Morning Post: Money edition

Think there’s gonna be another wonderful state largess to distribute in the upcoming session? Um, probably not. At NC Policy Watch, Chris Fitzsimon points to a new study that shows we’ll need an extra $2.3 billion over the next couple of years to fix the holes in the mental health care system.

Meanwhile, this morning the State Auditor’s office released the first full financial audit of the state lottery. I make no claim to understand what the bottom line really means, but there will no doubt be some spin headed our way shortly. Here’s the link to the page with the pdf.

I’ve gotten a few emails and a comment on the strangest political stories of the year. I’ll be posting mine this week and they’ll be in print in the Indy and Yes! soon. So, please drop by and leave your idears. I mean, it was a strange blue moon kind of year, eh?

Not so strange: Marc Basnight will lead the Senate in the next session.

Senate Democrats also nominated Sen. Charlie Dannelly of Mecklenburg County to a third term as deputy president pro tempore, Sen. Tony Rand of Cumberland County as majority leader, and Sen. Katie Dorsett of Guilford County as majority whip.

Sen. R.C. Soles, D-Columbus, was re-elected as caucus chairman and Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin, was re-elected as caucus secretary.

Meanwhile, Rep. Paul Stam has been elected the new leader of the House Republicans, taking over in a chamber where his party’s influence has declined in the past four years.

At least there’s some things you can count on in this crazy world.