State cuts High Point promo funds by 40%  

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 7/10/2008 2:21:00 PM

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina lawmakers have approved a state budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year that includes a cut in funds for marketing and promotion of the High Point Market.

The market, which received $1 million from the state for marketing and promotion in the last fiscal year, will get $600,000 for the new budget year, which began July 1.

A separate allocation of $875,000 to run the market’s massive transportation system also was included in the budget. That amount was unchanged from the previous year.

Market organizers originally had requested $1.6 million for marketing and promotions, but Market Authority President Brian Casey indicated the group is satisfied with the final outcome.

“This will have little impact on our marketing outreach efforts,” Casey said.

The budget bill has yet to be signed by Gov. Mike Easley.

(Reported by Larry Thomas, business editor of Furniture Today, a sister publication of HTT.)