Tomblin presents an active agenda at Legislative Lookahead

SOUTH CHARLESTON — West Virginia Acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin was not acting like a “caretaker” on Friday morning.

Though cast into the governor’s office because of Joe Manchin’s election to the U.S. Senate, Tomblin gave a preview of an active agenda for the upcoming Legislature while meeting with reporters at the annual Associated Press Legislative Lookahead in South Charleston.

He spoke about supporting the coal industry against the Environmental Protection Agency, fiscal responsibility in state budgeting, and some changes to education he would like to see in a give-and-take with state media members.

The Legislature convenes on Wednesday in Charleston. Tomblin is scheduled to present his first State of the State address to legislators that evening.

“Coal has really been the backbone of our economy (and) has created so many jobs over the years,” the Logan County resident said. “Coal’s been good to us. We realized a few years ago when we passed the Energy Portfolio Act that we needed to be transitioning into more environmentally-friendly sources of energy, and we are doing that in the state of West Virginia.

“However, with this (Obama) administration in Washington, it’s been a bumpy time for the state of West Virginia and all the coal-producing states,” he said.

The mine permitting process of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as it applied to a Spruce Run operation was a target of his comments. “Once they get those permits, that you can go in and just jerk that permit out from under them, that’s worrisome,” he said.

Asked about the legal action Manchin’s administration started to oppose the EPA, Tomblin said, “I will support that lawsuit against what the EPA is planning to do.”

Tomblin spoke about the importance of a 40-year plan he helped produce in the legislature to pay down unfunded liability in state government in annual installments, and said it was an example of “fiscal responsibility” under his watch.

“We’ve been very vigilant about making sure that in each year, we’ve made those payments,” he said.

He said in the upcoming session, “We need to continue to give our economic development office the tools they need.”

Regarding education, he said he hopes to address shortages in hiring public school teachers certified to teach math and science, but he did not offer much hope for increased spending on education in the budget he will propose for the year that starts on July 1.

Higher education institutions have continued to get less state money over the last 20 years. He said, “Across the United States, what has traditionally been sent to the schools, that amount of funding has continued to go down.”

He said that parents are picking up more of the cost, but that the state has put money into scholarships, including the Promise Scholarship. He said the amount comes to, “my guess is, it’s right at $100 million a year.”

At the same time, the Promise scholarship has been cut back, and tuition increases are among the causes, he said. “What had been a relatively low tuition, especially at our four-year institutions, had been taking increases of 9 to 12 percent a year, which started to eat in real quick to the number of students that could be eligible.”

“The cost of education continues to grow, and there’s only so many ways you can cut that pie,” he said.

He said he was concerned about the state’s low graduation rate and will promote “an outreach program” to improve it.

He was questioned numerous times about his joint status as president of the state senate and acting governor. He held to his stated position that he can legally do both until after the general election in November 2012.

The state supreme court will hear oral arguments on Tuesday afternoon in a court challenge on that issue, from two plaintiffs who say there should be a new election, this year.

“The statutes determine when that election will be,” he stated on Friday. “We’ll wait and see what the Supreme Court says in its rulings, and we will abide by the law, whatever they determine.”

“I’m doing what the Constitution says and what the current (state) code says,” Tomblin said. “That’s the situation I walked into. … You take an oath to follow the law and uphold the Constitution.”

“It’s interesting times in West Virginia,” the veteran politician said. “This is something new for all of us.”

He proposed a constitutional amendment on Thursday that would create a position of lieutenant governor.

He said he has a “work group” considering how that might work. It might be combined with an existing state executive office such as secretary of state.

“We would create a position that would not cost the people additional money,” he said.

While he is now working out of the governor’s office in the State Capitol, Tomblin said he is still the senate president and will seek to be retained in that post by his senate colleagues next week. However, the operation of the senate during the session will be handled by another senator, so “I’m not trying to run two branches of government at the same time,” Tomblin said.

Redistricting of house and senate districts is a major task ahead for the 2011 legislature. Tomblin was asked what input, if any, he would have on redrawing lines for the senatorial district he shares with State Sen. Ron Stollings (D-Boone).

“I would imagine that he (Stollings) would play a very active role in the redistricting of the Seventh Senatorial District,” Tomblin said.

Redistricting will be “a legislative matter,” Tomblin said. As acting governor, he said, “My role would be to either sign or veto the bill.”

Tomblin would like to keep his new temporary job and will be a candidate for governor whenever the election takes place.

Sounding very much like a candidate, he told the reporters about his priorities.

“My goal is first and foremost, let’s get the people’s business done,” he said.

— Contact Tom Bone at tbone@bdtonline.com�

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