A poll by Money Magazine a few years ago found that married couples fight about money more than anything else. The survey of 1,010 couples ages 25 and over determined that 70 percent of them argue about finances over household chores, togetherness, sex, snoring and what’s for dinner.
With that in mind it’s no wonder the Governor and members of the West Virginia Legislature are huddled together at the State Capitol as a dysfunctional family. Were a therapist on staff, they would be asking members to explain how they feel when their cigarette tax is voted down or to open up about their emotions when the Rainy Day Fund is raided.
Well, actually there is a lot venting going on already, but the resolution that is supposed to accompany an honest dialog remains elusive. The mood at the Senate Finance Committee meeting yesterday, where lawmakers skewered Chairman Mike Hall’s proposal to raise the consumer sales tax by one half percent, was strained.
However, the committee was able to pass out on a voice vote a tobacco tax bill that includes a .65 cent per pack increase in the tax on cigarettes (to $1.20).
The Senate has already passed a tobacco tax increase—twice—as a way to raise revenue to balance next year’s budget, but the House rejected both of them. That’s why the Senate is not rushing this tax plan to the other chamber.
Instead, the Senate is going to pass its version of the budget with no additional revenue while taking about $200 million from the Rainy Day Fund and send that to the House. The assumption is the Republican-led chambers will come to terms on a budget that cuts spending, sweeps accounts and relies heavily on the Rainy Day savings account—anywhere from $140 to $200 million– and then send it to the Governor, who will probably veto it.
Meanwhile, the .65 cent cigarette tax increase is now floating out there. The Senate doesn’t want to move that unless it has some hint that it could pass the House, and that would be difficult. Remember that earlier this special session the .45 cent tax failed 44-55 with 20 Republicans and 35 Democrats voting against it.
At this writing it does not seem as though there is much enthusiasm from the leaders of either party in the House to whip the necessary 51 votes to pass the .65 cent tax.
Family dynamics are volatile. We all know about feuds, hurt feelings, slights, grudges and even outright contempt. A survey of lawmakers right now would reveal a litany of emotions, tangled up with politics and, yes, principled stands that make it even more difficult to find common ground.
Families sometimes take the easiest route and do nothing, leaving grievances to fester. That’s not really an option here because the state needs a new budget by the end of the month, preferably sooner.
If they fail on that front the rest of the extended family, namely the voters, may decide this November that they want a divorce.