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West Virginia House Approves Bigger Teacher Pay Raises
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – The West Virginia House has voted 98-1 to provide average 5 percent pay raises to teachers, school service personnel and state troopers in the coming year.
The 5 percent is the raise Gov. Jim Justice proposed in a negotiated deal with unions intended to end the statewide walkout by West Virginia’s public school teachers.
Senate approval is still needed.
The Department of Education says schools in 11 of the state’s 55 counties will still be closed Thursday.
In the Senate, where President Mitch Carmichael expressed skepticism about revised tax estimates to support that raise, lawmakers adjourned until Thursday.
The governor’s office attributes higher projected sales and income tax receipts to the state’s major road rebuilding program starting shortly and the recently approved federal tax overhaul.