Justice Outlines Senate Agenda, Points To Energy Market Potential

In his briefing on Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice committed to continuing to cut taxes when he assumes his office in the U.S. Senate next year. He pointed to expanding the energy market as the “key to the whole situation” to raise nationwide revenue.

“We need to cut taxes. Okay, now. How can we raise revenue?” Justice said. “The only way in the world that I can see we are sitting on energy like you can’t imagine.”

Later in the briefing, Justice explained he was unable to create long-standing revenue from energy markets within the state.

“I went to the legislature 14 times about the tiering of natural gas and the tearing severance tax on coal,” Justice said. “All of a sudden, prices shot off like a rocket.”

Justice said the additional severance tax revenue could have provided a long-term funding solution for PEIA. However, severance taxes are based on often volatile markets, bringing in less revenue when markets drop.

“Right now, to be perfectly honest, our gas and coal companies are having a rough go of it, so we need to be supportive of them in every way,” Justice said.

Justice also said he had met with some of president-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks on a recent trip to D.C.

“Now, we want to be objective, and I’m going to surely be that,” Justice said. “But at the same time, I want him to have his team too.”

Justice said he intended to “try to be as supportive as I possibly can.”

“If it doesn’t go well, blame him, you know?” Justice said. “If he picked the wrong person, he picked the wrong person, but really and truly, at the end of the day, I’ve got all the trust in the world in Donald Trump.”