State Budget Goes To the Governor's Desk

A few highligts are: * 5.5% pay increase for state employees with teachers getting another 2.5% pay increase. * Capping of Medicaid expenses paid by counties was locked at 2006 fiscal rate. Also $34 million is to be didivided by the counties with large populations on the 'caid' (Columbus County is one of them with over 25% of our residents eligible). * The state sales tax will drop to 4.25% from 4.5% (in 2001 the state had temporary sales tax increase of a half cent to help in hard times. This was suppose to be gone in '03. So why in '06 after having a surplus of do they only drop it a quarter cent?). Our sales tax is now 6.75% down from 7%. * Can't find any cuts in it, but I don't see waste being added to the budget.