Republican party officials and legislators have criticized past state budgets for overspending. This past session, Republican leaders -- including House Minority Leader Leo Daughtry, R-Johnston -- blasted the budget, saying it was unbalanced and typical of a budget produced by a Democratic majority.
The N.C. General Assembly expects to deal with another deficit of more than $1 billion in 2003.
The GOP's gains in both chambers of the N.C. General Assembly have put it in a position to play a more decisive role in creating budgets in the coming years.
Republicans officially have a 61-59 majority in the House, according to results released Friday after the final recount in Wayne County was completed.
"It moves the Republicans from a clear opposition party to a party that has some share in the responsibility in setting the future course of the state," said Ferrel Guillory, director of UNC-Chapel Hill's Program on Southern Politics, Media and Public Life.
Republican party leaders said part of their efforts to streamline the state budget will include a closer look at the way money is spent on higher education.
But Daughtry maintained that his party will not focus on cuts to higher education, adding that plans for the coming term are not yet finalized. "Everything that we need to fund is here on the table, and we're not going to single out any one thing," he said.
Legislators also said the shift in leadership on various committees will influence the General Assembly's approach to higher education.
Because of the new Republican majority, the House could have new chairmen positions in all its committees when the legislature reconvenes in January. The influential Senate Appropriations Committee also will have all new chairmen because the senators holding the positions either retired or were voted out of office.
