Gov. Bev Perdue vetoed Senate Bill 13 Tuesday, a first in the current legislative session and the second of her administration.

The bill allows Perdue authority to seize close to $400 million from this fiscal year's budget. But Perdue criticized the bill beacuse some of the suggested cuts took away incentives needed to attract businesses.

Republicans said the proposed cuts in the bill are necessary in order to prepare for the state's $2.4 billion shortfall next fiscal year.
 
“This bill started out as a way to help North Carolina secure $400 million in additional savings from state government agencies during this difficult budget time,” Perdue said in a statement. “I suggested that bill to the General Assembly and was ready to sign that legislation. But the bill in its current form forces a one-time cash-grab from funds that are intended to create jobs and spur economic development. That’s not the right move for North Carolina, where jobs simply must be our No. 1 priority.”

The Republican leadership in both the N.C. House and Senate criticized Perdue for her actions.

“We are extremely disappointed by Governor Perdue’s decision to veto Senate Bill 13. She has said as recently as last week that she is committed to balancing the budget and protecting the jobs of teachers and state employees. But with this veto, the Governor makes balancing the budget more difficult, and makes it harder to protect teachers and state employees," N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, said in a prepared statement. "We are already concerned with the Governor’s proposal to raise taxes on working families and small businesses via the new sales tax. Now our concerns are heightened by her refusal to save hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of the taxpayers.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said Perdue’s veto makes it more difficult to balance the state’s budget without cutting teachers’ jobs and negatively impacting our classrooms.

"Last week, Gov. Perdue claimed she wanted to protect the jobs of our school teachers, teaching assistants and rank-and-file state employees. And two months ago, she declared she did not know how to spell ‘tax increase’," he said. "And while her solution is to raise taxes that destroy private sector jobs, Senate Republicans refuse to reach further into North Carolinians’ pockets. If Gov. Perdue’s veto is truly about jobs as she says, then why would she keep unused extra tax money in these special funds she controls instead of using it to protect teachers’ jobs or to avoid a job destroying tax increase on the private sector?”

According to state law, the House and Senate would need 3/5 votes to trump Perdue's veto. The Senate carries enough votes, but the House would need four Democrats to switch sides.

Click here to see an official copy of Perdue's veto message.