Gov. Tomblin Signs Budget that Taps Reserves

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has signed a budget that dips into millions of dollars in state reserves.     

Tomblin approved next year’s budget Wednesday with some vetoes and reductions. It’s not immediately clear which spending items were deleted or lessened.
 
The proposal passed by lawmakers last week would take $147.5 million from the state’s $922 million Rainy Day Fund to cover a projected shortfall. Another bill that passed could ease the reserves sweep by $21 million.
 
The budget includes $504 raises for public employees. It also accounts for $1,000 across-the-board raises for teachers and 2 percent raises for school service personnel, which were included in a separate bill.
 
House Democratic lawmakers, who face re-elections that could flip their majority control this year, opposed increasing cigarette, sales and other taxes.