By DANYEL VANREENAN
The Journal
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Lawmakers have said the state budget is the top priority of this Legislative session. In response, the House finance committee has expressed its ambitious plans for pushing for a solution.
Delegate Eric Householder, R-Berkeley, is the vice chair of the Finance Committee. He said the committee has been working tirelessly on finding the best solution for West Virginians. Householder estimated the House would have a general framework for their version of the state budget by the end of the week.
After Governor Jim Justice’s State of the State address, many delegates and senators expressed disapproval for the proposed plan. Householder said that disapproval would be expressed in the many divergences the House budget took from Justice’s original proposition.
“Most feel that Justice promised less taxes, but during his State of the State address, we saw a 180 degree turn around,” Householder said. “Our proposal will greatly differ in a lot of ways.”
Householder said the Finance Committee has held several budget hearings, and the Higher Education Policy Commission, the West Virginia Conservation Agency and the West Virginia Department of Commerce have given presentations as well.
In addition, the Revenue Secretary and the Revenue Office is heading 12 separate work groups of three members per group to talk about government revenue and ways the state can reduce replicative processes. According to Householder, the goal of the groups is to rightsize government in the state.
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