Teachers are held accountable for educating our children in school. We as parents should be held accountable for our children at home.

I had hoped to let the one-half cent sales tax sunset this year, but we do not believe revenues will grow as fast as we hoped for the rest of the year.

So our message to these students is simple: stay in school and study hard. Washington may leave you on the curb, but North Carolina will not.

My budget is a solid, balanced plan that allows us to make real, sustainable progress and provides the revenue necessary to fund our priorities.

Real vision demands that we make tough choices. Real vision is responsible and it is paid for.