(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

“We know West Virginia has some real challenges,” Gov. Patrick Morrisey said last month, on his 100th day in office. And, as he said, he HAS been busy during those early days of his term. Unfortunately, we learned during this year’s legislative regular session, the sense of urgency in addressing the state’s genuine challenges was sorely lacking for too many elected officials.

Morrisey was correct to note our struggles in education, economic development, health and health care, infrastructure, population loss and so much more.

He would have been right to add that very little had been done to make progress on any of those fronts during lawmakers’ first opportunity under his watch.

“We have too much potential and unlimited opportunity to be squandered by apathy or by saying ‘this is the way things have always been done,'” Morrisey said.

We would be fortunate if lawmakers were looking only toward the way things have always been done. A significant number of them are looking at the way things were done a century or two ago.

Morrisey must not allow himself to be drawn into that camp. If he is serious about being on “Team West Virginia” and winning an economic “Backyard Brawl,” he’ll have to step up his effort to tackle all those real challenges he mentioned.

He knows that won’t be simple.

“It’s not going to be an easy road into the future. We know that next year we’re looking at close to another $400 million deficit gap,” Morrisey said.

There’s got to be a solution for the Public Employees Insurance Agency problem. He says he’d like to tackle the school aid formula, access to broadband internet service, simplifying the tax code and improving economic opportunities. Those are fantastic ideas.

“We’ve had a lot of success over the last 100 days, but we’re just getting started,” Morrisey said. “I know that there’s a lot of tough work to do in the months ahead.”

If it’s tough work ahead then he, the other elected officials in Charleston and public officials across the state had better dig in and get to it. No more nonsense, personal-agenda-driving socio-cultural crusades that generate bills where there was no problem in need of a solution. No more looking for the language that scores the cheapest political points.

It’s time to get honest with ourselves and get the job done. Morrisey seems to understand that. Imagine what we can accomplish if the rest of us do, too.