West Virginia
Jim Justice says he turned West Virginia's budget from cow dung to gold. Gov. Morrisey disagrees
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Jim Justice said he transformed West Virginia’s financial policy from cow dung into gold during his time as governor.
But one man’s gold is another man’s … something else. Newly inaugurated Gov. Patrick Morrisey has taken a closer look under the lid of the state’s coffers, and he said what he has found isn’t so shiny — and it stinks.
Despite the now-U.S. senator’s assurances that he was leaving the state in glowing financial condition, Morrisey announced a week into his term that he had “inherited” from the Justice administration a projected $400 million budget deficit for the fiscal year starting in July — one expected to grow to $600 million the following year. Contradicting Justice, he said the former governor didn’t find the money to pay for his record $1 billion-a-year cuts to the personal income tax, collections on which make up half of the state’s general revenue fund and 10% of all state expenditures.
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Morrisey is scheduled to present his budget accounting for the deficits on Wednesday during his State of the State address. He will be recommending the Legislature consolidate several state agencies, along with other cost-saving measures.
“When they were cutting the taxes, I said, ‘Please continue to cut the taxes, but we must pay for them,’ ” the governor said at a news briefing after taking office. “The taxes have not been paid for.”
West Virginia is one of at least nine states to cut personal income taxes
With budgets bolstered by federal COVID-19 dollars, at least nine states including West Virginia have passed a personal income tax cut since 2021. Supporters say the cuts will boost states’ economies, making them more attractive to business. Others tell a different story.
The progressive-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has warned that expiring federal aid, along with costly new school voucher programs in many states, could lead to challenges funding baseline services like public education, health care and transportation.
“It’s kind of the perfect storm,” said Kelly Allen, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, part of the center’s national network. “All of the spending and tax cuts are starting to hit the budget at the same time that those temporary revenue factors helped us make the case for the tax cuts have subsided.”
Justice — a coal baron and former billionaire who faced a slew of court challenges because of unpaid debts, fines and threats of foreclosure on his dozens of businesses while governor — was repeatedly criticized during his administration for purposefully underfunding agencies and low-balling revenue estimates to create false surpluses.
Meanwhile, he signed laws that are projected to increase in cost over the years: the $1 billion-a-year tax cuts and the Hope Scholarship. One of the country’s most open-ended school savings account programs, the Hope Scholarship has no income requirements.
Justice calls governor’s budget statement ‘crazy talk’
Justice, who recently started work in Washington after being elected to the seat of now-retired Independent U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, dismissed Morrisey’s comments as “crazy-talk” in an interview with WCHS-TV, saying he didn’t believe it.
“If I thought we were going to have a $400 million deficit, my hair would be on fire,” Justice told the television station.
Justice and other leaders have pointed to $400 million set aside in a special reserve fund specifically designed to operate a safety net to cover shortfalls caused by the tax cuts. Justice is also leaving office with $1.3 billion in the rainy day fund, which contained less than half a million dollars went he came into office, also during a time of projected deficits.
His statements were backed up by state Treasurer Larry Pack and the House and Senate presidents, who said they were all surprised by Morrisey’s announcement. House Speaker Roger Hanshaw told reporters last week he isn’t sure West Virginia is facing a budgetary crisis.
“We don’t share the belief that we’re in quite the same budgetary situation that others have suggested we are,” Hanshaw said.
Justice claims credit for turning state’s finances around
Justice repeated a rags-to-riches tale often during his eight years as governor, which began in 2017 when he famously vetoed West Virginia’s budget — facing a $500 million deficit when he took office — by comparing it to literal bovine feces he brought to the state Capitol. Signing the final tax cut out of more than $1 billion over his two terms, he touted years of flat budgets and record billion-dollar surpluses by unveiling the same platter he used in 2017, now topped with gold.
“Look what we got here today,” he said. “The cow dung went away, and today we’ve got gold bars.”
Justice said cutting taxes would spur business growth and economic revitalization in one of the nation’s poorest states, which has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic and lost coal industry jobs. He signed a 21.25% personal income tax cut in 2023, followed by an additional 6% in cuts finalized this past summer.
Justice was accused repeatedly during his administration of underfunding state agencies to maintain flat budgets and create false surpluses, then calling lawmakers back to the Capitol for special sessions to pass supplemental appropriations bills.
Morrisey, who served as the state’s Attorney General before he was elected governor in November, said his projected deficit is the product of years of relying on federal dollars and using one-time money to fund ongoing expenses. Part of the $400 million hole includes the state having to come up with $153 million to cover Medicaid, a program that insures nearly one-third of all West Virginians, Morrisey said. Other costs include funding or state employees’ health insurance and education.
The governor said rainy-day funding should be kept on hold for emergencies, not used to pay for baseline expenses. Justice’s “flat budgets” never existed, he said.
“We can’t rob Peter to pay Paul and push all the bills to future generations,” Morrisey said.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history, compiled by the West Virginia Humanities Council from its online encyclopedia, e-WV.
April 19, 1896: Writer Melville Davisson Post was born in Harrison County. His best-known works are the Randolph Mason series, published in three volumes, and the more successful collection Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries.
April 19, 1902: Author Jean Lee Latham was born in Buckhannon. She wrote a number of children’s books, including Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, which won the 1956 Newbery Award.
April 20, 1823: Gen. Jesse Lee Reno was born in Wheeling. He graduated from West Point in 1846 with another cadet from western Virginia, Thomas J. Jackson, later known as “Stonewall.” Reno was the highest-ranking officer from present West Virginia killed in the Civil War.
April 20, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that in 60 days, West Virginia would become a state. The occasion was marked 100 years later during the state’s Centennial celebration with a special ceremonial session of the West Virginia Legislature on April 20, 1963, in Wheeling.
April 20, 1909: Fiddler Melvin Wine was born near Burnsville in Braxton County. A favorite of old-time music enthusiasts nationally, he was chosen as a National Heritage Fellow in 1991 by the National Endowment for the Arts — the highest recognition given to a folk artist in the United States.
April 20, 1939: Poet Irene McKinney was born in Belington, Barbour County. Gov. Gaston Caperton appointed her state poet laureate in 1993, and she served in that capacity until her death in 2012.
April 21, 1908: Musician Phoeba Cottrell Parsons was born in Calhoun County. Parsons’ traditional clawhammer banjo style, unaccompanied ballad singing, riddles and storytelling have influenced countless younger musicians.
April 21, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt established the Jefferson National Forest. The West Virginia portion of the forest includes about 19,000 acres in Monroe County.
April 22, 1908: Marshall “Little Sleepy” Glenn was born in Elkins. Glenn coached basketball at West Virginia University from 1934 to 1938 and football from 1937 to 1940. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
April 22, 1948: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician Larry Groce was born in Dallas, Texas. He is best known as the longtime host and artistic director of the Mountain Stage radio program.
April 22, 2003: Activist Judy Bonds, a Raleigh County native, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her fight against mountaintop removal mining. Her efforts inspired thousands and turned a local West Virginia issue into a national cause.
April 23, 1857: Andrew S. Rowan was born in Gap Mills, Monroe County. Rowan, a military officer, was chosen as the messenger when President William McKinley wanted to send a message to Cuban Gen. Calixto Garcia during the Spanish-American War. The 1899 pamphlet A Message to Garcia made the incident famous.
April 24, 1865: McNeill’s Rangers surrendered to Union troops at New Creek — now Keyser. The Confederate guerrilla force probably never numbered more than 100 men at any time but managed to inflict regular damage on Union operations.
April 25, 1863: In what became known as the Jones-Imboden Raid, about 1,500 Confederate soldiers under Gen. William “Grumble” Jones advanced through Greenland Gap, a deep pass through New Creek Mountain in present Grant County. The Confederates encountered 87 Union soldiers who held off several assaults before finally surrendering.
April 25, 1923: Union leader Arnold Ray Miller was born at Leewood on Cabin Creek in Kanawha County. In December 1972, he defeated Tony Boyle to become president of the United Mine Workers and served until 1979.
e-WV is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the council at 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301, call 304-346-8500 or visit wvencyclopedia.org.
During the Gold-Blue spring game on Saturday, the West Virginia coaching staff named wide receiver Cyrus Traught the recipient of the 2026 Tommy Nikolich Award.
The award, which is always given out at the end of spring ball, recognizes a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic. The award is presented in memory of Tommy Nickolich, a former WVU player (1980-82) who passed away from cancer in 1983.
Traugh is a Parkersburg native and graduate of Parkersburg South High School. He began his career at Youngstown State before transferring back home to play for the Mountaineers last season. In his final year with the Penguins, he logged 36 receptions, 409 yards, and a team-leading five touchdowns, two of which came against Pitt.
During the 2025 campaign with the Mountaineers, he saw action against Robert Morris and Kansas, playing 10 snaps against the Jayhawks, but did not record any stats.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has mentioned him twice this spring as someone who has been doing some good things and making progress. Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett also showed him some love during his press conference last week.
The Mountaineers completely revamped the wide receiver room this offseason, upping the level of talent at both inside and outside receiver spots, but perhaps Traugh can work his way into the mix if he puts together a strong summer and fall camp. If he’s not a regular in the rotation, he’ll serve as a quality depth piece who can play special teams.
Past Nickolich Award winners:
2025: Clay Ash, RB
2024: Avery Wilcox, S
2023: C.J. Cole, WR
2022: Nick Malone, OL
2021: Graeson Malashevich, WR/H
2020: Osman Kamara, S
2019: Jake Abbott, LB
2018: Evan Staley, K
2017: Nick Meadows, LS
2016: Jon Lewis, DL
2015: Justin Arndt, LB
2014: Michael Calicchio, OL
2013: Connor Arlia, WR
2012: Tyler Anderson, DE
2011: Ryan Nehlen, WR
2010: Matt Lindamood, FB
2009: Josh Taylor, DL
2008: Adam Hughes, LS
2007: Andy Emery, LB
2006: Tim Lindsey, LS
2005: George Shehl, H/DB
2004: Jeff Noechel, LB
2003: John Pennington, WR
2002: Moe Fofana, RB
2001: Jeremy Knapp, TE
2000: Ben Collins, LB
1999: Bryan Lorenz, LB
1998: Mark Corman, TE
1997: David Lightcap, DB
1996: Matt Ceresa, OL
1995: Rob Keys, DB
1994: Randy Fulmore, DB
1993: Matt McCulty, WR
1992: Brett Parise, WR, Ray Wilcox, LB
1991: Keith Taparausky, RB
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