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Withering

Disappointing state revenues a bad omen

Gov. Jim Justice views last week’s disappointing state revenue report as “a shot across the bow for all of us in government …” It certainly was that.

The question now is whether Justice and state legislators will heave to on grandiose spending plans — or risk damage to the ship of state, should revenue plunge in the future.

During the first few months of the fiscal year, income for the general revenue fund exploded past what analysts had estimated. Justice himself proclaimed the days of budget worries were over. It was predicted the state would end fiscal 2019 with a surplus of about $300 million.

But January revenue was about $3 million less than had been expected. That prompted the governor’s shot-across-the-bow comment to reporters.

There is little cause for worry about making ends meet during the remaining five months of this fiscal year.

After January, total collections remained $182.8 million in excess of projections.

But if this year’s surplus withers away next year, as has been suggested it may, the state’s general revenue budget for fiscal 2020 could be in trouble. Very large increases in spending — perhaps as much as $650 million more than this year — have been suggested. Passing a budget of that magnitude could mean trouble a year from now, if revenue lags behind hopes.

Now may be the time to heed that shot across the bow, then, and trim the sails on spending increases. Justice and legislators may have no choice but to set some priorities — recognizing that their key responsibility is a balanced budget.

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Both Republicans and Democrats in the West Virginia Legislature already have disavowed comments by one of their number.

Del. Eric Porterfield, R-Mercer, made headlines last week during a hearing on an amendment that would have overrode municipal ordinances that ban discrimination against those in the gay community, referred to often as LGBTQ people. Fortunately, the measure was rejected.

Porterfield was critical of the LGBTQ community.

“The LGBT is the most socialist group in this country. …There are many gays they persecute if they do not line up with their social ideology,” he said.

As far as economics go, we have no idea how most who identify as LGBTQ feel, though we know of some who are firm free market advocates.

It got worse. Porterfield told a reporter “the LGBTQ is a modern-day version of the Ku Klux Klan.”

Porterfield cannot be removed for his bigoted, crazy ideas. House leaders should do what they can to keep him from doing legislative harm, however.

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