget with historic Investments in education and infrastructure. The Senate's final vote a day earlier was 41-7, both wes with significant Democratie support Server Democrats were part of the budget conference Committee and had a hand in negotiations with Repuis House Speaker Tim More quipped Thursday that even though North Carolina was the last stane to pass the budget "we did it the best." Moore said that no one wanted to leave the festive session without a fully enacted todost. In addition to rate tax cuts and school construction projects, it also allocates federal coronavirus relief funds Moore had just signed e budget so gred by Serate de Phil Berger, before was sent by special messenge two blocks away to the governor Cooper signed the budget in the Executive Mansion flanked by state budget director Charlie Perusse and legislative affars director LT McCommon ording to a proto sed by the governor's offit Ofers and courteroffers between the sides became public on Wednesday through a public recondo request by The News & Observer and other local media. The amount of potential to cuts, Medicaideasion, mis on my powers and wount of rates and education spending were among the negotiation Cooper Berge and Moorelt nations without a complete deal, but enough for each to claim a win Berperan Eden Republican, told reporters after a Senate budget vote on Tuesday that concessions made on the Senate Republican de in the budget include the higher rates than the original Senate plan as well as raising the minimum wage for non-certified school employees to $15 per hour within two years. Rep. Charles Graham a Robson County Democrat who served on the budget conference committee, said this budget is one of the greatest accomplishments he's been involved with since he came to the General Assembly rms ago think this budget en volumes for curare looking for us to work in a Dipartisan way. Graham, who is running for Congress, told The NGO on Thursday after 1. Describe the general fiscal policies and budget rules of North Carolina and how they are different and similar with those of other states. 2. Based on the article, what stream of politics pot involved in the North Carolina's state budget process? 3. Governor Cooper said that the good outweighs the bad". What are the good and what are the bad specifically? Are they really good or really bad? Why? 4. What budget issue was preventing the state passing a budget over the past three years? How and why? You may need to do some search to answer this one. 5. In your view, what are the key budget issues in the state that remain unresolved? What reforms do you think will be necessary and beneficial for improving the state budget process and outcome