Officials make pitch for road bonds

Lee said the state can’t fill its open positions because of lack of competitive pay and, particularly in the southern part of the state, people just don’t want to move there, partly because of the roads.

“The first thing people look at when wanting to bring business in is infrastructure and education,” Lee said. “We see this going hand in hand.”

Gov. Jim Justice has proposed about $2.8 billion in road construction and maintenance projects across the state, called the “Roads to Prosperity” program. The plan is predicted to create 48,000 immediate jobs.

“Better roads bring us a better way of life,” Justice said Thursday. “Just like better, or safer, schools bring us a better way of life. When you are trying to attract people to a state, you can give them money, you can give them incentives, you can give them lots of things, but if you don’t have a good way of life, they won’t come. Roads are a gigantic component of that.”

State officials plan to fund about $1 billion in construction through raising tolls on the West Virginia Turnpike and traditional bond sales, but the additional $1.6 billion in projects will require passage of a constitutional amendment to allow the state to pursue additional bonds.

Voters go to the polls Saturday, Oct. 7, to decide whether or not to sign off on the plan. The gasoline tax and Division of Motor Vehicles fee increases approved by the state Legislature this past session are already in effect and approval of the bond sales will not add any additional taxes or fees.

Justice said he cannot stress enough there will be no additional taxes.

“For anyone to go out and spread the news you are voting for a tax increase, it’s so un-West Virginian and it’s just not true in any form, shape or fashion,” he said.

The funds are constitutionally required to go to the road projects, but Justice said it is possible tolls may have to be utilized for some of the bigger projects, like expanding bridges in Wheeling.

“If things go well, we will not need any more tolling in any way, shape or fashion,” Justice said. “But I would not want us to commit to building anything anywhere and say never. But the fallback is your maximum exposure is $8.”

Many state organizations and associations support the plan along with the Education Association.

Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said his association sees the long-term benefits the plan will provide the state.

“We will see immediate jobs for West Virginians in the construction industry,” Clowser said Thursday. “We serve 425 member firms and 20,000 workers throughout the state. The majority of those are highway workers that will start work immediately … We see the future for economic development as important as the immediate. This will create jobs throughout tourism, manufacturing – everyone will benefit.”

Steve White, director of Affiliated Construction Trades of West Virginia, said his organization will be able to provide training to West Virginians so they can take advantage of the new jobs.

As for tourism, Chelsea Ruby, commissioner of the Division of Tourism, said better roads are imperative to increasing tourism in the state.

“If the roads are in bad shape when they arrive, they won’t come back,” she said.

Ruby said the division’s plan is to increase the average length of stay for a tourist from the current two-night stay to four nights. To do so, the division is going to promote regions rather than certain towns or attractions. However, for that to work, the division needs to convince people to drive between destinations, she said.

“We can’t bring tourists to West Virginia if our roads aren’t in good enough shape to support them,” Ruby said.

The special election is set for Saturday, Oct. 7. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Follow reporter Taylor Stuck on Twitter and Facebook @TaylorStuckHD.