CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Wyoming County Delegate Adam Vance (R) has voiced his frustration after a one-time appropriation of $100,000 for water infrastructure in Wyoming County was removed from the state budget.
Vance has spoken out multiple times about the ongoing water issues throughout the county and has pleaded with the legislature for help.
It seemed that help was coming as the $100,000 appropriation was included in the original $5.3 billion House budget.
After the budget was passed through the House and sent to the Senate, the Senate removed the $100,000 appropriation.
During debate on the budget Thursday, Vance asked House Finance Chairman Vernon Criss (R-Wood) why the appropriation was removed after going through the Senate.
Criss said the reasoning was “negotiations” with the Senate.
Delegate Vance took to social media Thursday evening criticizing the move in a Facebook post.
“The House Finance Committee had put a one-time $100,000 appropriation into the budget for water infrastructure in Wyoming County, a mere drop in the hat for a $5.2 Billion dollar budget, and the senate removed that $100,000 but didn’t drop the line item. Just removed that transfer of money and put it elsewhere,” Vance said. “Does that sound like they care about the dire situation that we have been facing for over 3 years?”
In a form of protest during Friday’s floor session, Vance had most bills up for passage read in full which took multiple hours.
The appropriation was not added back into the budget bill.
The $5.3 billion budget completed legislative action Friday evening and now heads to Governor Patrick Morrisey’s desk for his signature.
