It has been sixteen days since Governor Roy Cooper and Democratic leaders sent a detailed, balanced compromise offer to Republican leaders in the General Assembly. As of today, Republican leaders have not shared any counteroffer to keep the budget process moving forward.
Where is the Republican counteroffer?
As Governor Cooper laid out on the WUNC Politics Podcast yesterday:
The other problem, Jeff, is that [Republican leaders are] spending all of their time trying to override my veto and getting their budget without having to discuss things with me. So no, there have not been substantive negotiations, we have gone through their budget with a fine tooth comb, have come back with in their same spending limits and made a reasonable compromise offer, but all they’ve done is talk about whether Medicaid is going to be included and continue to try to bribe Democratic legislators to try to override the budget veto.
The Winston-Salem Journal sums up the problem in a headline today: “House GOP leadership delays vote on state budget veto override for 10th consecutive session”
