(Editor's note: The following remarks are by Gov. Bev Perdue issued Wednesday regarding the proposed Senate Bill 13. The bill would grant Perdue the authority to reduce this year's budget by $400 million. One of the main suggested budget cutting methods by Republicans includes reductions of more than $67.5 million from the Golden LEAF Foundation.)

"The proposed cuts to North Carolina's jobs and economic development funds will damage our ability to recruit new jobs and to expand existing businesses in the state. Other Southern states, notably Virginia, have called for an increase in similar funds so they can take our jobs away.

I am truly surprised that Senate leadership is considering taking North Carolina's jobs money as a way to balance the budget. It won't work - and what's more, our people won't work if we can't bring new companies and new industries to our state. We have many hundreds of new jobs in the pipeline right now, and they depend on that money. If we don't win those projects, those jobs go somewhere else. It's that simple."