By PHIL KABLER
Charleston Gazette-Mail
(Gazette-Mail photo by Craig Hudson)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, said Tuesday the Legislature will need to be an especially good fiscal steward in preparing the 2019-20 state budget — given concerns that the current double-digit growth in tax collections will not be sustainable long term.
“This year was probably one of the first years where we didn’t allocate 100 percent of the revenue estimate in the budget,” Carmichael said. “That will be something we consider doing again.”
During the 2018 regular session, Gov. Jim Justice raised state revenue estimates for the 2018-19 budget year by $58 million, in part to cover costs of 5 percent pay raises for teachers, school service personnel, and state employees.
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