PROMOTING WISE CHOICES FOR SHARED PROSPERITY

Click on the map below to learn more about the impact of state budget cuts in your community.

Counties: Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, Person, Vance, Wake, Warren

• As a direct result of state budget cuts, more than 306 K-12 teaching positions have been eliminated and a total of 3,695 public school positions have been cut in the Research Triangle region. ^[1]
• In Johnston County, 123 school positions have been cut. If not for the availability of one-time federal funds, many more would have been lost. School Superintendent Ed Croom warns that without those federal funds for the 2012-2013 year, more layoffs are unavoidable: “Twelve months from now, we’re still going to be in a bind. We’re just putting it off a year.” ^[2]
• Harnett County Schools have been forced to cut 88 jobs as a result of the NC budget. Interim School Superintendent Tom Frye and laid off teacher-assistant Jennifer Harvell lamented that lawmakers failed to keep in place a temporary 1-cent sales tax in order to avoid many of the education cuts. “I’m sure a lot of people haven’t even missed that one cent,” said Harvell. ^[3]
• Teacher assistants across the Research Triangle region have felt the brunt of these budget cuts. Many who were able to keep their jobs have found that pay has decreased while workloads have increased. In Wake County, TAs have taken a 7.5% pay cut, in addition to assuming some janitorial duties to make up for a reduction in outside custodial contracts. ^[4]
• Throughout the region, public school students are finding many services reduced or eliminated. Chatham County Schools have cancelled all field trips for the 2011-2012 school year, while funds for textbooks, instructional and administrative materials, and staff development have been deleted. ^[5]
• The UNC school system has been vital to the success and growth of the Research Triangle region, but that presence has been scaled back by the NC budget for 2011-2012. UNC-Chapel Hill received a cut of $100 million and has laid off at least 115 full-time employees ^[6]; NC State has eliminated more than 600 positions ^[7]; and NC Central University has cut 107 jobs overall. ^[8]
• Not only are jobs being cut in the UNC system – so is the quality of education. Students at the 3 major public universities in the Research Triangle returned to school this fall to find increased class sizes and decreased course offerings. Some will find that they are unable to enroll in the courses they need to graduate on time. ^[9]
• UNC-Chapel Hill is considering a major tuition hike of as much as $2800 for in-state students to make up for the dramatic loss in state funding. The rise in cost would be a 40% increase if enacted in one year. ^[10]
• Municipalities are receiving less state funds, and the ripple effects are troubling. The Smithfield Police Department has considered not responding to some 911 calls, not investigating some crimes below felonies, and has already reduced patrols to make up for the budget shortfall. The city of Raleigh has been forced to delay enrollment in police and fire academies by 6 months. ^[11]
• Many counties are taking on an increased share of the financial burden in attempts to keep local social and public health services running. Orange County Manager Frank Clifton regrets that some effective local services like child care subsidies, employment assistance, transportation, and a drug treatment program may be reduced or eliminated because of a lack of state funding. ^[12]

These cuts were not inevitable but a choice. By maintaining the temporary tax package, which included the penny sales tax and a surchage on high-income earners, or looking at reform-minded revenue, lawmakers could have avoided much of these deep and wide-ranging cuts.

Sources:

1. ^[1] Department of Public Instruction – August 31st, 2011 ↩
2. ^[2] The Herald – June 29th, 2011 ↩
3. ^[3] WRAL – June 16th, 2011 ↩
4. ^[4] WRAL – July 12th, 2011 ↩
5. ^[5] Chatham Journal – July 12th, 2011 ↩
6. ^[6] News & Observer – November 4th, 2011 ↩
7. ^[7] NC State Alumni Association – July 8th, 2011 ↩
8. ^[8] The Herald Sun – July, 2011 ↩
9. ^[9] Charlotte Observer – September 9th, 2011 ↩
10. ^[10] News & Observer – November 4th, 2011 ↩
11. ^[11] News & Observer – October 31st, 2011 ↩
12. ^[12] Carrboro Citizen – August 11th, 2011 ↩