CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A special session to enact the 2016-17 West Virginia budget will begin next week, despite a lack of consensus in the Legislature on how to close a $270 million funding shortfall, the Governor’s Office announced Monday.
“The governor will call a special session to begin on May 16,” said Chris Stadelman, spokesman for Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. “The governor will introduce a budget plan as he did in the regular session.”
That will include tax increase proposals to help close the budget deficit — proposals that were defeated by the Legislature during the regular session.
“I think it will be similar to what was proposed in January,” Stadelman said.
The session will begin just 45 days before a potential shutdown of state services if there is no budget approved when the new budget year begins July 1. Stadelman said it is critical to get the 2016-17 budget passed well before that deadline…