Meck lawmaker: The way Republican leaders handled the budget was appalling | Opinion

Appalling conduct

The writer is an NC House member.

The Republicans’ conduct surrounding the budget is appalling. With a veto-proof supermajority, passing the budget should have been straightforward. Instead of doing their job, they spent months engaged in political manipulation of the budget in an effort to benefit a casino company paying them handsomely for access to our state.

Whether you support casinos or not, this is unacceptable. Teachers and state employees continued working without the raises they deserved — all while trying to provide North Carolinians with the services their taxes pay for. This, despite excessive vacancies due to years of underfunding.

Now that the budget has been voted on, it is clear Republicans have failed to invest in our state and its future. Educator and state employee pay raises are wholly inadequate, state retirees are essentially ignored, and the effort to undermine the integrity and trust in our elections is on full display. North Carolinians are tired of the backroom, sweetheart deals that benefit political donors and lobbyists instead of working people. Enough is enough.

Laura Budd, Matthews

Teachers will leave

When are we going to start taking care of our educators and stop defunding public education? When are we going to stand up as citizens of North Carolina and stand against a one-sided agenda that does not protect all? This new budget is insulting to our teachers. Do not be surprised if there’s a massive exit in North Carolina of educators because we do not respect them and this budget shows it.

Jen Sanders, Waxhaw

Thumb their noses

Regarding “NC lawmakers would be able to keep more records secret with new provision in state budget,” (Sept. 21):

North Carolina’s Republican leaders are thumbing their egotistical noses at the public’s right to know. They are slowly destroying our democracy. Asked whether lawmakers will have full discretion over which of their records are released, House Speaker Tim Moore has the audacity to say he’s not sure — “You’d have to ask the lawyers.” A major change in the law and he’s not sure what it means! Voters better wake up.

Patrick A. Walters, Charlotte

Trump is my hope

Regarding “Republican consultant: My party has lost touch with conservatism,” (Sept. 21 Opinion):

Saying that voters must abandon Donald Trump and his conspiracies and anger is ridiculous. When in office, Trump cut taxes, kept inflation below 2% and held gas prices much lower than they are today. The excessive spending by the Biden administration is going to break our country, and his policies are turning everything I believe upside down.

Trump is our only hope for turning America around.

Jim Cherry, Charlotte

Sane conservatism

Regarding “My party has lost touch with conservatism,” I never thought how wonderful it would be to do battle with a sane conservative Republican Party. I am a Democrat in almost every way, but I used to enjoy the opposition party’s opposition. Alfredo Rodriguez’s op-ed gave me hope that the good old days of a worthy opponent could be resurrected.

Martin Settle, Charlotte

Guns on campus

I was horrified to read that House Speaker Tim Moore and others suggested arming college students might be the solution to gun violence on campus (Sept. 17 Opinion). I have two questions for them: Have you ever known a testosterone-laden 18-year-old male? Have you ever been to a fraternity party where alcohol flows like water?

The Second Amendment does not include the right to stupidity.

Joel B. Miller, Hickory

Clean air

The N.C. Senate proposal to eliminate vehicle emissions testing in many counties is foolhardy (Sept. 20). Although local air quality may be within EPA guidelines, allowing the possibility of contributing to additional overall global pollution is misguided and unhealthy for all of us.

The proposal is regressive, injurious to the public, and should be removed from the budget bill. We should maintain restrictions on polluting the air we all have to breathe. The cleaner our air is, the healthier we will all be.

Jim Ragaini, Charlotte