W.Va. Budget Worries Persist

The Associated Press reports that "as West Virginia faces the prospect of shrinking revenues, Gov. Joe Manchin and lawmakers said Thursday that they want to avoid plugging any budget gaps with federal stimulus dollars."

But some lawmakers add that "the stimulus money could help with any one-time spending proposed in the budget bill," the article said.

With the economy faltering, the Legislature expects Manchin to revise his 2009-2010 revenue estimate downward, a rare move that would likely trigger cuts to the budget he proposed at the start of the session.

Manchin also talked about the tightening fiscal times to the editorial board of the Herald-Dispatch, the Huntington newspaper reports.

"To keep state costs down, Manchin said, he's asked each of his agency heads to validate their programs," the article said. "If the agency cannot justify the program or determine a way to make it more effective, Manchin said the program will be eliminated."

The Charleston Gazette noted earlier that Manchin has canceled this session's Legislative Black-tie Reception and Dance, citing economic conditions.