Budget numbers show GOP Aims to spend less than Cooper plan

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — It appears Republicans at the North Carolina legislature want to spend hundreds of millions of dollars less next year than Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper proposed in his state government budget.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger announced Tuesday that top GOP leaders have agreed that expenditures for the year starting July 1 will be a hair over $24 billion. That bottom-line figure doesn’t include expected debt service. With the debt left aside, the amount would represent a roughly 3.5 percent increase over this year’s budget, with debt also removed.

Cooper’s budget plan would spend $25.2 billion next year, but take out debt service and that figure falls to $24.5 billion.

Legislators ultimately will approve a final spending plan and send it to Cooper’s desk.