Charleston Gazette – Like it or not, there is no way the Legislature can close the projected $400 million shortage in the state budget without raising revenue, at least not without severe damage to the state. Read
It’s fine to talk about cutting spending and running a leaner state government. Of course, using the people’s money efficiently should always be the goal, but state government ceases to be efficient when it ceases to deliver services and programs that people need, and that help propel economies around the state. Remember, state departments have already absorbed significant cuts in recent years.
Times would be lean anyway as energy prices and severance taxes dropped. Making matters worse, some counties have lost local property tax collections as coal companies have declared bankruptcy and stopped paying. Those counties are even more vulnerable than usual to any state cuts.
These conditions largely grew out $300 million worth of business tax cuts in recent years, all good ideas at the time. We applauded them, too.
