(RALEIGH) -- State lawmakers sent a $19.7 billion budget to Gov. Bev Perdue's late Saturday morning. The governor has criticized the cuts to education and other programs in the Republican written bill.

There are three options for Gov. Perdue.  She can sign the bill, veto the bill or do nothing.  Perdue has 10 days from Saturday to take action.  If no action is taken after the 10-day deadline, the bill would become law anyway.

"I haven't made my mind up, but I am sorry that it's come to this," said Perdue.
 
The House voted 73-45 early Saturday morning to changes made in the Senate. The final spending plan cleared both chambers with enough votes to override a potential veto from Perdue, assuming the five House Democrats continue their support for the budget.
 
Republicans delivered on a campaign pledge to craft a budget without raising additional taxes. Perdue, along with most Democratic lawmakers, called for the extension of a temporary sales tax increase to minimize cuts to education and health programs.
 
“We are talking about thousands of real jobs employed by hard-working people who teach our children, help us prepare our children for school, take care of our senior citizens, take care of people with mental illness,” said Rep. Jennifer Weiss, D-Wake. “These are not phantom jobs.”
 
Republicans acknowledged that state jobs would be eliminated, but downplayed claims that the budget would irreparably harm public education.
 
This is not the end of the world,” said Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford. “I think some are going to be surprised because when their rhetoric doesn’t come through, when the schools open next fall, when there is a teacher for every classroom, when every student has an opportunity to learn…you’re going to know that the rhetoric was overheated.”