RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Gov. Beverly Perdue says a legislative proposal to save administration costs by merging the smallest North Carolina community colleges with large neighbors would hinder rural communities.

Perdue said Monday that lawmakers should shelve the recommendations of the General Assembly's watchdog agency to save $5 million a year by cutting the administration at 15 small colleges and merging them into bigger campuses.

The efficiency study has drawn howls from community college leaders. The State Board of Community Colleges last week took a stand opposing mergers of colleges with fewer than 3,000 students.

None of the campuses would close. Twenty of the state's 58 community colleges already run multiple campuses.

Perdue says community colleges are important for economic development because they provide companies with skilled workers, and that draws jobs.