Budget Session Will Start May 4th

Nearly two weeks after the governor vetoed the state budget, negotiations have yet to resolve disagreements on tax changes and spending cuts. Gov. Jim Justice says he’ll call legislators back to a special budget session May 4th, and said that he hopes the framework of a tentative agreement reached earlier with the Senate leadership will still hold. That would limit funding cuts and lower the state income tax while raising the sales tax to close a projected deficit. Senate President Mitch Carmichael, in active talks this week with the governor, says that would be a tax cut for all working West Virginians. House Speaker Tim Armstead says his Republican majority still strongly opposes the framework’s tax increases.