Tamarack to Pay Off its Debts

Tamarack, the arts and crafts showcase built along the West Virginia Turnpike by the roadway's parent agency, has set aside the $6.9 million it needs to pay off the bonds that funded its construction, The Register-Herald reports.

But as both the Beckley newspaper and MetroNews observe, that will not necessarily trigger the transfer of Tamarack to another agency of state government as Gov. Joe Manchin has proposed.

"We continue to look for ways for Tamarack to either break even or make money," Manchin aide Jim Pitrolo told MetroNews (audio here). "Once we get that business model in place we can move Tamarack anywhere."

And as the Turnpike just hiked its toll rates to raise more revenue, the Beckley paper noted that "by setting aside the cash from its economic development tourism account, the West Virginia Parkways Authority is able to invest another $1.2 million a year in turnpike upkeep."