Tomblin Says West Virginia's Budget Problems Could be Worse

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin says West Virginia’s budget shortfall seems daunting, but the financial situation isn’t nearly as bad as it has been in the past.

Tomblin tells The Register Herald that the $353 million shortfall is troubling. But he says the state isn’t “nearly in the kind of shape it was the ’80s” when he lead the Senate Finance Committee.

Tomblin said there were times when finances were so bad that workers came to cut the gas off at the governor’s mansion because the bill wasn’t paid.

Tomblin says he’ll lay out a plan this week that aims to ensure the state stays on track financially this year. He says his proposal will help West Virginia recover from its financial woes in the next couple of years.