Budget Clears House with No GOP Votes Last Week in the General Assembly Teacher Pleads for Job Retention (Y‪)‬

DEBT PACKAGE: A $451 million borrowing package to repair state buildings, improve two engineering schools and buy equipment for higher education now heads to the House after the Senate gave its final approval Thursday. The Senate proposal wouldn't require statewide voter approval before the borrowing could begin. Most of the debt would go to construct engineering buildings at North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T. FREEZING BROADBAND: Cities and towns couldn't begin new construction of broadband systems until at least the summer of 2011 while local governments and telecommunications interests try to work out new governing rules in legislative tentatively approved by the Senate on Thursday. A final Senate vote could come Monday night.