The North Carolina General Assembly is currently in session â which means itâs ready to extend its heavy hand to control decisions that are best left to local authorities. A Senate bill filed last week would penalize cities and counties that reduce their law enforcement budgets by a degree it dislikes â by then withholding transportation and sales tax revenues by a like amount. A city or county would not be able to freely cut its law enforcement budget by an amount more than 1% of the money it spends on other things if this bill â co-sponsored by Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth â passes.