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Gov. Justice makes final road referendum pitch

By JIM McCONVILLE

The Journal

BERKELEY SPRINGS — Gov. Jim Justice wants to know where the beef is.

More specifically, the governor wants to know what will provide the state an economic shot in the arm if West Virginia voters opt not to approve the state’s highway project referendum in a special election on Saturday.
Governor Jim Justice talks about the Road to Prosperity Bond Tuesday afternoon in Berkeley Springs.
(Journal Photo by Ron Agnir)

Justice’s topical reference to a 1984 Wendy’s television commercial where then 84 year-old character actress Clara Pellar exclaims “where’s the beef ?”at a competing hamburger chain was one of a handful of folksy and colloquial allusion made by the governor in his down the homestretch pitch to Eastern Panhandle voters in Berkeley Springs Tuesday.

This Saturday, residents will vote on whether to give the West Virginia Legislature authority to issue $1.6 billion in bonds over the next four years. If approved, the amendment would generate nearly $3 billion in road projects across West Virginia and would cost the state about $2.8 million.

The Eastern Panhandle could see an estimated $195.5 million in state highway construction money for projects in Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties if state voters approve a special referendum.

The governor’s whistle stop in Morgan County was one of five on Tuesday to reiterate how the road construction project will draw new businesses and staunch the flow of residents reaching for the exit door. Other stops included Keyser, Moorefield, Charles Town and Martinsburg.

“The reality of the whole thing is that you need roads,” Justice said. “You need our roads fixed and you need new roads — if you are going to bring people here.”

Speaking before a polite and generally supportive group of roughly 40 attendees, Justice painted in blunt terms the likely economic consequences of voters not approving the referendum. That likely scenario would include deep cuts in education, medicaid and other state social programs and state job reductions, he said.

“Nobody, nobody can tell me where the money is going to come from,”Justice said “The only place where the money is going to come is one place — that’s immediate jobs, or (budget) cuts.”

“What are you going to do as a state if you don’t do this? — that’s the $64 question,” Justice said. “If we cut more, do you think more people are going to come to the state, or more people are going to leave. And do you really think there’s a Chinaman’s chance in the world of raising the pay for our teachers?

What’s going to happen? More of them are going to leave.”

Justice again told residents that the money for the road construction project is already been paid for through state bonds.

“We’re getting the road fixed, and it’s not costing you a dime,” Justice said.

Justice reiterated a frequent motif during his road bond referendum tour: tugging on voters’ state pride.

“We have been last too long — we are too good,” Justice said. “If you put party before being a West Virginian, you’re doing the wrong thing.”

Before speaking, Justice took a moment to comment on a flyer authored by State Del. Michael Folk titled “Say NO to the Road Bond, Say NO to DOH (Division of Highways) Corruption!” The flyer questioned the accuracy of Justice’s road bond plan, including the number of construction projects that will be covered by the road bonds.

Justice declined to comment on specifics in the flyer, but said he planned to hand it over to his personal attorneys when back in Charleston.

“I know that he (Folk) is not immune from prosecution,” Justice said. “And he is insinuating some bad stuff there.”

The list of state Division of Highways projects earmarked for Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties include:

Berkeley County – W.Va. 51: widen W.Va. 51 from I-81 I/C to W.Va. 51/U.S. 11 I/S (Inwood Bypass) Cost: $23.5 million

Berkeley County – I-81: widen I-81. Cost: $75 million.

Jefferson County – U.S. 340 improvements at Harpers Ferry Construct turning lanes and climbing lane. Cost: $11 million.

Jefferson County – U.S. 340 widening Charles Town – VA Line Construct 4-lane highway between Charles Town and Rippon. Cost: $40 million (contingent on the “Roads to Prosperity” Referendum passing)

Morgan County – Fairview Drive Connector. Build 2-lane connector road between U.S. 522 and Fairview Drive near Hospital in Berkeley Springs. Cost: $6 million.

Morgan County – U.S. 522: Bypass at Berkeley Springs. Rebuild U.S. 522 in Morgan County to 4-lane highway around Berkeley Springs. Cost: $40 million.

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