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W. Va. House Votes For Budget With Some Spending Cuts
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia’s House has voted for a $4.225 billion general revenue budget with some cuts from current spending but no revenue from the recently debated tax changes that divided the House from the Senate and Gov. Jim Justice.
The 69-30 vote on Wednesday followed Tuesday’s impasse between House and Senate negotiators on a tax bill that would have raised some state revenue.
House Majority Leader Daryl Cowles says Wednesday’s House-passed spending plan contains $170 million more than the budget the Legislature passed two months ago that Justice vetoed.
That’s based on higher projected tax receipts from natural gas and coal production and improved economy.
However, it would still require cuts from higher education and social programs. Delegates say they’re less severe than in the budget the Senate passed Tuesday night.