When Pat McCrory was governor, the GOP super majority then changed budget protocol and made the state budget a biennial process. In an odd-numbered year, a budget is set forth to encompass the next two fiscal years. Amendments to the budget can be made in even-numbered years. Furthermore, if a budget is not passed, then the state automatically reverts to the previous budget’s recurring spending levels.

The budget for the state usually allocates around 56% to 60% of the entire budget to public education, not because lawmakers are so generous, but because the state constitution stipulates it.

Within each budget there are recurring funds and nonrecurring funds.

Please understand that there is a difference between recurring and nonrecurring funds.

Recurring funds means that that money will be part of the yearly budget allotment. They are not one time offerings of funds. Nonrecurring funds are a one-time only allotment unless the next budget renews it.

Also, the state has used finite, nonrecurring funds for COVID relief that might have been funding some of school needs.

While all that is happening, NC is sitting on billions of dollars in reserves that could be used for public schools.

And there is this thing called inflation. Services and resources cost more.

AND there is this LEANDRO decision from the courts that states that a minimal investment of about a billion dollars just this school year is what is needed to being to give all students a quality public education.

The people who are holding the budget process hostage won’t publicly support LEANDRO. And they sure as hell ain’t investing as much money in our schools as they want you to think they are.