North Carolina Republicans are taking another crack at a two-year state government budget proposal, this time in the Senate.
Three GOP-controlled Senate committees meeting on Wednesday will weigh in on a spending and tax plan before chamber floor votes Thursday and Friday.
The Senate plan spends almost $24 billion next year, just like a similar budget bill House Republicans approved four weeks ago. But the Senate and House measures propose competing amounts for teacher and state employee pay raises, and for other programs. Their corporate and individual income tax cut provisions are nearly identical.
House and Senate Republicans ultimately will approve a final compromise plan, but Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper could veto it. He's got more negotiating leverage this year because Democrats won enough legislative seats to block veto overrides.