Earlier today, Sen. Phil Berger released the following statement.

This is not the first time Berger has issued such a statement.

Remember the last part of October? From the News & Observer:

Republicans in the General Assembly are offering Democrats a deal that would mean raises for teachers and some other state employees if the state budget becomes law.

North Carolina teachers could get the 3.9% raises over the next two years that are in the state budget, which includes step increases for longevity, or an additional raise that would bring the total raise to 4.4% if Democrats vote with Republicans to override the governor’s veto of the budget, Republican General Assembly leaders announced Wednesday…

…“There’s still time for Senate Democrats to come back to us with what more they need to override the veto. This bill can change in five minutes. Otherwise, this is it. If the Governor vetoes this bill, teachers and support staff are the only ones in the state who will get nothing,” Berger said.

Apparently, that ultimatum wasn’t “it” because now it is over forty days later than that time. And on October 30th, it had been over 100 days and 4 million dollars wasted on an extended session in which Phil Berger did not have the guts to even call a vote on a veto-override in the NC Senate.

It’s funny that Berger mention that it was “impossible to negotiate teacher pay in isolation.” Didn’t Berger and his cronies literally ram last summer’s (2018) budget process through a committee? That was done in “isolation.”

This is nothing more than holding teacher pay hostage. After the release of WestEd’s LEANDRO Report, this seems more like damage control.

While “Bunker” Berger stays behind his sanctimonious trench of partisan politics, this veteran teacher will continue to do his job of teaching students…

…and encouraging others to vote in 2020 for pro-public education candidates.