The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Today's Front Page

March 19, 2010

Lawmakers to vote on budget

By Lawrence Messina Associated Press

CHARLESTON — West Virginia’s Senate and House of Delegates are ready to vote on a new, $11.6 billion spending plan that slightly reduces state government’s reliance on general tax revenues.

But while that portion has shrunk by $46 million, the overall budget would still grow by $62 million when compared to the version passed last year.

With the next budget year starting July 1, lawmakers expect to vote Saturday on the compromise bill presented Friday by a House-Senate conference committee.

The measure proposes spending backed by $3.7 billion from general revenue, $4.08 billion in federal funds, $561 million from lottery proceeds, $1.39 million from the State Road Fund and $1.45 billion from special revenue sources such as fees.

The compromise bill is nearly $291 million larger than what Gov. Joe Manchin proposed when the legislative session began in January. But much of the difference reflects stimulus-related spending that the governor recommended when he updated his proposal earlier this month.

Those funds include $140 million for highway related projects, from a potential follow-up to last year’s sweeping stimulus legislation that administration officials concede has not yet materialized.

Manchin’s update had also reduced lottery-based spending by more than $21 million. Citing a prior surplus, the conference committee increased reliance on that source by nearly $36 million over the governor’s revised proposal. Much of that would go toward the massive funding shortfall in the pension program for state teachers.

Around 45 percent of the general revenue portion of the proposed budget, or nearly $1.7 billion, represents state aid to public schools. Another 11 percent of general revenue would fund the state’s higher education system.

The compromise also includes nearly $15 million for a pair of programs that offer in-home care to seniors and the developmentally disabled as an alternative to nursing homes and other institutions. The House version had budgeted $22 million toward those waiver programs.

The Legislature has been in extended session to complete the new budget since ending its regular, 60-day session March 13. Gov. Joe Manchin has not ruled out convening a weekend special session for as-yet-unspecified measures. He has vetoed three bills so far from the regular session, all because of technical flaws. A mistitled bill prompted the third veto Friday, of a proposal to have the state Division of Banking gather and publish foreclosure data.

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