Budget cuts feared deeper than expected

By Alletta Cooper

Legislators are getting closer to closing North Carolina’s 2.4 billion dollar budget gap, but uncertainties remain about how much will be cut from the UNC system’s funding. The latest figures project cuts of 15 percent or more. Governor Bev Perdue asked for a six percent cut in her budget proposal last month, but some republican legislators think that number is far too low. The committee handling North Carolina’s education budget is leaning toward cutting even more.