The 2010 “short session” of the NC General Assembly is winding down with plenty of unfinished business. The Democratic leadership has refused to allow consideration of a number of important bills, primarily sponsored by Republicans.

Recent public opinion polls emphatically indicate North Carolina citizens resoundingly support these Republican initiatives. However, they have been refused a fair hearing in the legislature.

The most important business in the 2010 session has been to complete the budget. Fiscally responsible Republican amendments were either ignored or, if approved during floor consideration, summarily dropped during the budget conference committee deliberations.

Important work left undone this session:

• Responsible budgeting decisions – Critical questions remain about the budget adopted last month for the upcoming fiscal year. It remains to be seen whether the budget is balanced as required by the NC Constitution. However, there is no doubt that the refusal of Democrats to make tough decisions in this year’s budget will bring state government to a severe crisis next year. Estimates are that next year’s structural budget deficit will exceed $3 billion. Adopting zero-based budgeting and pursuing thoughtful spending priorities this year would have lessened the pain we all know is coming next year.

• Jobs, Jobs, Jobs – The Democratic proposals for job creation are anemic and will do little. We need regulatory relief as well as a reduction in the marginal tax rates so that small businesses will have an incentive to create jobs.

• Health Care Freedom – Consideration of a bill to protect the freedom for North Carolina citizens to choose health care and health insurance. Senate and House Republicans requested action on a bill to allow individuals to continue to make their own health care choices and forgo federal mandates under the recently adopted federal health care legislation.

• Executive oversight for state employee’s health care plan – Republicans attempted to provide accountability for the fiscal stability of the state health care plan by placing its responsibility in the Executive Branch. This proposal was thwarted by the Democrats.

• Eliminate cap on Public Charter Schools – State law caps the number of public charter schools at 100. Demands for these innovative educational options continue to increase. This limitation severely hampers state efforts for federal “Race to the Top” funds. Even so, Democrats still refuse to raise or eliminate the cap.

• Marriage Amendment – Consideration was not allowed for a constitutional amendment to provide that marriage in NC is between one man and one woman.

• Tax Fairness in Education — A bill to allow parents in North Carolina to choose which school is best for their child. It allows an individual income tax credit for part of the expense of each eligible child who is educated in a nonpublic school or home school. The House used a procedural issue to avoid having a vote on this important issue. The fiscal note shows savings to the state and counties of $50 million per year.

• Prohibit illegal immigrants to attend NC Community Colleges – A bill to disapprove the regulatory change by the NC Community College Board to allow undocumented aliens to attend degree programs at community colleges was not allowed to be considered.

“We have a few days left in the session with a lot of business left undone. If Democrats refuse to take care of business the people are entitled to a new governing majority in January,” said House Republican Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake).”

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said, “Unfortunately, this legislative session will be remembered as one where there was a complete failure to deal with the fiscal problems facing our state. That failure means that our people will continue to struggle with double digit unemployment and a tax burden that renders North Carolina unable to compete with our neighboring states for jobs. North Carolina’s Democratic leaders have compounded growing health care problems by siding with the Obama administration and national Democrats rather than standing up for citizens in connection with federal health care mandates.”