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SENATORJERRY TILLMAN

SENATE MAJORITY WHIP

SENATE UPDATEApril 20, 2011

Government Cant Cure all that Ails

The people I hear from every day will readily tell you government cannot do everything foreverybody, nor should it. Needs will always outpace governments ability to provide for them.This will never change. The government must take from hard working taxpaying citizens toprovide services and programs to meet those needs. As you already know, its real easy tospend other peoples money, and government has no problem doing that. No problem at all.

The loud outcry from those whose budgets are being cut will not rest, and there is muchsympathy from those who fail to realize where the money is coming from. Many also fail tosee what spending money you dont have can do to a state and to a nation. Its notcomplicated, just tell us which taxes you want to raise and how much you want to raise themand we will solve the immediate problem. However, this will only increase problems downthe road. Look at the total mess the Federal Budget is in, and no one can figure out how to getout of it. Government by consent of the governed still works, if we listen to the governed andnot the government. You will see

A Strategy that Works

Give us a legalistic twelve page bill that only God, Sen. Clodfelter, and Sen. Hartsellunderstand and tell us that it is technical and clarifying on ly, and it will pass every time. Ivewitnessed it for nine years. It never fails

Defies Logic

Governor Perdues veto last week of the State Health Plan bill defies logic. Some of you

know the governor included in her budget nearly every change we included in our State HealthPlan legislation. Why would she turn around a few days later and veto a plan she favored andincluded in her budget proposal? I can only give you my take on it. Did she receive a phonecall from teachers advocacy groups like NCAE, did someone remind her that November 2012is not that far away, or could it have been both? I would be interested in your take. Let meknow

By the way, the teachers and state employees Health Plan is now $515 million in the red.

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Governor, let us know where to find $515 million, now that you have vetoed our proposal tofix it

More Vetoes on the Way

I suppose the handwriting is on the wall and we can expect a litany of vetoes in the weeksahead. All we know to do is to send solid legislation to her. Legislation the people expect andlegislation we promised the voters last year. We still believe in honoring our word and doingthe job you sent us here to do. I have not forgotten, nor will I forget the message you sent usto Raleigh with: Cut the budget, live within your means, cut taxes, spur economic growth, andcreate jobs. Get government off the back of business and off the backs of individuals IfGovernor Perdue wants to veto our legislation, let her. The people will have an opportunity tolet her know what they think about it We will see Our job is clear; stick to the principleswe believe in, tend to the hard work of legislating, and stay the course. If we start to act likethem why would voters see any need to vote for us? Time will tell

Another Veto

Governor Perdues office announced Saturday she would veto legislation to continueunemployment checks for 37,000 North Carolinians. This legislation also included acontinuing resolution (CR) which would keep government running in the event a budget wasnot adopted by July 1

st. The CR would fund government programs at 87% of the current

budget. The governor apparently doesnt care to ensure that we have a plan to continueoperating if there is a budget stalemate. Were trying to avoid the government shutdowngames theyre playing in Washington. I suppose the 37,000 North Carolinians whose benefitsstopped on April 16

thwill let the governor hear from them.

Note: The 13% reduction proposed by the vetoed legislation is close to the percentage cutnecessary to balance the 2011-12 budget anyhow. I will keep you informed on future vetoes,if I can keep up with them

Civitas Poll: Voters Say Sign the Bill

Want Government to Stay Open and Unemployment Benefits to ContinueRaleigh, N.C.Sign the Unemployment/No Government Shutdown bill is the message fromvoters to Democrat Governor Bev Perdue according to a new SurveyUSA poll released todayby the Civitas Institute.

According to the poll of 500 registered voters in that district, 53 percent said Perdue shouldsign the bill while 31 percent said she should veto the bill. 15 percent said they were not sure.

Voters also continue to disapprove of her performance with 52 percent disapproving of her

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performance and 40 percent approving. 8 percent said they were not sure. In a head to headmatch-up of the 2008 gubernatorial race, Pat McCrory has a 51% to 39% advantage amongvoters surveyed.

Governor Perdue has a growing problem with each bill she vetoes, said Civitas Institute

President Francis De Luca. Perdue alienates a few more voters with every veto, especiallyindependents who want to see spending cut and see politicians get things accomplished,added De Luca.

On the issue of charging state employees premiums for their health care insurance voters sidewith charging a fee by a 62% to 35% margin and against spending an additional $14 million tokeep coverage free by 63% to 32%.

Presidents Deficit Reduction Plan

You will remember that President Obama had proposed zero, nothing, in budget cuts for thecurrent 2010-11 budget. You will also remember that it took the threat of a governmentshutdown to get him to the table and a reluctant agreement on a $38.5 billion cut to the currentbudget. Obama recently said America needs to reinvest in its traditional social obligations. Idont know about you, but I interpret this as spend more. Ill let you guess where thismoney will come from A $38.5 billion budget cut will not even make a dent in the interestowed by Uncle Sam. I doubt if it will cover one months interest. $38.5 billion cut, are youkidding us?

The 2011-12 and subsequent budgets will need to be reduced by the trillions over the comingdecade. Does Washington have the fortitude to do this? Will there be a political price to pay?Yes, there will be. Will there be a price to be paid if we do nothing? Yes, and that price willbe far worse. Wait and see.

Education Legislation

I have sponsored legislation in the Senate to address the following:

SB 20, Amend Law Regulating Proprietary Schools SB 88, Elect State Community College Board Members SB 90, State Board of Education Confirmation

SB 242, Legislative Taskforce on Childhood Obesity SB 361, Interscholastic Sports Open to All Students SB 362, Reallocate Lottery Funds SB 466, Modify Teacher Tenure Law SB 470, Modify Community College Construction Process SB 479, State Testing Program SB 575, Flexibility in Spending in University/Community Colleges SB 576, Changes to Fees for Teacher Certification

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SB 724, An Act to Improve Public Education

Senator Jerry Tillman can be reached on Facebook

Are you on Facebook?You can reach Senator Jerry Tillman by clicking this link.

http://www.facebook.com/jerrywtillman

Once you get to Jerrys page, just hit the like button at the top of the page and youll startgetting updates during the week.

If you don't have a Facebook account, you can sign up for an account so you can start gettingJerry's updates.

Then tell your friends and neighbors who might want to know what Jerry is doing in Raleighfor the folks in Randolph and Montgomery counties.

Again, just click:

http://www.facebook.com/jerrywtillman

To connect today.

Quotes

No matter how thin you slice the bologna, theres always two sides to it.

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any onething. Abraham Lincoln.

The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure. Sven Ericksson.

Nothing aint worth nothing but its free Kris Kristofferson

The only way to enjoy anything in this life is to earn it first. Ginger Rodger

SENATORJERRY TILLMAN

SENATE MAJORITY WHIP628 Legislative Office Building

Raleigh, NC 27601-2808

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Phone: 919.733.5870Fax: 919.754.3339

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