CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia governor’s office is in transition and the speaker of the state House of Delegates is hopeful Republican legislative leaders will be able to reach “common ground” with Governor-elect Jim Justice on a number of issues.
“We’re going to be able to find some areas where we can work together,” predicted House Speaker Tim Armstead (R-Kanawha, 40) who’s had an initial meeting with Justice.
The state’s continued budget struggles are expected to dominate the 2017 Regular Legislative Session in the New Year.
“We didn’t get into the nuts and bolts — yet — of the budget. We will certainly be doing that,” he said of his meeting with Justice.
Earlier this week, current Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced mid-year budget cuts of about two percent for most state agencies. As of Nov. 2, revenue collections were $87.4 million below estimates.
Altogether, the cuts add up to about $59.8 million including $11 million, or roughly one percent, from the School Aid Formula which funds public education and a $25 million, one-time Medicaid reduction.
“I’ve always been more of an advocate of truly looking and prioritizing things, rather than doing across-the-board cuts, but I think that a governor in this situation has little choice,” Armstead said of what are the first reductions during the current fiscal year.
An additional $25.5 million, dedicated to the Workers Compensation Debt Reduction Fund, is also being redirected. A state hiring freeze will continue and all nonessential travel for state employees remains restricted.
Moving forward, Armstead is opposed to raising taxes to fill the recurring budget shortfalls.
“We have, really, a citizenry that is struggling to make ends meet at this point. They’re facing so many of the challenges that state government is facing in their own budgets and I don’t think they could bear additional taxes on them.”
He said he’d be surprised if Justice, the 36th governor of West Virginia, proposed tax hikes.
“He has said during the campaign and even after the campaign, after his victory, that he is not looking to increase taxes and we don’t want to see that either,” the House Speaker said during an appearance on Thursday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
“The alternative is going to be we’re going to have to make some tough decisions, but we’re willing to make those.”
Armstead said it’s clear West Virginia’s government needs to “right-sized.”
Finding ways to do that is the task of the bipartisan Joint Committee on Government Efficiency, Transparency and Accountability, or GATE, Committee which is conducting a full review of the entire state government structure.
Once governor, in Armstead’s view, Justice has more leeway than members of the Legislature to direct or encourage targeted cuts within individual state agencies.
“I really hope that Governor Justice will really be willing to do that and say to these agencies, ‘We have to make these cuts. We’d rather work with you.’”
Inauguration Day for Justice is Jan. 16.
The 2017 Regular Legislative Session is scheduled to open briefly on Jan. 11 for the election of officers and certification of election results before delegates and senators adjourn until Feb. 8.