As Revenues Decline, Tomblin will Propose 2018 Budget Plan

State tax incomes are continuing to decline according revenue officials, but Governor Tomblin will present a plan to lawmakers Wednesday to balance the budget during the upcoming legislative session. 

Revenue Secretary Bob Kiss told lawmakers Monday that the state missed collection estimates by nearly $7 million in the month of December. For the entire fiscal year that began in July, the state has collected nearly $100 million less than estimated.

On Wednesday, Gov. Tomblin will give his farewell address before a joint meeting of the Legislature in the House Chamber.

Kiss said during that address, Tomblin will set forth a plan for lawmakers to balance the 2018 budget, but it’s likely that plan will include suggestions for tax increases, something the Legislature has been unwilling to consider in recent years.

Lawmakers did, however, approve an increase to the state’s cigarette tax during a special session last summer.

Tomblin’s speech is scheduled for 2 p.m. and is expected to last nearly an hour.

The speech will be broadcast live on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s second television channel, the West Virginia channel.