This morning, the Senate passed a budget, described as a compromise, to round out the funding for Fiscal Year 2027. We both voted no on this budget.
We were not made aware that the Senate would offer an amendment to the House’s version of the budget until fifteen minutes before the Senate
gaveled in today. The House passed this budget on February 25, and we have held off on receiving their version for a week. We were not included or
consulted in any negotiations for this “compromise.” We were given no opportunity for input on or even to fully examine the contents of the amendment that was sent back to the House.
There are a few good things about this budget. It adds $5 Million to the Flood Resiliency Trust Fund and moves Medicaid back into the base of the
budget instead of relying on surplus revenue to fund basic services. It also provides an average 3% pay raise for state employees and provides more
funding for the state’s foster care system.
Unfortunately, the bad things are more numerous. The House of Delegates funded Flood Resiliency at $25 Million, instead of $5M. They gave a long-
overdue raise to non-uniformed corrections officers, which the Senate struck out.
Our priorities were not reflected in this budget. We began this session with a call to increase funding for child care and change the way we reimburse
child care facilities to help keep them operational. We wanted to give every teacher a base salary of $50,000 and pay them like the professionals they
are. We wanted to help people cope with rising energy costs. We asked to fully fund the I/DD waiver waiting list, allowing people living with intellectual
and developmental disabilities to receive much-needed services.
Unfortunately, the Senate did not prioritize those values. They prioritized funding the HOPE scholarship and a 5% tax break that will go mostly to the
wealthy donor class, while failing to increase any funding for public education.
We stand by our vote; the people of this state deserve better.
Senator Mike Woelfel (D-Cabell) Senator Joey Garcia (D-Marion)
