Trimming West Virginia's Budget

The Manchin administration says it remains on track to reduce spending by at least $318 million over five years with the help of the national consulting firm Public Works LLC, The Associated Press reports.

Two years into the effort, the firm's proposals have "cut state spending or otherwise saved West Virginia $201.7 million," administration officials tell AP.

Steps taken range from cracking down on Medicaid fraud to calibrating salt spreaders on the state's fleet of snow plows, the article said.

While some of the steps reflect one-time savings, others "could pare down annual spending by an estimated $92 million in each of the next few years," AP reports. "Such breathing space comes at a crucial time," given the national recession and the threat of future budget deficits.