Huntington Herald-Dispatch – On July 20, Gov. Jim Justice rejected calls to use some of the state’s $1.25 billion in federal COVID-19 relief dollars to help schools reopen safely and provide internet and computer access to families who may want their children to return to school remotely. Read full article.
“Everybody wants to start running in a direction and everything and saying something when they don’t have any idea what in the world they’re even talking about,” Justice said. “You know, at the end of the day, it’s a political football.”
The governor noted prekindergarten-12th grade schools were already due roughly $90 million in federal funds. A federal relief package mandated that money go to schools, while Justice allocated the separate $1.25 billion at his discretion.
Justice plans to put over half of the $1.25 billion toward an Unemployment Fund that the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy think tank says isn’t actually an immediate concern, unlike opening schools. The governor is putting $50 million toward highway projects.
