Former Clerk of Court Catherine Graham will be sworn in Wednesday as the newest member of the Moore County Board of Social Services.

Graham will take the seat being vacated by retiring board Chair-woman Linda McCaskill, who has served six years on the board and is not eligible for reappointment at this time. Graham was appointed by the social services board.

The five members of the board are appointed by three sources -- two by the governor, two by the Board of Commissioners and one by the board itself. The other members are Wilma Laney, C.C. Edsel, Jonah Person and County Commissioner Cindy Morgan.

Megan Owrey, clerk to the Moore County Board of Commissioners, will administer the oath of office to Graham at the beginning of the regular board meeting Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the Carriage Oaks Facility board room.

The next item on the agenda will be election of new officers.

SALES TAX -- Gov. Beverly Perdue has proposed a temporary one-cent increase in the sales tax as a measure to balance the state budget.

The governor made the proposal Tuesday to leaders of the legislature, where budget negotiations are currently bogged down.

Perdue also proposed an income tax surcharge on single taxpayers earning more than $500,000 a year and couples filing jointly and making more than $1 million. The surcharge would expire in two years, the additional sales tax next year.

The state budget is currently deadlocked in a conference committee working to iron out differences between separate budgets adopted by the Senate and the House.

Because the General Assembly had not adopted a new budget by the June 30 deadline, both houses have passed a continuing resolution extending the existing budget until July 15.

There were hints this week that it may take even longer to agree on a budget and there was talk that another continuing resolution may be needed.

Other options suggested by Perdue include increases in the cigarette, beer and alcohol taxes along with taxes on such things as cosmetic surgery, limousines and chartered flights, couriers and on-line sales.

GOP -- The North Carolina Republican Party lost no time attacking Perdue's proposal.

Newly elected state party Chairman Tom Fetzer scoffed at the idea that the governor seriously expects to rescind the sales tax by September of next year.

"I'm here to tell you that if we are counting on Bev Perdue to stick to her word, this tax will linger with us for years to come. Bev Perdue has no credibility on the issue," Fetzer said at a Thursday press conference. "During her time in the legislature and presiding over the Senate as lieutenant governor, Bev Perdue expressed no concerns when temporary taxes were enacted or extended. She is a tax and spend liberal and her take on this budget proves it."

HAGAN -- U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's office reported Thursday that the Senate Armed Services Committee has approved the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2010.

The bill is now headed to the Senate floor, where it will be reconciled with a version passed by the House.

The bill contains three amendments sponsored by Hagan and $66.5 million for military projects in North Carolina.

"Camp Lejeune's 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne are leading the charge against terrorism in Afghanistan, and it is critical that we provide them and all of our military service members with the tools for success," Hagan said in a news release.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 693-2479 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.