#NCGA: Mr. Berger & co. don’t like Pat & Thom’s budget deal. (Um, SURPRISE ?!)
Looks like “The Family Feud” is moving into a new phase of unpleasantness. It’s *great timing* — given the effort to achieve party unity for the election five months from now. We foresaw trouble when Gov. Pat and Speaker Thom decided to go their own way on a budget. We checked and — yes — there are still two chambers in that building on Jones Street. The “other one” is led by Phil Berger, a Republican, who is arguably THE 800-lbs. gorilla in state government these days. It tends to make real good sense to — if you want to get something done — include Mr. Berger in on the discussion.
Thom & Pat’s deal flew through the House, but got was rejected “Return to Sender” by the senate — which didn’t even vote on it. Stuff like this sure does beat down the spin from The Round Rev about a GOP team effort in Raleigh.
I could see the wisdom in Pat & Thom’s strategy if the senate was controlled by Democrats. But why would you want to go hardball on fellow Republicans?
Granted, there are substantial policy differences between the two chambers on budgetary matters. But this bit of drama is clearly a vehicle for demonstrating to House leadership and the governor’s office JUST WHO runs things in our capital city.
It bears repeating that Senator Berger is the most effective conservative legislator leader we have had in decades!
It is telling that in the last Civitas Conservative Effectiveness Rating, a majority of the Senate, 27 members, got A ratings, while not a single House member received an A. That is just another sign of which chamber is the conservative chamber, and a lot of that has to do with the leadership of each chamber, Berger vs. Tillis.
It is also telling that while the Speaker cannot be rated since he does not normally vote, the Speaker Pro Tem, Skip Stam, received an F rating from CIvitas. Before becoming Speaker, TIllis always got D and F ratings from Civitas.
I applaud the Senate for a job well done. I have always respected Phil Berger,Sr. It is a shame his son does not share his conservatism. Vote Mark Walker on July 15.
I think it is terrible what Tillis and Berger are doing to the teacher asst. we need more than a $500 raise for what all we do for the teachers half the time we are in the class rooms more than they are yall just do not know what we do plus drive buses. We should get a 5% raise plus supplement pay like was talked about at the beginning. Have both of you even thought about this NOOO for 12 month employees that is a whopping $41.67 MORE A MONTH DO NOT GET ME WRONG I am happy to still have my job but yall sitting in them big chairs we paying yall why not yall take a pay cut an give it to us guess who does not have my vote an I am sure I am not the only one