W.Va. lawmakers eye firmer hold on session, budget
Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va.
West Virginia’s Legislature is showing signs that acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s legislative agenda may not sail through this session and not necessarily because of last week’s court ruling.
Tomblin is requesting more than 15 measures for the 60-day session that began Jan. 12. Seven were introduced Friday, and at least four more debut today.
Education is a major topic of Tomblin’s agenda. Other items address local economic development and taxes.
The Supreme Court decision has shortened Tomblin’s time acting as governor. It requires that an elected governor take office by Nov. 15. The Logan County Democrat did not expect an election until November 2012.
But lawmakers say the ruling has nothing to do with their view that measures sought by governors have been overemphasized.
“I believe that in the past, ever since I’ve been in the Legislature, we’ve given too much deference to the governor, whomever the governor might have been, in terms of passing legislation,” said Delegate John Doyle. “It’s almost a psychological thing.”
The 11-term Jefferson County Democrat cited as an example the desire of governors to reconfigure the executive branch. Though Doyle did not cite this as an example, Tom-blin has proposed converting the Division of Veterans’ Affairs into the Cabinet-level Department of Veteran’s Assistance. The agency chief-turned-secretary position would get a $30,000 raise, for a $95,000 annual salary.
House Minority Leader Tim Armstead also questioned whether a governor’s agenda should become a priority of any given regular session. As had Doyle, Armstead said he was not singling out Tomblin.
“It is merely, in effect, a suggestion to the Legislature of bills that he thinks are important,” said Armstead, R-Kanawha. “I think a bill that’s introduced by any member of this Legislature, if it’s a good idea, should have the same attention and the same emphasis as any bill suggested by the governor.”
Lawmakers also have discussed ways this session to step up their oversight of the state budget. Crafting a spending plan for the upcoming budget year is a key task of the Legislature. But lawmakers work from a proposal provided by the governor as required by the constitution, which also calls on the governor to supply a revenue estimate.
The Senate Government Organization Committee last week examined the possible benefits of creating an independent fiscal- analysis office within the legislative branch. Among other duties, these staffers would help assess proposed budgets, compile the Legislature’s own revenue and spending forecasts and estimate the price tags of specific legislation.
Paul Miller with the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy touted the benefits of such an office at the meeting. He compared it with the Congressional Budget Office’s role as a counterpoint to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
“The state Legislature could likewise benefit from independent tax, fiscal and policy analysis,” Miller said in prepared remarks to the committee.
Miller said 40 other states have such an office, with neighboring Pennsylvania recently creating one. The other border states have at least one such office, Miller said. Maryland and Virginia are among 10 states with more than one.