Published: September 07, 2005 11:57 pm      

Manchin warns of veto if food-tax cut is more than 1 percent

CHARLESTON — Amid mounting Republican pressure to erase the 6 percent tax on food, Gov. Joe Manchin held his ground Wednesday, warning any bill providing more than a 1 percent cut is destined for a veto.

Manchin emerged halfway through a three-hour caucus of House Democrats and was emphatic the state cannot afford to lower the food tax more than that amount.

“If it comes more than 1 percent, it’s killed,” Manchin told reporters.

“You can’t do it. You just can’t do it right now in a responsible manner. I’ve been operating as responsibly as I can for eight months. This economy is growing. I’m not going to let people knee jerk.”

Manchin was asked several times how he would handle a food tax reduction beyond the 1 percent he specified in his call for this special session. And each time, the answer was the same, only worded differently.

“I would have to veto it and I would veto it,” the Democratic governor declared.

Manchin insisted he wasn’t trying to stifle debate, but suggested any move to raise the reduction is futile.

“I make the call because I have the financial expertise to give me evaluations I have to make in a responsible manner,” he said.

Manchin found it ironic that “the same people” under a Republican governor in 1999 opposed removing the food tax.

“Isn’t it strange that it’s changed so much?” he asked, then repeated his words of caution that a reduction over 1 percent isn’t feasible.

“We can’t let that be done in West Virginia,” he said. “We’re going to stay responsible.”

Republicans voted unanimously in their caucus to repeal the entire 6 percent.

Minority Leader Charles Trump, R-Morgan, said he was “sorry” to learn Manchin was holding steadfast at 1 percent.

“My hope would be that if we can convince a majority of our colleagues from the Democrat Party in both houses to go along with us on repealing it, that the governor might reconsider that position,” he said.

Trump disagreed that revenues forbid any reduction over 1 percent.

Pointing to revenues that exceeded projections by $300 million, the loss of the food tax would dig a $150 million hole in the budget.

But Trump said the dynamics point to a less severe drain, given the economic boost elimination of the tax promises.

“Now is the opportunity to do it,” he added.

Manchin laughed at the threat of Senate Minority Leader Vic Sprouse, R-Kanawha, to sue if amendments for altering the tax cut aren’t allowed.

The governor also smiled when informed his adversary, Don Blankenship, met with the Republican caucus.

Blankenship endorsed the GOP plan for erasing the food tax, but the chief executive officer of Massey Energy doubted he would take part in any lawsuit Sprouse might file.

Manchin defended his food tax proposal, saying it’s the most the state can allow and still maintain fiscal integrity.

“We want to continue to grow this economy in a responsible manner,” he said.

“Everything we put forth has been fair.”

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com