Governor Beverly Perdue was considering a veto Saturday of the $19.7 billion state budget given final approval by the Legislature earlier in the day.

The N.C. House of Representatives by a 73-45 vote gave its final approval around 12:15 a.m. Saturday to the two-year spending plan that does not renew a temporary one-cent sales tax and reduces funding to all levels of education.

The 343-page bill landed on Perdue's desk around 10 a.m. The bill becomes law in 10 days if she does nothing. The Republican-controlled legislature may have enough votes to override her if she vetoes the budget.

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