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June 3, 2011 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Ellie Kinnaird Greetings from the North Carolina Senate,

The budget has passed the Senate and thanks to your vigorous advocacy and the Democrats’ push-back, we were able to get $428 million restored for education, teachers’ assistants, and 20 million in mental health. The outcry was loud and effective from all over the state.

This doesn’t mean things are all rosy, however and because of this, I voted against the budget. $137 million in cuts is pushed down to the local schools to find out where they will hurt less. And in death by a million cuts, many programs are cut: Teaching Fellows, Teachers Cadet, Teacher Academy, Science Olympiad, Kids Voting, NC Science, Math and Technical Education Center, and The Governor’s School which has brought countless students from rural and small town school throughout the state to the most stimulating and challenging awakening during their school experience. The School can operate, but only by charging for room and board, materials and tuition which will mean that the poorest who benefited the most, will not be able to attend.

In addition to outright elimination, it reduces support for the NC Center for Advancement of Teaching, Smart Start is cut by 20% ($27.6 million), and then $18 million for textbooks, $20 million for basic school technology like computers, basic school supplies like paper and pencils over two years are cut. And, saddest of all, the per pupil funding for schools puts us at the bottom, below even Mississippi.

Our universities took a big hit, and just this week, Piedmont Community College announced they will be on a four day teaching schedule this summer because of the cuts.

And even while we are still in two wars, $200,000 was cut for National Guard Administration and Veterans Affairs by $500,000.

Medicaid, the health care system for the poor, disabled and elderly will no longer be required to provide physical and occupational therapy.

Drug treatment court, a model across the United States, is eliminated in the budget.

I hope we can cope with these draconian cuts.

This is a preliminary report to answer some of the questions you all have asked.

Take care,





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Paid for by Ellie Kinnaird for Senate • Campaign Address: PO Box 668, Carrboro, NC 27510 • 919-918-3432
Legislative Office Address: Room 628 LOB, 300 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603 •