An editorial from The Exponent Telegram
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — It’s well established that state lawmakers will be hard pressed to balance the budget without dipping into the rainy day fund.
That’s especially true after House members came out strongly last week against tax increases.
But that doesn’t lessen the importance that lawmakers work to find the funding needed to give teachers and state employees pay raises.
Currently, there are two bills being considered. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin called for 2 percent pay raises for teachers and service personnel. A Senate proposal calls for $1,000 across-the-board raises for all teachers and 2 percent for service personnel.
Tomblin’s proposal also calls for $504 raises for state employees.
While we would like to see more money for both those in the education field as well as state employees, we understand that the budget is lean, with declining revenues a major concern.
But lawmakers shouldn’t consider that as an excuse to do away with, or lessen the pay raises from the proposed current levels…