Ohio Valley Leaders Learn Effects of West Virginia Budget Woes during Moundsville Meeting
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MOUNDSVILLE – Community leaders met this week in Moundsville to discuss the trickle-down effects of West Virginia’s budget impasse.
The Marshall County Family Resource Network hosted Sean O’Leary, senior policy analyst from the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, for a recent luncheon and discussion panel concerning upcoming financial decisions in West Virginia.
O’Leary explained drops in school enrollment, substantial cuts to higher education and the state’s persistent budget gaps since 2014. He added the 2017 fiscal year begins July 1, meaning the budget must be balanced by then.
The House of Delegates passed a budget Friday before lawmakers went home for the long holiday weekend. The Senate is expected to take up the measure when the special session resumes Tuesday.
O’Leary said his organization is traveling throughout the state to educate various counties and discuss local issues.
“We have to have a budget by July 1 and if we don’t, we’re going to be in some really uncharted territory,” O’Leary said. “The governor has significant budget power, but doesn’t have the power some other states do. If we don’t have a budget, the governor can’t just unilaterally borrow from the Rainy Day Fund to keep people working. … In other states like Pennsylvania, the governor can take emergency action to keep the state funded. Our governor doesn’t have that power.
“Out of all of the laws that are passed during the session, the budget affects everybody, whether you have kids in school, receive health care or drive on roads, the budget pays for that,” O’Leary continued. “With all the controversy and conflict surrounding the budget this year, we want to give people a clear understanding of what’s going on. “
Moundsville Councilman David Wood said he hopes to use the information with other community leaders on a local level.
“It was important for me to hear about the inner workings of the budget,” Wood said. “I will be relaying this information back to the Marshall County Mayors’ Association and hopefully we can use it to improve planning and spending in the area.”
Mike Toothman, public information officer for Youth Services Systems, said he is concerned about a lack of urgency from legislators.
“My main concern is that no one seems to have a sense of urgency about what needs to be done. … I don’t think they understand how many people this affects. It’s not just state employees – several people are feeling the effects.”
Joshua Benyo, operations director at YWCA Wheeling, said his organization’s daily operations are heavily affected by the budget decision.
“I think it’s important for us to be educated on what’s going on in our community and the state in a fiscal sense,” Benyo said. “Some of these allocations will affect how we offer services and employ people in the Northern Panhandle.”