Perdue's Budget Calls For Cutting 10,000 Jobs

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Governor Beverly Perdue rolled out a state budget proposal on Thursday that she said would eliminate 10,000 state government positions next year. The proposal also would extend a portion of the temporary sales tax and cut, eliminate or change scores of programs and agencies to close a $2.4 billion budget gap. Unveiling her plan to the new Republican-led Legislature, Perdue said her spending plan for the year starting July 1st would be $19.9 billion. That's nearly $1 billion higher than the current year's plan, but had to make up for $1.6 billion in lost federal stimulus funds used to close budget shortfall each of the past two years. Perdue's budget office said as many as 3,000 of the positions are currently filled. Her budget proposal would set aside money to encourage early retirement for about 1,000 employees. She also offers no pay raises for state employees and teachers and require some workers to pay a monthly premium for their own health insurance for the first time on top of a premium increase for dependents.