House and Senate Dems pull together to avoid government shutdown

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Democrats in the state Senate and state House of Delegates are calling on Republicans to work together in order to avoid a government shutdown as the Special Session heads into a third week at the state Capitol.

“We ask and implore them to get on the same page as much as humanly possible,” House Minority Leader Tim Miley (D-Harrison, 48) told members of the media during a Friday morning press conference a few hours before the House passed a budget plan for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. The Senate adjourned that morning with no budget plan in place.

Democrats met Friday to ensure the public that government will continue to function properly even during the state’s current budget crisis.

“It is absolutely irresponsible and unacceptable for us to shutdown government,” said Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler (D-Marshall, 02).

With less than five weeks before the start of Fiscal Year 2017, the House passed a $4.088 spending plan which included $48 million in spending cuts, about $48 million in account sweeps for one-time monies and $143 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to fill the current $270 million shortfall.

But fear lies with Democrats because Governor Earl Ray Tomblin previously said he would not sign a budget bill that included a large draw from the state’s savings accounts like the Rainy Day Fund.

“I think the public will be very concerned that we’ve spent two weeks down here with a lot of time and their money only to have a budget that we know, without a doubt, for a fact, will be vetoed by Governor Tomblin,” Miley said.

Delegate Brent Boggs (D-Braxton, 34) said not everyone will agree on ways to fill the massive budget hole, but that they need to come together regardless.

“I would submit that the discomfort that some of us might feel over certain things we don’t like will be greatly eclipsed by the terrible discomfort that’s going to occur if we allow the Governor to shutdown which we must not and cannot do,” Boggs said.

Miley called on lawmakers to work long hours, if necessary, to wrap up budget work as quickly as possible.

“I implore all of us to be willing to sign a pledge, if necessary, to work 12-14 hour days, show up early in the morning, work until late at night, take up legislation as you receive and continue to work for the people because they expect that from us,” he said.

During an appearance on last week’s MetroNews “Talkline,” Delegate Don Perdue (D-Wayne, 19) told host Hoppy Kercheval there would not be a government shutdown.

“I think we’ll get through this. We’ll do something. Non of us will be happy with it, but, you know, most of the time good legislation happens when no body is happy with it,” Perdue said.

Members of both the House and Senate are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday at 1 p.m.

The Special Session, called by Governor Tomblin, began May 16 with no end date.





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