A Structurally Sound Budget — Whitney Westerfield

The House spent nearly two months considering its changes to the Governor's proposed budget bills and delivered them to the Senate on the 50th legislative day (in a  60-day session).  Today the Senate passed an amended version of the House's proposed Executive branch budget.  Unlike the House budget, the Senate version uses no one-time monies for recurring expenses.  Unlike the House budget, the Senate version removes coal severance funded pork projects that are not self-sustaining economic development drivers, something everyone agrees coal producing counties need desperately.

Make no mistake, the cuts proposed in the budget are challenging.  They present a difficult path forward but one we must follow now unless we want to make even more drastic and devastating cuts down the road.  As our Appropriations & Revenue Committee Chairman has said, we are investing in tomorrow by facing head-on the problems of today.  Have a look at the Senate budget draft here:

For those curious in the process, here are the next steps:  The House will not "concur" with the Senate changes to the budget, and a "conference committee" will be formed, made up of members of both chambers and both parties to meet between now and next Wednesday to hammer out a compromise if possible on each budget bill (Executive branch, Judicial, Legislative, Transportation).  We hope to have a bill to pass both chambers by the time we adjourn next week, immediately before the Governor's 10 day veto period begins.

Stay tuned by following me on Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo or LinkedIn!

Share