In his first session as a member of the North Carolina Senate, the legislature was faced with the largest budget deficit since the Great Depression. Senator Vaughan voted to cut wasteful spending from North Carolina's budget by over $3 billion. This represents the largest cut in the state budget ever.
Senator Vaughan understands the need to protect funding for successful programs that will save current jobs and create new employment opportunities. Here are some highlights of important programs that we needed to protect:
* He stood up for small businesses to help them stay open and preserve jobs. He voted to continue to offer tax credits to small business owners who provide health care to their employees.
* $2M to help bring small businesses back to "Main Street" downtown areas and create jobs in smaller communities.
* Support the Clean Water Management Trust Fund to help local governments with water/sewer needs.
In addition to helping keep small, community businesses afloat, Senator Vaughan voted to support:
* The Home Protection program - this program helps protect laid-off workers from losing their homes.
* $53 million of our federal stimulus money to help low-income working families afford child care costs.
* Sales tax incentives for flight simulators - this tax credit could bring a company with 60 news jobs to Greensboro.
In his campaign for State Senate, Don Vaughan said as a Senator he would fight to support the integral role our state's Community College system plays in job training. Senator Vaughan followed through on his promise in the most difficult budget year since the Great Depression. Senator Vaughan voted:
* To fund enrollment for 15,000 additional students in the community college system, for a total of over 200,000 students.
* To improve equipment and technology at community colleges.
* For vocational and technical education at community colleges to boost job training programs in transportation, engineering, industrial, military, construction, and green technology.
* To expand high-demand health care training in nursing, dental, and radiology technology programs at community colleges.
While Gate City residents are tightening their belts at home, Senator Don Vaughan is working to tighten the state's belt without strangling the future for our children.
Source: http://senatordonvaughan.com/content/jobs-economy
