CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State lawmakers would have to cut the state budget by as much as $150 million next fiscal year if they decide against tax increases, according to state Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Hall.
Hall, R-Putnam, a guest Thursday on MetroNews “Talkline”, said those cuts would have to be to the base budget not just one-time reductions.
“This isn’t just some little academic discussion,” Hall said. “There are people our there that are going to be injured and hurt. This is going to have a big reach. What I’m trying to do is I’m trying to educate.”
Lawmakers are staring at a $270 million budget hole for next fiscal year because of revenue collections devastated in large part by the collapse of the coal industry. The Tomblin administration has discussed tax increases but that may be difficult to do so the discussion has to turn to up to $150 million in base budget cuts, Hall said.
“We can’t talk in the abstract anymore and make the political speeches. The election will be over in a week or two,” he said. “It’s now time for us to sit down and dig deep and make the tough decisions.”