$18.9 billion House budget plan cuts liberally

The state faces an $800 million revenue shortfall, and lawmakers have no appetite to raise taxes.

That means the $18.9 billion budget proposal moving through the House has pain to spread around. No area of state government was immune from cuts, although budget writers chose to protect K-12 education at the expense of other priorities. Here are some highlights and key measures.

K-12 education

Takes $126 million from the state lottery to save 1,600 teachers' jobs.

Cuts 3.7 percent, or $6.2 million, from the More at Four pre-kindergarten program championed by former Gov. Mike Easley.

Cuts funding for local school districts' administrative staff by 2.2 percent, or $2.4 million.

Places a one-year moratorium on mentoring programs to save $9.2 million.

Cuts money to replace school buses by $11.9 million. Leaves a $1 million reserve for emergency replacements.

Community colleges

Adds $85 million to help cover a 16 percent increase in enrollment - the equivalent of 34,000 additional students.

Requires the administration to find $22.7 million in cuts.

Increases tuition by $8 per credit hour. The increase would raise $37 million.

Restores $900,000 for a mentoring program for minority males. The program received no money last year.

Restores $22.5 million for a prisoner education program intended to help inmates eventually find jobs.

UNC system

Cuts $139 million from UNC campuses, a 3.5 percent cut. That is on top of a $100 million cut the legislature ordered for this year.

Cuts $9.4 million that has been used to provide in-state tuition rates to out-of-state scholarship athletes.

Restores a $12.2 million building reserve fund.

Restores $12 million from need-based financial aid that was cut last year.

Health and human services

Counts on saving $34.5 million by scrutinizing whether in-home personal care services are needed.

Saves $36 million through fraud detection and investigations.

Restores $18.8 million of last year's $40 million cut to mental health services.

Provides $14 million for drug assistance to HIV/AIDS patients.

Eliminates 50 positions in the Office of Educational Services, which oversees schools for the deaf and blind.

Natural and economic resources

The Department of Agriculture would be cut 3.2 percent; the Labor Department, 5.2 percent; the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 5.8 percent; and the Department of Commerce, 7.6 percent.

Most nonprofits funded through those agencies would receive a 5 percent reduction.

The budget consolidates three positions in the environment department and consolidates the administration of the Commerce Department's aircraft with the Transportation department.

Justice and public safety

Cuts $5 million from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Cuts $25.9 million from the N.C. Department of Correction to account for a lower-than-expected prison population.

Cuts $20 million that the state expects to save by capping billing fees paid to hospitals for inmates' care.

Adds $600,000 for new investigators for a Medicaid fraud team.

General government

Includes $1.4 million for eight employees to help run the N.C. Museum of Art's new building.

Adds $547,000 for new employees and equipment for the N.C. State Ethics Commission.

Eliminates two vacant positions from the State Auditor's Office. The Senate had proposed a much deeper cut.

Includes a $500,000 grant for the N.C. Symphony.

Cuts $485,000 from the state Senate's budget and $1.2 million from the House operating budget.

Cuts $217,000 from the Governor's Office.