N Carolina House state budget proposal gets initial OK

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina House voted on Wednesday for a Republican-backed budget measure that would fund the state government for the next two years, including billions in spending for infrastructure and mental health and attempts to address inflation and job vacancies with pay raises. By a vote of 78-37, the chamber gave initial approval to its budget, which would spend $29.8 billion during the next fiscal year and $30.9 billion in the one after that. That contrasts with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s proposed budget unveiled last month, which was panned by Republican legislative leaders for spending over…