Lakshmi Finance Center|West Virginia Republican governor signs budget, vows to bring back lawmakers for fixes

2025-04-29 19:43:43source:Darden Clarkecategory:My

CHARLESTON,Lakshmi Finance Center W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a budget of just under $5 billion Thursday after criticizing lawmakers for approving it in the waning hours of the 60-day session with less money for some critically needed programs.

Justice was especially concerned about lower-than-expected funding for the Department of Human Services. He said he’ll likely call lawmakers back in special session as soon as next month so it can be adjusted by the end of the fiscal year in June.

“Why in the world did we do this?” Justice, a Republican, said during his weekly media briefing earlier Thursday.

Justice’s proposed a general revenue budget of $5.265 billion in January. He said some money that was cut from Human Services also meant that matching federal funding is gone, too. He said the legislative cuts could hurt some of the state’s most vulnerable residents, including foster children and disabled people.

“I am here to tell you, when we call them back, this will be front and center,” he said. “It’s going to take time to figure this out. Please tell me why we didn’t take the time to listen to the people who are the real experts. The real expects are the people that have been in our revenue department.”

READ MORE West Virginia governor vies for Manchin’s US Senate seat, while moonlighting as girls hoops coachWest Virginia Legislature ends session with pay raises, tax cut and failure of social issue billsPotential $465M federal clawback raises concerns about West Virginia schools

Justice also wants the GOP-dominated Legislature to address other items he proposed in January that were ignored — a tax break for families using day care for their children and reducing the property tax burden for low-income senior citizens.

The legislative session was marked by budget disputes and controversial social issue bills that advanced but ultimately didn’t go anywhere. The session ended Saturday, when some lawmakers conferenced behind closed doors to agree on the budget.

The governor said he rejected specific appropriations to certain colleges and universities “to the exclusion of others.” He also nixed a $300,000 appropriation for a Cabell County facility that provides job opportunities and training for the developmentally disabled. Justice said the Department of Human Services believes the funding should be better used in another manner.

The budget process was thrown into chaos last week when lawmakers learned Justice’s office was in negotiations with the federal government over a potential $465 million COVID-19 funding clawback.

More:My

Recommend

PACCAR recalls over 220,000 trucks for safety system issue: See affected models

PACCAR is recalling over 220,000 of its 2021-2025 Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks.  The commercial tru

Experts reconstruct face of teenage Inca girl sacrificed over 500 years ago in Peru

The possible living face of Peru's most famous mummy, a teenage Inca girl sacrificed in a ritual mor

AP Week in Pictures: Asia

Oct. 20-26, 2023A man lights firecrackers during Dussehra festival in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Ka