Latest News, WVPA Sharing

W.Va. legislators get details of Justice’s new budget

By TAYLOR STUCK

The Herald-Dispatch

West Virginia Budget Office Director Mike McKown, right, gives Gov. Jim Justice’s budget presentation during a meeting of the House Finance Committee, which is chaired by Eric Nelson, R-Kanawha, Thursday in Charleston.
(West Virginia Legislative Photography photo by Perry Bennett)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Legislators on Thursday were presented with Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed budget for 2019, which includes an average 1 percent pay raise for all state employees and new funds for the foster care system, tourism and economic development.

The pay raise would shake out to be about $404 for teachers, $220 for service personnel and $432 for all other state employees, state Budget Office Director Mike McKown told the House Finance Committee on Thursday.

For teachers, along with the step increases they are already scheduled to receive, it would amount to about a $1,000 raise.

Justice is also proposing an additional raise for correctional officers in the jail system of $2,000 a year for three years, bringing the total salary to $30,000 by 2021. Correctional facilities are also allotted $30 million for deferred maintenance and repairs.

The proposed budget also includes $20 million for the foster care system that has been overwhelmed increasingly over the past few years due to the opioid epidemic.

Read the entire article: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/legislators-get-details-of-justice-s-new-budget/article_492477af-9a8a-54bb-8e0e-d5396859e44c.html

See more from The Herald-Dispatch

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

And get our latest content in your inbox

Invalid email address