CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The frustration was evident in the meeting room of the state Senate Finance Committee Wednesday as members exchanged sharp words over the state’s budget crisis.
The committee eventually rejected Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s bill to increase the Consumer Sales Tax by one percent but approved another tobacco tax bill. This one would get most of its revenue from a 65-cent tax increase on a pack of cigarettes.
Both Republicans and Democrats expressed frustration with the special session, which was in its 12th day Wednesday. There’s been no agreement on how to fill a now projected $272 million revenue hole for next fiscal year.
“What is the plan?” Sen. John Unger (D-Berkeley) asked Finance Committee Chair Mike Hall (R-Putnam) at one point during the meeting.
“I told you what mine was,” Hall shot back.
At one point Hall said he was no longer yielding to other senators who had questions.
Hall supported the sales tax increase, which was defeated 6-10 by the committee, after it was reduced to a half-percent increase. Hall maintained state residents would support a broad-based tax increase.
“I firmly believe that the public is not so opposed to this as some may think,” Hall said.
After that bill’s defeat the committee moved on to a new tobacco tax bill. The Senate passed the governor’s 45-cent increase plan earlier in the special session only to see it defeated in the House of Delegates last week. Senate President Bill Cole said Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline” the issue should be revived.
“I want to find bipartisan support for it in the Senate and I think some House Dems are starting to move in that direction as well,” Cole said.
During the finance committee meeting, Sen. Minority Leader Jeff Kessler (D-Marshall) failed in his attempt to increase the cigarette tax by $1.00 a pack. Kessler said the Senate should put pressure on the House and then adjust if necessary.
“If they want to bring it down to something else that they find palatable let them do it,” Kessler said.
The Senate could pass its budget bill Thursday without the tobacco tax increase. Chairman Hall indicated Wednesday the goal was to get a basic budget through both chambers and then backfill with money from the tobacco tax increase.
Meanwhile, the judiciary committee in the House of Delegates passed a state worker furlough bill Wednesday which would give the governor the authority to order some workers off the job during a financial crisis. The bill heads to the House Finance Committee for further consideration.