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CHARLESTON -- As the House of Delegates' version of the budget is slated for passage Friday, the state Senate started work on its version Wednesday, setting up a conference committee likely next week.
The Senate Finance Committee approved by voice vote a committee substitute to Senate Bill 125 on Wednesday afternoon, the budget bill presented by Gov. Jim Justice during his State of the State address at the beginning of session on Feb. 10.
The Senate version of the general revenue budget came in at $4.495 billion, which was $2 million more than the $4.493 billion set by House Bill 2022 approved by the House Finance Committee on Monday.
Justice presented a general revenue budget in February that was $4.569 billion, revised upward to $4.570 in the most recent updated revenue estimate, making the Senate version of the budget $74 million less than the Governor's proposal and less than the current fiscal year budget.
The committee substitute decreases the Governor's introduced budget by $83.4 million, including $12 million from West Virginia University, $6 million from Marshall University, $2.8 million for the MARC Train, and $3.3 million from the Governor's Jobs and Hope program.
The Senate Finance Committee reached out to state departments and agencies over the last several weeks to submit proposals for cutting their budgets. Those reports resulted in an additional $21.2 million in decreases to the Governor's proposal, including cuts to the state's four-year and two-year colleges and universities, a $1.2 million cut to the Governor's Communities in Schools program and $8 million from the Department of Health and Human Resources' Medical Services division.
State Sen. Ron Stollings, D-Boone, raised concerns about cutting the state's public higher education and community college institutions.
"Over the past several years we have cut higher education and we keep cutting higher education," Stollings said. "This is a pretty stiff cut. This ends up being on the backs of West Virginia potential students in the form of higher tuition, and in some cases the doors are closed for higher education. I truly believe this is an area we should be investing in putting more money into, because there is a huge return on investment."
"It bothers me," agreed state Sen. Mike Maroney, R-Marshall. "It bothers me to be part of a team here in the Senate that was responsible for handing out $10 million to private companies, then cut our own higher ed. That's hard to swallow that. We really need to take a look at that and what we're doing."
Another $14 million was moved from the Milton Flood Wall project, $7 million from tourism, and $5 million for economic development, though those funds would be restored at the end of the fiscal year in July if there is surplus tax revenue.
Improvements to the Governor's budget include a $2.6 million improvement to the state aid adjustment for the Department of Education, $3 million for improvements for community and technical colleges, and $1.7 million for public defender raises. After cuts and improvements, SB 125 leaves more than $72 million in total unappropriated funds.
Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com