Extended benefits end in North Carolina April 16th

Terrync wrote:http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/04/27/business-nc-unemployment-benefits_8438611.html

NC Jobless Beg GOP, Democrats to Restore Benefits
By EMERY P. DALESIO , 04.27.11, 09:11 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Republican legislators on Wednesday came face-to-face with some of the 37,000 long-term jobless workers cut off from unemployment benefits as a result of a political battle between the GOP and Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue.
House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, and several House GOP colleagues joined Senate Democrats to hear from some of those who were cut off from benefits last week.

forbes:http://www.forbes.com//feeds/ap/2011/04/27/business-nc-unemployment-benefits_8438611.html?partner=yahoobuzz

"How am I going to pay my bills?" said Joyce Fowler of Garner, who said she's been unemployed for two years. "I'm talking for 37,000 people who are in the same position I am - we need these benefits."

The jobless workers are caught in a partisan rift over the seemingly straightforward move to change a formula for calculating unemployment benefits, allowing the federally funded program to continue for people out of work for up to 99 weeks.
Republican lawmakers tied the benefits extension to a bid to force Perdue to accept double-digit budget cuts before negotiations begin in earnest. The GOP added language to the benefits extension committing Perdue to a spending cut at least 13 percent below what she proposed in February. Perdue called the linkage "extortion."

Tillis said the GOP jumped on the benefits extension to settle now the conflict between "two ideologically disparate differences in how we're going to balance the budget. We're going to balance this budget by reducing taxes, by reducing or limiting the scope of government."

Perdue's budget proposal included partially extending a tax due to expire when the current budget year ends in June. Tillis says he's waiting for Perdue to propose a compromise and wants "the governor to take a step in our direction." "We'd like the governor to tell us where we need to go from here. And hopefully she'll do that quickly so that we can end these stories and provide these people some relief," Tillis said.

Perdue's staff referred to the governor's letter explaining her veto, saying she will sign legislation changing the unemployment benefits formula that is "free of these antics."

A teary-eyed Ken Williams of Wilson begged Republican lawmakers to approve legislation changing an eligibility formula so that he could afford the cost of moving to his son's farm while he looks for work. He said he was laid off from his job as a respiratory therapist two years ago. "You folks are holding my future in your hands. And you're holding hostage federal money," Williams said. "This doesn't cost the state a penny." "I am very upset that the Republicans have chosen to lead in this way."

Phillymg wrote:

Terrync wrote:http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/04/27/business-nc-unemployment-benefits_8438611.html

NC Jobless Beg GOP, Democrats to Restore Benefits
By EMERY P. DALESIO , 04.27.11, 09:11 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Republican legislators on Wednesday came face-to-face with some of the 37,000 long-term jobless workers cut off from unemployment benefits as a result of a political battle between the GOP and Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue.
House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, and several House GOP colleagues joined Senate Democrats to hear from some of those who were cut off from benefits last week.

forbes:http://www.forbes.com//feeds/ap/2011/04/27/business-nc-unemployment-benefits_8438611.html?partner=yahoobuzz

"How am I going to pay my bills?" said Joyce Fowler of Garner, who said she's been unemployed for two years. "I'm talking for 37,000 people who are in the same position I am - we need these benefits."

The jobless workers are caught in a partisan rift over the seemingly straightforward move to change a formula for calculating unemployment benefits, allowing the federally funded program to continue for people out of work for up to 99 weeks.
Republican lawmakers tied the benefits extension to a bid to force Perdue to accept double-digit budget cuts before negotiations begin in earnest. The GOP added language to the benefits extension committing Perdue to a spending cut at least 13 percent below what she proposed in February. Perdue called the linkage "extortion."

Tillis said the GOP jumped on the benefits extension to settle now the conflict between "two ideologically disparate differences in how we're going to balance the budget. We're going to balance this budget by reducing taxes, by reducing or limiting the scope of government."

Perdue's budget proposal included partially extending a tax due to expire when the current budget year ends in June. Tillis says he's waiting for Perdue to propose a compromise and wants "the governor to take a step in our direction." "We'd like the governor to tell us where we need to go from here. And hopefully she'll do that quickly so that we can end these stories and provide these people some relief," Tillis said.

Perdue's staff referred to the governor's letter explaining her veto, saying she will sign legislation changing the unemployment benefits formula that is "free of these antics."

A teary-eyed Ken Williams of Wilson begged Republican lawmakers to approve legislation changing an eligibility formula so that he could afford the cost of moving to his son's farm while he looks for work. He said he was laid off from his job as a respiratory therapist two years ago. "You folks are holding my future in your hands. And you're holding hostage federal money," Williams said. "This doesn't cost the state a penny." "I am very upset that the Republicans have chosen to lead in this way."

Imo it would be a good idea to have a hearing like this in every state where cruel & heartless Legislators are refusing to pass the Three Year Lookback law. Prayers ongoing for those who are suffering needlessly in NC, TN, & WI.....