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Budget is Topic at JCC's Annual Legislative Breakfast

May 3, 2002

North Carolina legislators and Johnston County officials discussed state budget concerns and pledged their support for the interests of community colleges May 1 during Johnston Community College’s annual Legislative Breakfast.

North Carolina's community colleges have been asked to identify up to $60 million in potential budget cuts to offset the state’s nearly $2 billion budget shortfall. On Wednesday, JCC President Don Reichard discussed with legislators the college’s funding priorities, which include increased staff, funds to support the North Carolina Information Highway, increasing Pell Grants and education benefits for welfare recipients so they may receive basic skills and occupational training in work-related areas.

"We’ve come too far," Reichard said. "We can’t let the current fiscal crisis ruin the future."

"North Carolina is on the move," N.C. Sen. Allen Wellons said. "We need to get through the year and keep moving forward. We need to keep our promise to our students and to industry."

Rep. Leo Daughtry said that he "will spend as much time and effort" as he can to see that JCC continues to grow. "Community colleges are on the top of my list," he added.

Sen. Oscar Harris and Rep. Billy Creech and other speakers also promised support for JCC and the state’s community colleges.

"The community college could and should be the cornerstone of hope in these hard economic times," N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall said. "Community colleges are the seed corn of economic development. We need to commit ourselves to the education of children and adults."

Lyn Austin, chairman of the JCC Board of Trustees, said, "We are in dire times, but the community college is still the last line of defense and the place people come when they have no jobs," she said. "People come here for retraining. It is very important that we keep our doors open when people need us."

About 60 people attended the event, which was held in the lobby of the Paul A. Johnston Auditorium on the JCC Smithfield campus. Russ Swindell, a representative of 2nd Dist. Rep. Bob Etheridge, was also a featured speaker.