Asheville Reporter

North Carolina's governor claims he cannot support the state legislature's recently passed Teacher Step Act to provide pay raises to educators, but a District 48 senator told the Asheville Reporter that he's still hoping for a signature on the bill.

"The governor vetoed the bipartisan budget that was passed by the legislature earlier this year," state Sen. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) said during a recent interview. "Without HB377, the step increases, those increases that have been previously promised to our teachers, based on their years of experience, would not have been funded."

Without a budget, HB377 is a way to give teachers pay raises that they've been promised, Edwards said.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper | governor.nc.gov

"I feel it is important that we continue to reward our teachers for shaping the minds of our youth and preparing them for a successful future, and it is just as important that we keep the promises to them that were previously made," Edwards said.

The legislation has been on Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's desk for a week.

"I encourage the governor to sign HB377 so that the promises that have been made to our teachers will be kept," Edwards said. "If he is sincere about his commitment to the teaching profession, then he will sign it."

Edwards has been representing state Senate District 48 since August 2016 when he was appointed by then-Gov. Pat McCrory to fill out the term of Sen. Tom Apodaca, who retired. Last November, Edwards fended off a challenge by Democrat Norm Bassert in the General Election to retain the seat, taking more than 56 percent of the vote.

HB377, first introduced into the House in March, would provide stepped pay increases of 3.9 percent over the biennium for teachers, and 2 percent over the biennium to non-instructional support staff. The legislation also would provide a supplement above and beyond the raises.

Sen. Edwards joined other senate Republicans on Oct. 24 to vote in favor of HB377, which also passed the House on Oct. 30 despite strong opposition from Democrats. Much of the pay increase would be retroactive to July 1 and would take effect immediately after Gov. Cooper signs the bill.

If he signs it.

Shortly after the House vote, Gov. Cooper shared his opinions on Twitter.

"Republican leaders hold teachers hostage," the governor posted. "They demand sweeping corporate tax breaks and their entire bad budget in exchange for paltry teacher pay raises that are less than other state employees. Like kidnappers wanting ALL the ransom $$ and still not letting victims go."

Edwards said he could hope that the Twitter post and other negative rhetoric from the governor's office about the Teacher Step Act is just that: rhetoric.

"Our governor is notorious for prattling out partisan rhetoric and avoiding productive conversations, especially where he can't claim an outright political victory," Edwards said. "It is my hope that he will set that practice aside long enough to sign HB377 to ensure that our teachers get the pay raises we promised."