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News Release
May 22, 2009
GOVERNOR RESPONDS TO DISCUSSION
ABOUT SUPPOSED CUTS
TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGAL AID
Contact: Matt Turner, 304-558-2000
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Joe Manchin today reiterated that concerns about proposed reductions to a domestic violence legal aid program were premature, as the budget proposal they were based on was still in draft form and the governor had not yet approved those changes.
The state Budget Office provided a draft budget proposal to legislative leaders on Thursday, but the governor emphasized that it was a working document that had not received his final approval. The final budget proposal, which does not include any reductions to the Civil Legal Aid Program, was delivered this afternoon to Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin and House Speaker Rick Thompson.
“Up until this afternoon, the revised budget proposal was a work in progress and it was not accurate or fair to make presumptions about what changes are in that budget proposal until it was finalized.
“Some of the proposed changes were just that – proposals – and I had not yet reviewed every item to ensure it was something I wish to present.”
Manchin said that is the case with regard to a presumed reduction in the budget for the Civil Legal Aid Program. The program helps provide legal assistance to victims of domestic violence. In fact, the governor last year signed off on a $250,000 increase for the program’s general revenue budget and he has no plans to reduce it as drastically as program supporters suggested in media reports earlier today.
“We were proud to be able to increase that funding last year and will continue our commitment to assist victims of domestic violence,” the governor said. “This is an important program and I understand the money has been responsibly spent and is helping the victims who need our assistance.
“While every agency and every line item is studied carefully to determine where we can make reductions to balance our budget, for next year, I have directed our Budget Office and DHHR to find the reductions outside of this program. All of us have to step up to the plate and make these necessary adjustments to balance the budget, but in this case, I believe it would be unfair to take them back to the fiscal year 2008 allotment.”
Faced with projected reduced revenues for the coming fiscal year, the governor in March directed agency heads and cabinet secretaries to make reductions in their budget requests to reach a total reduction of approximately $200 million for FY 2010. The governor also asked all constitutional officers to reduce their budget requests at the same levels.
“While we are still making adjustments to our original budget proposal, thanks to responsible management of the taxpayers’ dollars, West Virginia is one of only a few states that is not laying off workers, dramatically increasing taxes or cutting essential services to balance the budget. We’re closely monitoring our revenues every day and we are by no means out of the woods, but if we continue down the path of fiscal responsibility and all of us accept that we have to make reductions, we will weather this storm better than just about any state.”
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