Democrats in the House of Delegates say they want a special session to address some of the state’s biggest challenges: staffing and safety problems in the corrections system, the longstanding foster care crisis and funding gaps for higher education.
The House Democrats sent a letter this week to Gov. Jim Justice to ask for those issues to be a priority in a possible August special session. They said the Legislature should make meaningful use of the $1.8 billion fiscal surplus announced at the start of this month — although only a portion of that money remains.
“With the surplus that you announced this month, we should address these challenges that for far too long have gone unaddressed,” the House Democrats wrote.
“A $1.8 billion surplus doesn’t do much good for the 8,000 children in foster care if we don’t act to help them. The surplus won’t help our colleges and universities offset their shortfalls if we don’t act to help them. And the surplus won’t help our struggling corrections workers if we don’t act to help them by finally adjusting their outdated pay scale.”
The House Speaker said he understands the passion behind the plea, but also said some of the problems might not be solved through finances alone.
“Most of our state’s deep wounds cannot be healed with cash infusions alone. That includes the ongoing reforms to our foster care system as well as the higher education system, which is just beginning to operate under an outcome-based funding formula the Legislature created last year,” said House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay.
“I expect we’ll all hear a plan to begin alleviating the dire conditions at the Division of Corrections in the near future. I appreciate the enthusiasm from the House Minority to get to work on some of our state’s most critical issues, and I hope that will translate to swift, deliberate action toward these common goals in our committees and during floor sessions.”
The governor and lawmakers have talked broadly about a special session to coincide with the next interim legislative meetings, which are August 6 to 8.
One possible focus during a special session could be deciding the best way to allocate $451 million from the surplus. That’s what remains from the surplus dollars already allocated by lawmakers, plus what went to reserves.
Legislative and executive branch officials have described additional highways spending as one possible priority.
Problems with staffing in the jails system is another topic that state officials have talked about for months. Last August, almost a year ago, Governor Justice declared a staffing emergency and asked the National Guard to provide support roles in the jails.
Lawmakers have discussed pay raises for jails workers but haven’t reached consensus on a format for the raises. Talks about that topic have continued in regular, behind-the-scenes meetings.
The safety of West Virginia’s jails also has been an area of concern, with a series of deaths in corrections facilities by suicide, homicide and drug overdoses highlighted by advocates.
The foster care system has long been overwhelmed in West Virginia, with thousands of youth needing homes.
“That surplus doesn’t mean a thing for some child in care — one of the 8,000 children we have in foster care, partially because of the drug epidemic that has ravaged this state,” said Delegate Mike Pushkin, who is also chairman of the state Democratic Party.
In higher education, West Virginia University has been going through the highest-profile financial challenges, with the university navigating a $45 million financial gap.
University leaders have connected the financial gap directly to a declining number of students and the tuition they pay, although there are other factors as well. The West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy has noted that if state funding for higher education had remained steady, when adjusted for inflation, that would have closed most of the budget hole.
“It’s a matter of priorities and something that the governor and the Republicans in the Legislature have chosen to ignore or not make a priority,” Pushkin said on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”