Governor's budget comments spark testy debate in WV House, Senate

Last edited Fri Feb 24, 2017, 09:02 PM - Edit history (1)

Gov. Jim Justice’s call on Tuesday for the Legislature to take action on the state budget crisis in light of West Virginia’s latest bond ratings downgrade — and legislative leadership’s response to that call — lit up both houses in floor debate Wednesday.

House Minority Leader Tim Miley, D-Harrison, and Sen. Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, took umbrage at statements made by House Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, and Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, that blamed the economic downturn on the “tax-and-spend policies of the past.”

“I’m not sure what tax-and-spend policies are being referred to,” Miley said.

In the Senate, Palumbo elaborated, noting that the Legislature has approved only two tax increases in recent memory, tobacco tax hikes in 2003 and 2016. During that time, the Legislature eliminated the sales tax on food and enacted about $350 million a year in cuts in business taxes.

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