— Furniture Today,
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina House and Senate negotiators have reached tentative agreement on a state budget that would give the International Home Furnishings Market Authority the $1.75 million it sought to promote the High Point market.


The money, which would come from the state Department of Commerce, was included in the state Senate’s version of the budget in late May. But the House later reduced the funding to $750,000 — the same amount the Market Authority received for the fiscal year that ended June 30.

Late last week, a House-Senate conference committee ironed out differences in the two budget proposals. Both chambers are scheduled to vote on the committee’s bill on Wednesday.

The additional marketing and promotional funds from the state are part of an aggressive five-year funding plan adopted by the Market Authority’s board of directors earlier this year.

The state budget also includes $1.2 million from the Department of Transportation to run the High Point market’s shuttle system. That money was never in dispute during the budget negotiations.