State Senate delays, weighs budget veto override

The vote is now scheduled for Tuesday, but Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said it may not happen this week after all.

Berger said after Monday's session, which all 50 senators attended, that the measure was pulled because Republicans didn't have the votes needed to override. That signals Democrats have been true to their promise to hang together and deny the majority party the one extra voted needed to override Gov. Roy Cooper's veto.

"So we'll move it to tomorrow and see what happens then," Berger, R-Rockingham, said late Monday. "Maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day, we'll see. ... Definitely maybe by Thursday."

The plan is to adjourn this session, at least for a while, Thursday. Before then, Berger said he expects the legislature to address teacher salaries.

"The Senate will conclude business this week," he told reporters during an afternoon press conference. "If we were not able to find an agreement on outstanding matters over the past 10 months, particularly over the past four months, then staying here for another month will not make things any better."

Berger said he and House Speaker Tim Moore agreed on the teacher raise "mini-budget" but had not yet settled on a specific amount, only that "the amount for the teacher pay raise would be more than what was in the original budget." He also predicted votes on more mini-budgets, including funding for the Department of Information Technology and a possible K-12 school construction package.

While a news release last week made a budget veto override vote sound more likely than not, he said Monday the vote might not be called unless Senate Republicans believe they have the Democratic help needed for the override to succeed.

Berger again expressed firm opposition to Medicaid expansion, but he said he remains optimistic that Democrats could decide to drop support for what he termed an "ultimatum" on the issue from Cooper.

"It’s time for legislators to decide what they’re for and what they’re against," he said. "We’ll know what they decide by the end of this week."

Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue issued a statement after Monday night's word that the override vote would be delayed.

“We stand for a budget that puts teachers and classrooms ahead of corporate tax cuts. We stand for a budget that addresses threats to clean water and access to affordable health care. We stand ready to compromise on all of these issues – no ultimatums have been issued from our caucus," Blue, D-Wake, said.

“Tonight’s decision to delay the proposed veto override tells us that Republicans know the governor’s veto will be sustained," Blue added. “It’s time for Senator Berger and his Republican colleagues to stop passing the buck and work with us to pass a compromise budget that addresses the state’s pressing needs.”