Court Order Splits House Over N. Carolina Education Spending

House Republicans are trumpeting their North Carolina budget proposal for an education construction spree and for teacher raises. But Democratic colleagues on Tuesday said the GOP spending for education is not enough to meet requirements of the state constitution. They’re using a judge’s order in the “Leandro" school funding litigation to press their case at a time of massive surpluses. Democrats want Republicans to fully fund the first two years of a remedial plan the judge signed. Republican legislators said the judge can’t force them to spend money, and that public education funding continues to grow. The full House will vote on the budget bill Wednesday.