Talkline LIVE From the WV Capitol Rotunda for Thursday, February 29, 2024

Today Hoppy is joined by Roger Hanshaw, Mike Caputo, Eric Tarr, Amy Summers, Leslie Rubin, Brad McElhinny, and Randall Reid-Smith.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
So it's neverwhere can you from Charlesthe Morning stand by you, Hoppy.
You're on Metro News talk Line withHoppy kerchival is brought to you by in
COVID Insurance, encircling you with coverageto protect what you care about most.
Visiting covid dot com to learn more. Good morning, Welcome to talk Line
on the Metro News Ready, anetwork all across the great state of West

(00:21):
Virginia, broadcasting live from the AARPBroadcast location in the upper Rotunda of the
West Virginia State Capital. We havea lot to talk about today because it's
a day after crossover day that meansthings moved, things died. Let's get
caught up on the House with SpeakerRoger hanshog One. Mister Speaker, happy
post crossover, Good morning. Yeah, you have a sense of relief.
There's still nine more days to go, so there's a lot to be done.

(00:45):
Let me ask you about something thatjust happened in the Finance Committee where
they're working on the budget, whereuh, the chair of the Finance Committee,
Vernon Chris said, quote, we'vebeen told by the Federal Department of
Education that we are four hundred andsix six million dollars in a clawback situation.
The spending was COVID dollars in thepublic education system. The governor's office

(01:06):
is negotiating with the federal Department ofEducation at the federal level on this issue.
Here is all this federal money,hundreds of millions of dollars, was
pushed into the states, including WestVirginia, and they were making up the
rules as they went along. Nowmillions, that's right. Yeah, Now
the federal government comes back and says, okay, we want to make sure
you spend the money correctly. Sois the federal government trying to claw back

(01:26):
that money from West Virginia because theydon't think it was spent the way it
should have been spent. I thinkclawback is maybe a too strong a word,
Hobby said. What we've been toldto go back to the throes of
the situation as it was happening.There was something like nine sets of rules
in eleven weeks promulgated by the federalgovernment that came with the money that was
wired to the counties and coudy boardsof education and school boards in particular that

(01:48):
we're talking about here, and manyof them did an excellent job complying with
the rules at the time, butthe problem was the rules moved as the
calendar moved. So what we've beentold now is that the government would like
to dig deeper into how the countiesspent some of that money, up to
around four hundred and sixty five milliondollars, So negotiate, even I believe
it's too strong work. What theexecutive's doing on our behalf right now is

(02:13):
just working with the United States Departmentof Education to say, here's how we
spent that money. Here's how we'regoing to be spending money on public education
over the course of the next xnumber of weeks, months, and years.
And we think we've complied with thespirit of what the federal government expected
us to do. So we thinkeverything's fine. We have no reason to

(02:34):
believe we have a problem. Butwhat we do have is a situation where
we have to make sure we havethat amount of money available if things with
the federal government escalate. So youdon't think your pressures and again, I
know it's kind of back and forth, because my understanding is that the Feds
won a record obviously of what WestVirginia did. Then you tell them,
well, this is what we did. Then they come back and go,

(02:54):
well, but what about this,and it kind of goes back and forth.
I think that's right, but it'snot. There's no Westvie owes the
federal government four hundred and sixty fivemillion dollars today. We don't think so.
There may be assertions of that,but we don't think so so.
But in preparation of the budget andeverything depends on that, do you have
to make sure that you have fourhundred and sixty five million dollars just in

(03:15):
case? How do we do that? We do so. What you're likely
to see past the legislature, andI say legislature very particularly there, not
just House. What you're likely tosee past the legislature is a very what
we call skinny budget this year,which is that we'll likely leave here by
the end of next week with abudget enacted in the law that leaves substantial
money unappropriated and available. And thenwe'll continue working with the federal government over

(03:38):
the upcoming weeks and days to getfinality on this issue. And then when
we're in interim meetings later this springback here before the end of the fiscal
year, we'll finish the process andappropriate some of the one time things that
we normally would have done in thesurplus section of the budget. How Speaker
Roger Hanshaw's with us, will anyof this impact or add to the discussions

(04:00):
that will go on between the Houseand Senate over the budget, particularly over
pay raisers for school teachers, staff, state workers. Well, so those
are education expenses. Those are dollarsdirectly infused into the public education system.
And what we have said to thefederal government, or among the things we've
said to the federal government, is, look, we're spending hundreds of millions
of dollars improving our public education systemby giving teacher pay raises, by giving

(04:23):
school service personnel raises, by makinginvestments into the physical, plant and physical
facilities of the public school system.That was the Governor's one hundred and fifty
million dollar proposal for the School BuildingAuthority to copy. I believe our Finance
Committee has that on its agenda.So all those things are what we have
said to the government. Look,we are more than satisfying your expectation.
Good do you anticipate? And againit will be negotiations back and forth.

(04:46):
The Senates come out with this budgetbill. It's pretty skinny by today's standards.
Do you anticipate when all is saidand done by a week from Saturday,
there will be or will not bean average five percent pay raise for
service workers, teachers, state employees. I predict there will be. The
House has already passed that bill.It will be part of it is part

(05:08):
of our draft budget that the committeewill consider today. I expect we'll end
up there, really, even eventhough I mean I haven't seen it,
of course they I haven't seen anythingin the Senate on that. But there's
time to work that out. Thereis, and bluntly part of that is
our negotiation process with the US Departmentof Education. Okay, House Speaker Roger

(05:30):
anschels with is you sat right thereon day one of this session, maybe
day two, day one and saidone of your priorities as somebody who wanted
to advance business in this state wasto try to deal with the childcare deserts
in this state. That when youtalk to potential employers who want to come
to West Virginia, they ask alot of things, and they want to
know about childcare for their employees.None of those bills is moving. Why,

(05:54):
Well, for exactly the reason youjust discussed. So what we don't
know is how much money we canput to them, and even more specifically,
what the federal government's going to requireus hobby. So one of the
the item, the thing that isthe biggest issue right now for the childcare
providers that we learned during the lastfifty one days is the issue of enrollment

(06:14):
in a childcare facility versus attendance,and that issue turns out for us to
be around a forty four million dollarissue, which is an investment we're still
contemplating making, and when we're herein May, we may in fact make
it. But in the interim,what what we know is happening is that
the current administration President Biden's administration hasworking through its federal rulemaking process, a

(06:39):
proposal that would compel that to bedone. So what we don't know is
whether we're going to have to doit, and if we do have to
do it, what does that requirementlook like? And that gets a little
complicated, But as I understand itthat during COVID, federal government says Medicaid
will pay childcare facilities for enrollment,not attendance. That's correct, and therefore

(07:02):
they were getting the total cost ofrunning. I mean they were getting a
total cost for that student. Ifyou did attendance, then a kid wasn't
there for two or three days,and you're not getting reimbursed, but you
still have the same cost. Andit's a terrible business model for that operator.
I mean it is. It isa legitimate problem if you are trying
to stand up and operate a choutcare. So so those facilities unless there's

(07:23):
some change at the federal level propellingthe state or the state takes action,
that those facilities would lose that higherreimbursement if there's not some adjustment at some
point, that's right, and that'swhat we're that's what we're very actively monitoring
right now. Is my understanding.It's the Department of Labor, the US
Department of Labor. Although don't don'thold me to that. I don't have
it in front of me. Butthere is a federal rule now that would

(07:45):
that would place some parameters on that, and we're we're really interested in what
the expectations of states will be.Okay, so you'll deal with that at
some point. Yeah, that isa very lot. That is a that
is a live issue for us.That's not this session likely not Okay,
May special session, wepe. Wehope that the federal rule is finalized by
them. Okay, it really isthat that's one that we're really relying on
the federal rule to be finalized forOkay. House Speaker Roger Hansliss with us.

(08:09):
Finally, there have been bills andbills and bills and bills and bills
and then more bills. Are theretoo many bills? Is there too much
stuff? I mean, would youand I don't think there'll be a change,
but as a leader, would yoube interested in limiting the number of
bills or saying we're only going totake up non budget bills every other year?

(08:30):
Something to something to manage this well? That there are plenty of examples
around the country hobby of where thatis done and done well. And I
think we could learn from where whereour how our colleagues operate elsewhere around the
country. You know, we dohave a we do have a sixty day
session here every year. Many ofour colleagues around the country tell us that
that's a compressed timeline. There arestates that operate on what they call a

(08:54):
fat and skinny cycle. So thestate of Texas, for example, has
has a very short thirty days sessionevery year in which they act on things
have to be done and then gohome. And then on the the next
year. Yeah, the next yearthey'll meet for a longer, more extended
session and take up a budget issue. We could probably benefit from a model

(09:16):
like that here. Okay, i'llspeaker Roger Hanshaw. Good to see you,
Thank you, sir, Talk soon. Have a great day, all
right, you too. Talk linecontinues. We'll return just a moment.
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(11:58):
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(12:20):
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(13:50):
to protect what you care about most. Visit in Coca dot com to learn
more. So fine from the enCOVID shirt studios Here at the AARP broadcast
location, joined by Senator Mike Caputo, Democrat Marion County Money Mike, ho
are you sir? Good morning,Hobby, how you doing today? Good
to see you. Good to beback on the show. It's been a
while. It has ratings down alittle bit, or well, get down
substantially. I want to have youback to see if you can kind of

(14:11):
boost me up a little bit.A hear for you, buddy. I
appreciate that this unemployment bill that passedthe Senate yesterday, and boy, it
would take the next ten minutes toexplain what it is but let me try
to do it briefly, is thatinstead of twenty six weeks unemployment, the
maximum would be twenty four weeks,and it would it would gradually scale down.

(14:33):
It would start with a higher paymentto the person who's unemployed, but
then by percentage scale it down overthe duration of the twenty four weeks.
So there are concerns by employees.They're concerns by employers. What is your
overall take on this bill, Well, it is very difficult to understand.
Keep in mind, I seen thisbill for the first time when it got

(14:54):
introduced as an amendment at five fortysix pm last night and it was ran
at six fifteen. It's a verycomplicated, complex bill. I'm not saying
it's a bad thing. I justdon't know at this point in time.
We need to analyze the numbers,we need to see where it comes out.
But at first glance, people aretelling me, let's take an employee
who receives maximum benefits and unfortunately they'relaid off for the whole duration under today's

(15:18):
law, versus if this bill wouldpass the House and become law, that
employer would lose about four employee.I'm sorry, an employee would lose about
four thousand dollars totally on ear That'sreal money for someone who's trying to pay
the bills and struggling out there.Now, the other side of that coin
that they will tell you the averageunemployment is about twelve point two or three

(15:39):
weeks something like that. When someonegets laid off. Well, okay,
that's good, then we should wouldactually go they would actually get more money.
There's about a breaking point from whatI understand it, about ten weeks
before it goes the other way.But again, we really haven't had a
deep dive into this yet. Thelanguage is confusing, still concerned about the

(16:00):
provision that you can work while you'relaid off as long as you're making less
than your unemployment benefit. But that'skind of a cool benefit for the workers
because as I understand it, itsays you could work part time and you
could make up to what you getpaid on unemployment and not be penallocked.
Well, let's think about that forokay, let's think about it. Let's
say you're low paid worker and you'renot getting we focus so much on the

(16:22):
maximum benefit we forget about those onthe lower end of that scale that maybe
is only going to get a couplehundred dollars a week unemployment so they could
go out and make another one hundredand ninety nine. Have we factored in
childcare? Have we factored in allthe other aspects of their life that they're
going to have to take care of. No, we haven't. We haven't
thought about that, and that hasto play role. These are real lives

(16:45):
we're messing with. Here's another gosh. I hate to make your argument,
but I think I can't please dowell. No. This was presented to
me this morning by somebody on thelabor side. I thought it was a
valid point because there are a lotof people who work contract work. Okay,
and let's say they're working and theygot a job and it's for six
months, six weeks, and thenthey're laid off and they're collecting unemployment.

(17:06):
So initially, okay, they're prettygood, You're getting more than they normally
would under this bill. And thenthey work some more, and then they're
laid off again, working more,laid off again, so by the time
that they are at receiving the lastunemployment benefits that they're eligible for, they're
receiving the least amount of money whenthey may have the most bills because they've

(17:26):
been laid off exactly. Yeah,you know, so I've been laid off,
and the hardest part is the backsideof that and not on the front
side of it. You know,you're usually a little more financially prepared for
things when you're working every day.Look, we all know most Americans were
live payday to pay day. That'sunfortunate, but that's just the way life
seems to be when you're raising kidsand paying bills and what have you.

(17:48):
And when you get the rug pulledout from under you. If you're a
coal miner, you're making one hundredand grand a year, you get the
rug pulled out from under you andyou're making you know, wind up making
two grand a month. That's abig deal. That's a big difference.
Centered by Capudo's with this, thereare also employer concerns about this because,
and this gets really complicated. Ithas to do with the amount of money
that that is subject to the taxthat you pay, and I'm not going

(18:11):
to get into all that, butemployers are trying to figure out what it
means. I was talking to somebodyfrom the business. I've talked to somebody
from labor this morning and business thismorning. They're all trying to figure out
what it does and what the impactis. This might be something that put
in a study, you know,and and figure out what it does,
and if you want to change it, you know, come back later next

(18:33):
year something. Rather than saying,wow, we're going to change this now,
not knowing the full impact. AmI making your argument? Oh my
god, you are you are,But you are articulated. It's so much
better than I could all be.But seriously, this does not need to
be done today. The trust Fundis not belly up. It does dollars.
If it the projection show that thatwe need to do something, then

(18:53):
I'm all for that. Look,I'm I'll be the first to tell you
I don't want the trust Fund tobe in dire straight. I wanted to
be solving for when people do losetheir job. We got a lot of
part time workers, like in theGreenbrier to get laid off every year.
You know. We gotta we gottathink about all those aspects of this this.
We have seven days I think leftin the session, seven or eight

(19:15):
days in a sense, and alot of stuff coming our way from the
house, a lot of stuff goingto the House from the Senate that we're
going to be dealing with. Thisbill came to us in the the eleventh
hour, the absolute eleventh hour.I looked at that bill. I'm trying
to read the bill while Senator taris explaining the budget, because I knew
that's the only opportunity I would haveto look at the bill. And the

(19:37):
more I read it, I justgot confusing, you know, it just
it's confusing, and it's hard tofocus when you know you got other things
on the docket. And I'm notbeing disrespectful to to Senator Craig. Craig,
I'm not, and he knows thathe brought me in trying to explain
it to me. I just it'sjust too much for me to comprehend at
the eleventh hour. It may bea good thing. I'm not saying it

(19:57):
isn't. I'm just saying we're moeven too far too fast. Let's look
at this, Let's let's put itin an interim study. Let's bring all
the stakeholders, to get all thestakeholders and see what the if there is
Number One, if there is areal problem, and if there is,
how do we work together to fixit because everybody I associate myself with,

(20:17):
you know, all the labor goods, they don't want the trust fund to
be in dire straits. We wantto make sure it's solving. But I
don't want to take the chance.Well, let's just send it over the
House and get this done in thenext eight days and if there's something wrong,
we'll fix it later. No,let's get it right first time.
And Senator Blair was on this programyesterday. He explained kind of what this
change was because initially he wanted thebill. He wanted was to go from

(20:37):
twenty six weeks to twelve weeks andsome other significant changes that were in there.
Probably knew that wasn't maybe not getout of the center, but if
it did, it had no chancein the House. So he was saying,
well, let's get a vehicle.Let's get something here as a vehicle.
So I do get that, andit's worthy of discussion. But gosh,
you're gonna I hate to say it, but I do think you're making
a couple of good points there.Well, again, I just really want

(21:00):
to be clear here. I'm notopposed to looking at something and if there's
a real problem fixing that. Butwe, in my opinion, seven days
is just not enough time to bringthe parties together to find out what,
if anything, needs done. Thisis it for you. You're you're not
running again, You're retiring. You'vebeen around forever. You thought this was

(21:21):
like, well, I can getout of this session and don't have to
worry about it. And I washoping for a nice boring last week,
but unfortunately that didn't happen. Butlook, the Senator Blair's credit, this
bill came a long way from whathis first wishes were. I want to
I want to be clear about that, and I respect him and I think
he respects me. We just justgot a little different view on this.
And again, we just need tofind out what's real and what's not.

(21:45):
And I just don't feel comfortable doingthat in the next eight days. All
right, Senator Mike Capudo, Democratfrom Marin County, Swansaw, you may
be back, though, well,I want a social session real quick.
Especially I will say by to mywife Tina, probably last time. Everyone
hear me on Hoppy You know,I know you're listening. I love you
and I'll catch up with you comeSaturday. Are you getting all sentimental.

(22:06):
Now I am not getting said gettingall Missy. I don't regret my decision
one bet. I got two grandkids and one on a way, and
that's all I want to That's allI want to do. You're done,
done, I'm done. I'm done. No more politics, man, unless
it's Mary Reesville. That's the onlything I want to do. You want
to be running for? Are youannouncing you're running for mayor of Rael?
Tina won't let me. He's theproblem, he said, No, it's

(22:26):
not going to happen. I don'twill for once listen to your wife and
say, okay, honey, I'mnot gonna run for mayor. Let's be
Claire. I always listened to mywife. And you might you might lose,
and I might lose. They knowme the best. Mike Caput,
Thanks Mike. Nice talking to you. Good talking to you. So uh,
this this bill, you know,just keep an eye on this.
It's gone to the house and itis. It's it's very very significant and

(22:48):
also not easy to understand all theelements of it. Frankly, all right,
we'll take a break and come backhere on talk Line. This is
talk Line on Metro News. MetroNews is the voice of West Virginia.
It's ten thirty. Let's get anews update, checking with the Metro News
radio network final what's happening statewide thishour, all across the great state of

(23:08):
West Virginia. West Virginia Metro Newsdes i'n Kerry Huda seca Knnak County deputy
is recovering from injuries after being shotin the hand following a pursuit in Sissonville
earlier this morning. I's already say. The pursuit started on Walker Drive just
after one o'clock this morning, andthe car stopped in the Applewood Circle area,

(23:29):
where Knawk County Chief Deputy Joe Crawfordsays multiple shots were fired. The
deputy started exit the vehicle and thesuspect open fire on our deputy. Multiple
rounds were fired. The suspect,identified as forty three year old Nathan Oxley
of Cissonville, was arrested and nowfaces attempted murder of a police officer and
malicious wounding charges. Deputies have locatedthe woman passenger who is with Oxley,

(23:52):
Rebecca Lynnville. She has not beencharged. The deputy is hospitalized in stable
condition and will undergo surgery. Tomorrow. The House of Delegates has passed the
bill that would provide pay raises fora state police teachers, and non uniformed
corrections officers, and now heads tothe Senate. Randolph County Delegate Tay Nester
sponsored the bill. So what Ithink is really unique about this pay raise
bill, which is more of anincentive, is that it does two things.

(24:15):
It thanks these people for what theydid, what they did through COVID,
and what they didn't do was cometo us and say, hey,
you're not doing her job because we'renot getting paid enough money. Governor Jim
Justice had pushed for an average fivepercent pay increase for state employees, and
the US Senate has approved a billto designate the Clarksburg Federal Courthouse as the
Irene M. Keeley United States Courthouse, named after the first female federal judge

(24:37):
in West Virginia's Northern District. You'relistening to Metro News, the Voice of
West Virginia. Hey, this isDonnie Davison from the Davison Brothers. And
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providers. Optometrists delivered comprehensive and advancedtreatments for I diseases using state of the
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(25:44):
Tapes in Kanos Cities says they'll beclosing their doors after fifty two years in
business. Co owner Priscilla Pope saysthey're ready to retire. I feel great
that I've had such wonderful business allthese years. Please, but I feel
sad right now that we're closing down, but we're retiring long time customer.
Curtis Workman says, it'll be sadto see it go. It's been a
staple of Kanas City and Charleston sinceI was even you know, young.

(26:07):
Sunday is the last day from theMetro News anchor desk sky Carrie hoodah Sack
like I talk mine from the COVIDChurch studios at the AARP broadcast location.

(26:29):
Jackpots in the Megian chair in WestVirginia. Who doesn't want to be a
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What is Tar think? What's EricTar think? The powerful chair of

(26:52):
the Senate Finance Committee, Good morning, Hobby, how are you doing well?
Doing well? Hey? Day aftercrossover day, it's a little relief
there for a minutes. Absolutely,you got your budget out. We'll talk
about that in a second. Butwe were talking with House Speaker Roger Hanshaw
in the House financi Committee Shipman VernonChristen, Well, we got to be
careful with the budget because of allthis COVID money, and there's discussions going
on with Washington. Washington might comein and want to get four hundred fifty

(27:15):
million dollars back, and the HouseSpeaker said, well, we're talking with
Washington. We're not we think thingscan be worked out. Well, we
got to account for it. Whereare you on all this? Yeah,
so there's uncertainty. Essentially, whatthat comes down to is as we're budgeting
right now, we're budgeting with someuncertainty relative to that potential clawback, and
then also the uncertainty of the triggerthat will come down the income tax.
So if you have the income taxesis the revenue side of the budget in

(27:38):
this fiscal year, it could beas much of it as one hundred and
twenty five million dollar reduction because ifthat trigger hits to its full extent,
it could be a two hundred andfifty million split over two fiscal years,
so one hundred and twenty five thisyear, and then you have the four
to fifty that's come out there.So we are the Gunner's Offices negotiating the
federal government right now to see whatexpenses that we've already made can apply to
that clawback. The most recent USHAMin just a couple minutes ago, I

(28:00):
think we're around four twenty eight isabout where it's at right now. Is
what's questionable in addition to one hundredand twenty five. So we have to
leave room of unappropriated funds to accommodatefor that should that happen. Yeah,
do you think it will? Idon't know. You know, it's all
right now. I'm dead serious.It's uncertainty right now. So what I

(28:21):
have to do is budget for worstcase scenario, because, as you know,
we come back between now and June. We're back in here, you
know frequently through thro our interim sessions, and anytime that we're here, we
can do a special session on topof those, and if we and we're
still in this fiscal year, Sothis fiscal year we're budgeting for. It
doesn't start till July one, sowe can amend that. And we've done
it in the pasted all the wayup till that June day, so we'll

(28:41):
have opportunity to have more certainties weget closer to me Senate Finance Committee Chairman
Eric tar Okay a couple of specificthings, a broader issue rather than just
the budget that came out of yourcommittee yesterday, which is four point eighty
six billion. The colors proposed spendingwas five revenue was five point two billion,
so you're lower than they are.It's a much more conservative budget.
Do you think at the end ofthe day that when this is all over

(29:03):
a week from Saturday, if it'sover, then although you can extend it
for a couple of days to workon the budget, that there will or
will be every okay, that therewill or will not be an average five
percent pay raise for state workers,school teachers, staff, state police.
You know, that's one hundred andtwenty three million dollar ticket. And as
we're talking about all this uncertainty thatwe have right now, it gives me

(29:26):
heartburn to go into a perpetual spendin that base not knowing exactly where we
stand at this point. That's isthat a soft note or a hard no,
that's a that right now, it'sa soft note because the talks are
still going on all this stuff.I just think that it would be could
be responsible. It feels good,it's great in our public employees, and
anytime we can throw money towards them, we all want to do it.
It's something we all want to do. Every year. We start talking about

(29:48):
it after each session, is canwe get to this next session? So?
And then we've done that for fouryears in a row, and so
this would be the fifth year ina row that would have happened if we
do that. There's a challenge tothat is what we have is that we
have a tax cut that is araise for everybody, potentially just a two
point five billion by the time it'sdone. That's no joke. That's real

(30:10):
money in your pocket for everybody.Every time that we increase that spend,
we have to be very careful notto exceed the decline in revenue that tax
cut produces, because because when youspend more and there's less revenue, it
is harder to hit the trigger tolower the income tax rates. Correct.
No, no, no, that'snot the case. What I'm saying is
is that that trigger can go upto two hundred and fifty million dollars every

(30:33):
year. When you trigger down twohundred and fifty million dollars revenue and you
grow your budget faster than the economygrows, so the bud you grow your
spind faster than economistments, you canget to where your revenue is below your
spind and you can do that reallyquickly if you're not careful. So I
am extremely cautious on how much we'reraising our spend each year. So this
year we increase the budget compared tolast year by one point five percent.

(30:57):
So let me rephrase that your reviewis, which I think is fair,
is that you have to be carefulhow much more you're spending because the more
you spend, the harder it isto reduce the income tax rates because that
happens automatically. That's triggered regardless ofwhat we do. That triggers down if
the economy grows fast enough. Sothat's the revenue side, the money coming

(31:21):
in that is triggered by how muchmoney comes in, it's not triggered by
the spend whatsoever. Okay, Sowhat happens is but we control the spend,
right, So if we go inand we start just spending willy nilly
faster than the revenue can can keepup with, then then you're forced either
come back and do major cuts oryou're forced to come back into a tax

(31:42):
increase. And I don't think anybodyenter this dune wants to do either one
of those. Do you think that? Knowing what you know now? Of
course, it's almost unfair to askyou this because you don't know what the
buchet's going to look like, whetherthere will be another tax reduction. And
that's so I sit down and handthe folks that do the forecasting for the
state. I had a gentleman inthere, and I won't get in their

(32:04):
names to other staffers, and it'sjust not right to do that to them.
But I had forecasts that are allthe way to a full ten percent
trigger to a zero And so Isit and listen to them both argue their
point. And you're thought you weretalking about reduction in rates, yes,
or a one percent anywhere from aten the way the law is now anywhere
from a ten percent down to onepercent, zero percent reduction in rates.
We stand the potential to have asmuch as a two hundred and fifty million

(32:28):
dollars tax cut based on a triggerrelative to the rate of our economic growth
in West Virginia. So if thatrate of economic growth exceeds the CPI so
which is the inflationary index, thenit gets us into a trigger situation group.
And we we dance on that reallyreally close right now. So I
listen to both sides, the onearguing that it's going to be zero,

(32:49):
the one's going to argue and it'sgoing to be a full ten percent.
And what I walked away with is, I'm really not sure yet. I
think that's fair because you don't youdon't know what. You don't know exactly.
So I have to budget as thoughthe worst case scenario, because what
you don't want to do is say, Okay, well, i'm gonna guess
that it's not gonna happen, andwe're gonna ahead and spend that two hundred
and fifty million dollars and then ithappens, and then you're upside down and

(33:10):
we can't get there. Send itto Finance Committee. Shairman Eric tars with
us. You know what everybody saysabout you, man, everybody says a
lot of different stuff. I'm surewhen you're in these seats you get it
off. You know what they say, like tar is a hard butt,
you don't want to spend any money, can get anything past it. He's
overly cautious. He's this, he'sthat you can't get it. He doesn't

(33:31):
want to give anybody ready didn't wantto do it. That's not the case
at all. I mean, I'myou hear that. You know that?
Oh yeah, I know. That'sthe finance Share seat. If you're doing
your job as Finance Share you haveto say no to a lot of really
good things. So I have oneduty up here, and this legislature has
one duty while we're here, andthat's to pass a balance budget every year.
We could come in day one,pass a balance budget, which means

(33:53):
you cannot spend more than money comesin, and we're done, and we've
met our constitutional obligation. Every oneof these bills and all the way back
to eighteen sixty three affects the spendthat we have right now. And so
if you take it by that concept, everything we do now going forward affects
it for every future legislature. True, we have one constitutional duty a balance

(34:15):
budget. If I'm doing my jobright, I make it possible for the
legislature to pass that balance budget,not just to this year, but being
prospective and looking forward. So youhave to look at your perpetual spinds and
what that does relative to rate ofeconomic growth given the historical forecast there are.
I was talking to Speaker Hanshaw aboutthis. Finally there my gosh,

(34:37):
thousands of bills. I mean,would you be interested in working on it,
maybe working on a budget every year, but only taking up non revenue
bills every other year, something likethat, to kind of clean this process
up. And that's the first timefirst I've heard of that concept. Well,
I'm just throwing it out there nobody. I'll tell you what makes it

(34:59):
easier. What I think will beeasier is when you have a governor and
House and Senate that can work togetherall the way along. So this governor
has been very unpredictable through this wholeprocess ever since he's been up here,
and that's been challenging. So whatwe end up having to do is,
you know, normally, historically youwould work off a governor's budget and that's
where you work from. When wegot in this situation this year, we

(35:20):
couldn't do that we had we sowe the Senate took the approach We're going
to work off what we these budgetswe've been building a year after year after
year, and build from that.And so when you say that, you
know that he won't spend any money. We increase the budget in the Senate
from seventy seven million dollars more thanwe spent last year, and we have
that we have the room to growthree percent a year. So last year

(35:42):
we grew at four and a halfpercent, So this year I can only
grow at one and a half percent. Next year we've got that three percent
that's there that we can grow thebudget and be safe relative to the two
point five billion dollar tax cut that'scoming West Virginia's way. How many times
have you said no this session?Oh Man, A lot more than I
said yes. You know. Sothere's a lot of good ideas that come
through here. There's a lot ofthings that I think that are you know,

(36:06):
this isn't just Eric. I meanthat we discussed this as a body,
and I tell our caucus all thetime, this is look, we
own this budget. This is whatI'm recommending. Where are we And that's
how discussion goes. This isn't byGod like, this is what we're doing.
It's not how operate. So thatdiscussion comes in, But there's in
that discussion there's an awful lot ofthings we really want to do. Let's
just think about your household. There'sa lot of things you'd really want to

(36:27):
do. But then but your paychecksonly so much. And so I look
at it that way. When webudget, we come in there's a whole
lot of things that come our way, and I would love to do it
as much as a person's bringing thatpolicy. Great concepts, but if it
puts us in a situation that makesus have to roll back a lot of
the other really good things we've done, then you have to really consider the
decision you're making. But also inthe back of your mind, is you

(36:50):
want to try to ensure that thebudget is such that this formula that will
lead to a reduction in the incometax rates will continue. Yeah, well
that's based on the revenue that comesin. So the way that we get
that tax cut is grow the economy. The economy has to grow faster than
the inflationary index. That's what triggersthe tax cut. So yeah, I

(37:13):
want that tax cut. I wantit. If we can wipe out two
and a half million dollars a day, I'll do it today. And the
reason is is because our economy wouldhave grown so fast it would have triggered
down that income tax, which youcan't do it all I wants. You
know, you can't do it allonce. That's why there's a trigger that
the basis that annually on that CPIrelative to our economic growth. All right,
Senate Financi Committee Chairman Eric tar doctor, No, that's your new name.
Door. I got a red buttonon my desk. You hit it

(37:36):
says no. You hit it,and it tells you no in about a
million different ways every time you hitthis. All right, good to see
it. I'm good to see you. Thanks. So talk line continues.
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(39:30):
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(40:13):
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(41:31):
Line with Hoppy Kerchible is brought toyou by Encode Insurance, encircling you with
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more. Talk on from the inCOVID Shore Studios. Oh my, the
House of Delegates past fifty two ninetyseven yesterday which prevents doctors healthcare providers from

(41:51):
providing gender affirming medications. I knowmy next guest is gonna argue with you
about the gender from me medications tominors who are struggling with gender dysphoria.
The bill would eliminate a provision inthe wall that currently allows for the care
if approved by two doctors and thechild's parents. Joiners is the chair of
the Health Committee. Dellgate Summers,Elliot Summers. There was a lot of

(42:12):
the debate in the House about thisyesterday, and I think a lot of
confusion. So we're listening. What'sthe bill do. The bill does not
prohibit what you said about treating childrenwith gender dysphoria current the way that the
House sunk the build of the Senatelast year, it already allowed treatment for
that. The Senate added some languagethat has caused some confusion, which was

(42:35):
obvious in the debate yesterday. Youcould see the confusion amongst the members.
But The bill in its current formthat we are sending to the Senate only
prohibits two things, irreversible gender assignmentsurgery for children and prescribing medication that assists
them with a transition. We're notbanning gender affirming care, and that encompasses

(42:59):
a lot of things. That's alot of therapy and all all of those
type of things. Just those twothings I mentioned. And so so okay,
let's put a face on this.So I take I take money.
Someone takes their child to the doctorbecause the child has genderdice for you,
you're a trained nurse, you know, the gender justice for you is a

(43:19):
real thing. And and they sayto the doctor, and then put a
face on that. What under thisbill, what could the doctor do and
what could the doctor not do forthis child? If this child's diagnosed with
gender juste for you, well,with gender dysphoria, there's usually a real
unease about how the person is feeling, so that can be treated. If

(43:40):
they're anxious or depressed, all ofthose things can be treated. They could
prescribe medication, they can for thoseany medication, except what's prohibited law is
medication that would assist them in transitioningfrom male to female or female to male,
different set of drugs. Correct,it would probably most likely be hormone

(44:00):
type drugs. And in the billit does ban super physiological doses of those
medicines. So what does that mean? I'm sorry? Was it that means
something that's a very high dose ofsay a estrogen that might enhance a man's
a male's ability to have breast development, a female's ability. Then maybe their

(44:22):
voice, their voice will become deeper, they may have more facial hair.
So under this bill, is Iunderstand it that a doctor could still still
prescribe any medication, including but upto the point of transition and could not
do transition right. And even thelanguage that the Senate put in last year

(44:43):
said that it said that the doseshad to be low enough that they did
not cause transition. So all ofthe confusion and the uproar about the bill
has made me question, are physiciansprescribing trans position type doses because they're concerned
now that we're taking that away andwe're talking about miners. By the way,

(45:05):
you're talking about children. Nothing prohibitedfrom adults are adult You have again,
you a lifetime in nursing, youhave worked with the doctors and the
medical community. You're aware of thatletter signed by three hundred and some doctors
and said don't do this, don'tdo this right, And I'm worried they
haven't read the bill. Maybe they'vejust listened to certain groups. But the
words in the bill matter. Theonly thing the state government is doing is

(45:30):
prohibiting those two things that I mentioned. We're not prohibiting anything else in this
bill. You know, Amy Summersis with us on this particular bill,
and I wonder this though you knowyou're a veteran of the legislature, you're
a Republican. This is a bodythat has said to parents, you should

(45:52):
be the ones to decide about vaccinationsor we're going to expand exemptions for vaccinations.
Now the same body as saying thatthese parents cannot make this decision if
they have a child. They've talkedto doctors, and they've talked to the
child, and they've sought information andthey want to transition medically. So do
you see some inconsistency there? Ido? Do you These are very difficult

(46:16):
issues. You're right, but wedon't let parents decide if their child can
drink. We don't let them decideif they can smoke. We are just
saying that you can start the processof gender affirming care. But when you're
going to get to the point thatyou're considering an irreversible surgery, or you're
going to start which is already preventyes, that's the current law, or

(46:37):
if you're going to start taking medicationthat will transition you from a male to
a female or a female to amale, we're saying that that needs to
wait till you're eighteen, just likemany other things in state law that we
prevent children from doing until they're eighteen. Then I heard you say gender affirming
can doctors? Would doctors still beable to prescribe medicine that is qualified says

(47:00):
gender affirming. I don't know thatthere is a label for medicine that's gender
affirming. We just know that therewhen you reach a certain dose, then
that is actually assisting someone with transitioning. Okay, okay, all right,
anything else you want to add aboutthis bill? Nothing I want to add
about this bill except I think thatpeople need to actually read the bill and

(47:21):
see what it says instead of whatthe media or might be saying. Sorry,
how boom shot right over the bow? This is your last regular session.
You're moving on. Congratulations, andyou're going to enjoy retirement. Yes,
i am. I've served down herefor ten years. It's been an
honor and a privilege. But it'stime to spend a little more time with

(47:43):
my children and grandson. All right, enjoy retirement. Okay, thank you
very much. Dolly and Amy Summerstalk line continues. We'll return in just
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(50:00):
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states only hook and bullet radio showdedicated to the more than quarter million hunters
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We've noticed natural reproduction in both ofthose streams, whether it's hunting and fishing
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(51:15):
daily fix, Outdoors Today brings youtwo and a half minutes of news and
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It's the City Net Sunday Night SportsLine. Hey, this is Travis Joes
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(52:07):
Man Man first hour just makes yourhead hurt. But I mean, these
are the big issues, and theseare confusing things. Everybody's trying to understand
them. You know, weekends almosthere. We'll get some bad weather,
we get some good weather, butthe point is that warm weather is going
to be here soon. Think aboutrelaxing on a pontoon boat from lou Windel

(52:28):
Marine. Check out their inventory LouwindowmarineSales dot com. And some of these
legislative questions, I will defer toBrad mcilhinney Next hour. Maclhennie will be
on next hour. He'll help usunderstand it all. Also coming up an
update on the Jimmy Riston story.New information on that all that is still
ahead. This is talk Line onMetro News. Metro News is the voice

(52:50):
of West Virginia. Welcome back ournumber two talk line on the Metro News
radio network all across the great stateof West Virginia. Broadcasting from the AAARP
location at the Cove Insurance Studios thathave been moved to the upper rotunda of

(53:13):
the West Virginia of the West VirginiaState Capitol coming up Lader Brad mclroney.
He'll sort all this out. Hehas the understanding, he has the knowledge,
and he will sort out whatever confusionwe created in the first hour.
And some of this stuff, look, I mean, I could avoid it,
but I think that would be adisservice frankly. And if you're confused

(53:34):
by some of the stuff, that'sokay, because everybody around here is confused
about some of these things. Thepoint is we're just trying to keep it
on the on the front burner soyou have some idea of what of what
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Update on the Jimmy Riston story secutivetransportation last week, he was pulled
over by the police there was somesuggestion that maybe he'd been drinking and driving.
Uh. Then we started to hear, well, wait a minute,

(54:15):
was he set up somehow? Andmore information has come out, the governor
said a couple of things he probablygot wrong yesterday, or at least was
you people inferred the wrong thing fromthe governor. Let's straighten all this out
with Leslie Rubin WCHS TV. Leslie, what do we know now for certain

(54:37):
about all things? Jimmy Riston,So right now, Charleston Police says that
it's doing two investigations. So you'vegot two totally different investigations going on.
One's internal and one's external. Sostarting with the internal, they're looking at
what happened during the traffic stop,what did their officers do right or wrong

(54:58):
during the stop. Some things thatwe learned yesterday is that they're still looking
at whether their body camera of policywas followed during the traffic stop and whether
they followed proper procedure for what wouldhave been a possible DUI situation. So
that's still ongoing. We don't knowmuch more about that other than we did

(55:20):
learn some new details about what happenedduring the traffic stop. Specifically involving Jimmy
Riston. So we learned that hedid take a preliminary breast test or a
PBT test. Charleston Police came outyesterday and said that it did detect an
odor of alcohol. So they didgo ahead and say that they didn't give

(55:40):
a number of this. So noweveryone's wondering, well, you know,
what did he blew? Right?But they said that there's some evidence that
maybe that the test was inaccurate orinconclusive, or something could have been messing
with the test. I guess youcould say some things that you know that
you have to take account during thosethings. Did he have maybe a gun

(56:02):
in or skull or you know,something like that that could make that test
register differently. Then we learned thathe was allowed to make a call and
somebody came and picked him up,so that's a little questionable too. Then
what did they do with the truck? We don't know about that. But

(56:23):
then the the kind of more bombshellaccusations are now that whomever called nine one
one, which we now know wasan off duty Glasgow police chief. His
name was Garret Cox. He's theone that called nine one one to say
that he saw a State truck drivingerradically on Pearlston's East End, said that

(56:45):
it was ready to stop signs hittingcurves almost took him out. But seems
that that was what police are sayinginaccurate and not truthful, which indicates this
was, you know, part oflike we said, a setup. So
there's a lot going on here,Hobby. I don't think this is over.

(57:06):
No, no, you're right,Leslie. So again two tracks here,
Let's start with the second one first, and this setup, I mean,
now, the Charleston Blis have essentiallyconfirmed that somebody was and I think
you've seen some of the video orsome of the videos circulating had seen the
video, okay, but there arewe have a lot of information that a

(57:29):
lot of video has been obtained fromvarious places around the east end the interstate,
you know, the Rayleans video,and that they can see Ristin Ristin's
truck and they can see Garrett Coxbehind him, and Ristin is not doing
the things that Cox was tolling nineto one one he was doing. Yeah,

(57:51):
so that's that Cox was trailing JimmyRiston. And then according to police,
the suspicion is calling in a fullreport. Why that's the question.
I I don't know exactly why.I think that there's going to be a

(58:13):
lot let me, let me stop, let me stop you there. I
mean, nobody knows why right now. But but that I mean that is
the obvious next question, right thatsomebody needs to to find out. I
guess that's that's part of the investigation. Okay, what was the motivation here?
Police confirm it's a false report bysomebody trailing him? Why? And
again I'm not asking you to explainwhy, but that's the obvious next question
right right exactly now they want toknow why. So now they're looking at

(58:38):
possibly charging Keith Cox with filing afalse report. Is that going to happen?
I don't know. That'll be upto the prosecutor's office, so we'll
kind of see what plays out withthat. But then, you know,
there's also all of the questions I'mgetting. You know, a lot of
people are focusing on the fact thatthere was a detection of alcohol the PBT

(59:00):
and that Risklon was allowed to calla friend and drive away. I think
now we don't know what he blew. We don't know all of the circumstances
behind the PBT. Have been toldthat PBTs are often inaccurate. They're not
admissible in court. You know,they're really not a strong mechanism for police,
but they do use it in cases. But the fact that he passed

(59:21):
the field sobriety, that's you know, I think that at the end of
the day, if he was drinking, we don't know, but I do
feel like that police would have comeout and said that the PBT didn't register
alcohol if it didn't, you knowwhat I feel like, I feel like
they're trying to say without saying thathe was above the legal limits. But

(59:43):
there could be reasons for that thatare still in messigation. Yeah, so
that, yeah, that's that's partof the internal investigation still, tv D.
I do know West Virginia Rule twopoint two zero point one zero,
operating a state motor v go afterconsumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited, So

(01:00:04):
it doesn't so it doesn't say appealhe only had one even if he was
below the legal limit that you know, if he was drinking before he got
in the state car, which youknow, I don't want to make any
accusations, but it appears that hewas, you know, that would still
be a violation of that. Yeah, and then the administration would have to

(01:00:24):
So what I understand too, isthat the administration is still gathering information waiting
to hear more back from the CharlestonPolice Department. Meantime, the governor kind
of sent everybody on a weird ona on a not a wild goose chase.
But I think created a false impressionyesterday, or somewhat false impression when
you said, uh, this looksbad. I forget what his exact quote

(01:00:46):
was, you would know what Imean. He was very concerned. He
said he had enough inform it orhe there was enough there that it didn't
look good. Yeah, but Iam told I talked to the administration this
morning, talked to Brian Abraham,and he said, well, the governor
was talking about this whole thing oftrailing Jimmy Wriston and him being set up
more than their concerns about Ristin's behavior. That that's what the governor was referring

(01:01:09):
to. Does that make sense toyou, Yeah, it does. There's
so many different facets of this,and there's so many different things that essentially,
you know, people did drop theball on and but now, but
I think you can't overlook the factthat this appears to be a setup,

(01:01:30):
because that's going to be you know, whether he was drinking or not.
Still, someone a police teeth isallegedly calling in false information to nine one
one. I mean, that's reallyconcerning if he was drinking before he got
in the truck. You know,it's eleven thirty at night. A lot
of people are like, what's hedoing driving around the state truck at eleven

(01:01:50):
thirty at night getting pulled over bythe police. And then we've got information
that the truck's out on the sideof the interstate all night. So there's
just a lot of well, LeslieRubin WCHS TV, she's all over,
as are we and Leslie, it'llbe in tomorrow's edition, in tomorrow's episode
of the Continuing Saga of Riston andthe Setup or whatever you want to call

(01:02:13):
it. So anyway, hey,Leslie, good reporting, Thanks for coming
on. I think Jeff Jenkins saidthat's that nothing is more political than the
d H you knew, right,Yeah, maybe the answer is Leslie,
like, you mean it took thislong for somebody to set up Jimmy Risson,
Well, I don't know what wegot to figure out why this is

(01:02:36):
gonna be a. You know thatthis has got a lot of people's attentions.
It absolutely has. Yeah, JeffJenkins was right, nothing's more political
than the DH all right, thanksLeslie. Good report and good reporting by
Jeff Jenkins as well. Take abreak and come back. Red Mackliny coming
up next. This is talk Lineon Metro News, the Voice of West
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(01:02:57):
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(01:03:21):
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(01:06:00):
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social media at AARP West Virginia.Learn more at aarp dot org slash WV.
Please welcome Brad mclinney, who wasnot responsible for setting up the tail
on Jimmy Wristams. That correct,Sir, oh I I would never.
I would never, You would not. You did not. In fact,
I was my I cannot corroborate,but my alibi would be I was home
a sleepe, but I by yourself. So you really don't have an alibi

(01:08:24):
I unless I was on camera inmy own home. Okay. So this
is the kind of day, orthe part of the session where things that
really really complicated. I'm gonna letyou brought out broaden out some of the
complications. But a lot of theticks I get are people just like Okay,
okay, hobby. But what Ireally want to know is I'm a
teacher or am I gonna get anaverage five percent pairies? I'm a staff

(01:08:46):
member? Am I gonna get afive percent pairies? I'm a state worker?
Am I gonna get an average fivepercent payries? Is that gonna happen?
I have an answer, and it'scompletely unsatisfying. Okay, right now,
based on the the information we learnedabout budget uncertainty this morning, all
of this is just an intellectual exerciseto meet the constitutional obligation to pass a

(01:09:08):
budget, and none of it,much of it truly doesn't matter until that
May special session because there's a lotwe don't know, just don't know.
You heard the Senate Finance chairman castingdoubt about pay raises on the House side.
They would like to do it,they have confidence, they believe the

(01:09:29):
state has the money. They haveadvanced bills to do it. There will
have to be a budget passed andthey'll connect on something. But I think
it's just an area of big uncertainty. To catch listeners up. This morning,
we learned that there is a situationwhere the federal government wants the state
of West Virginia to compensate or reconcileup to three hundred and thirty million dollars,

(01:09:57):
which is I thought it was fourhundred some maybe hundreds of millions of
dollars. There. There are ofCOVID money, of COVID money there,
there are talks on going. Ispoke to the Governor's chief of Staff,
Brian Abraham here in the aarp arena, and he said that this is the
way he explained it to me.COVID that COVID period was a mad rush

(01:10:23):
right, and the money went tolocal governments, local local school entities in
a panic situation. They got therules later. It was an emergency.
They were just trying to keep abovewater. But an issue was the federal
government wanted West Virginia to essentially matchto provide its own own funding in ratio

(01:10:46):
with what the Feds were providing WestVirginia for. For a variety of reasons,
wasn't able to maintain that match.Among the negotiation right now with the
federal government is making good for it. And in a way the state could
do it is by increasing education spendingnow, so that might mean things like

(01:11:13):
the pay raises could count. Okay, school building authorities spending increases could count.
Other investments in education in West Virginiacould could count toward these things.
To me, that strategy by theexecutive branch saying we could we could contend
with the federal government demands by bydoing things that would benefit West Virginia's education

(01:11:39):
system. Anyway, I heard conflictwith with the Senate Finance chairman saying I'm
not sure we can afford the teacherpay raises. Wow, I have stunned
hobby. Now I'm just trying tothink this through. I let me,
let me try the macro here.One of the macros is it's hard to

(01:12:00):
do a budget and include a bigthing like pay raise on MYR. Smith
is don't look. Don't look RandallReid Smith is here West Virginia Treasure.
We'll talk to him in just aminute. It's hard to do, if
not impossible, to do a budgetwith that much of an unknown. Okay.
At the same time, we knowthat the administration is working with the
Feds. I think they're talking likealmost daily, and I think the Feds

(01:12:21):
have even sent in some people likethey've done across the country to say,
we know we gave you all thismoney, and we know we made up
the rules as we went along,but now we want to see how things,
how you actually spent the money.We might there might be a you
might have to justify some of thisspending. You might have to do this,
you might have to do that,and it's a it's an unknown.
I mean, that's not West Virginia'sfault, Okay, I mean that's just

(01:12:45):
kind of what's going on after theFeds push out that much money. But
to bring the circle to complete thecircle. It's hard to do these other
things when you don't know. Well, there's a lot of stuff, you
know. So this this came upin the House Finance Committee someone out of
the blue. And I've been toa zillion of these meetings, but you
can count on Knaw County Democrat LarryRohae to always ask about local stuff.

(01:13:11):
Senior centers is in the is thisin the surplus? Today? He asked
about a project important to him,the lab at West Virginia State that's meant
for agriculture functions. So he innocentlysays, hey, I don't see the
spending for the agriculture lab that thegovernor promised and that we're moving toward at
West Virginia State. And all ofa sudden the Finance chairman has to say,

(01:13:32):
there is a situation little with thefederal government that you don't know about,
and then the dam comes loose.So, I mean, just that
little thing spending on an agriculture labat West Virginia State University is a is
an uncertainty right now, and Idon't think we're gonna get those kinds of
answers here in the next week anda half. And I think it's all

(01:13:53):
just we've got to pass some kindof budget. It's gonna be bare bones,
come back in May for then youthink that's what it is. So
now you think that headline is passa budget because you were you need to
pass a budget, got to passone, got to pass a budget.
But it's just like we'll put ithere and this is the budget, but
we'll come back in May and weshould know more in May. You think
that, you think that's what it'sgoing to be. I think so think

(01:14:13):
so that's unsatisfying. I'm sorry,listeners. You'll have Randall Reid Smith for
the good answers coming up next andthen that'll be probably the pay raise part
will be what you know, I'mnot sure that the Senate budget there was
not even any mention of a payraise when they presented their budget yesterday,
right. Uh. The governor hadthree tax breaks that he wanted to do,

(01:14:34):
including eliminating the state tax on socialSecurity for upper income that was not
mentioned even as a possibility in Senatefinance. That they haven't dealt with that
bill yet, so you know,I to me, those those questions very
likely could be unanswered when we leavenext Saturday. Wow. Wow. So

(01:15:00):
we try to be in a positionwhere we're telling you what's happening and what
and what you can We're looking aroundcorners and all we see is darkness.
But I think what we're reporting toyou is accurate because there's there's this great
there's this unknown. There's this greatunknown which throws everything that requires spending into

(01:15:25):
uh into this moras well. TheHouse Finance Truman Vernon Chris described it as
a matter of timing. But youknow, you've got to have the budget.
We're here right now. But youknow, whatever the number was,
I said three hundred and thirty million, you said four hundred and sixty million,
it's a significant amount of money.Uh, you know, and you
throw in factors like potentially hitting thenext trigger on the uh, the income

(01:15:49):
tax cut, which could be it'sa it's an unknown in terms of its
yeah, yeah, exact amount ofits significance, you know. And then
also, well, I mean yesterday, this is unrelated in a but still
kind of the same thing it was. And we had Delia Summers on this
morning about this gender gender bill,and you and I both list in the

(01:16:13):
long debate yesterday and when everybody cameaway going out what does it do exactly?
And Delia Summers got frustrated and said, well, this will read the
bill and listen to me and I'lltell you what it does. And still
people are going, well, canyou do this? Can you do that?
But listen. I will say thatI appreciate Brian Abraham leveling with me
about what happened, but I thinkthere could have been some some spade work
done by the Executive Branch and maybethe Senate Finance Committee to let us know

(01:16:36):
the context of all this. Allright, Brad Mackley, this is Talk
Client on Metro News, the Voiceat West Virginia's eleven thirty. Let's get
a news update. Checking with theMetro News radio network. Find it's happening
state wide this hour, all acrossthe great state, the Great State of
West Virginia. West Virginia Metro News. I'm Chris Lawrence. Kena Keunty deputy

(01:16:57):
is recovering from a gunshot woman afteran early morning pursuit ended in a hail
of gunfire. The deputy was calledto a home in the Sissonville community about
one to ten this morning, wherea man had reportedly become violent on the
way to that home, he noticedthe suspect's vehicle and gave chase. The
pursuit ended when the suspect, nowidentified as forty three year old Nathan Oxley
of Cissonville, exited his vehicle andopened fire. According to Chief Deputy Joe

(01:17:20):
Crawford, the deputy started to exitthe vehicle and the suspect open fire on
our deputy. Multiple rounds were fired. Deputy, although wounded, was able
to return fire, and Oxley fledinto the woods. He was arrested a
short time later by responding officers.A woman in the car with him also

(01:17:41):
fled. She was later located andwill not be charged. Oxley is facing
charges of attempted murder of a policeofficer and malicious wounding. The deputy is
recovering. State police say an investigationis underway after one of their members allegedly
uploaded child pornography. Senior Trooper R. A. Evic was placed on administrative
leave and soon afterward resigned. Thecase has been turned over to the Cable
County Prosecutor. Governor Jim Justice isin Wyoming County this hour. The Governor

(01:18:05):
visiting Mullens Elementary School and we'll bedelivering a check for more than fifteen million
dollars to the Wyoming County School System. That's for the construction of a new
Mullens Pkaight School, a share ofthe funding from the state School Building Authority.
You're listening to Metro News the Boysof West Virginia. Starting March fifth,
Metro News brings you the twenty twentyfour West Virginia SSAC High School Basketball

(01:18:30):
Championships, Presented by Chick fil A. The best teams in the state will
once again meet in Charleston to competefor the title in their respective classes.
The girls' tournament runs March fifth throughninth. The boys played March twelfth through
the sixteenth. Catch all the gameson the Metro News Radio network and at
wv metro news dot com, whereyou'll also find up to the minute scoring

(01:18:51):
stats and brackets, the latest tournamentnews and game recaps. Also, you
can watch the live HD video streamsof the class champion and chips both Saturdays
on the Metro News channel at thewebsite. Don't miss all minute of the
twenty twenty four West Virginia SSAC StateHigh School Basketball Championships March fifth through ninth,

(01:19:11):
and March twelfth through sixteen, presentedby Chick fil A exclusively on Metro
News, the voice of high schoolbasketball in West Virginia. An institution in
Charleston will soon be no more,and with it the end of an era
budget records and tapes in Kanasas City, announcing it will close its doors Sunday.
The longtime owners say it's time toretire. Priscilla Pope is one of

(01:19:33):
them. I feel great that I'vehad such wonderful business all these years,
but I feel sad right now thatwe're closing down. But we're retiring.
Store Will has been in business forfifty two years. Their last day in
business will be Sunday. From theMetro News anchor desk, I'm Chris Lawrence,

(01:20:04):
some fine from the Golden Church Studios. Randall reach Smith has been all
over the world, but he says, you'll always find your way back home.
Amen. And he's been the curatorof the State Department of Arts,
Culture and History. And he justtold me that yesterday the governor signed the
bill. So much other stuff goingon, I didn't even notice signed a
bill to make him the secretary.Yes, sir, I think it's about

(01:20:28):
time. I mean, you've beenhere since the Civil War. I mean,
so it's really appropriate you would finallybe the secretary of Department of Arts,
Culture and History. He is aWest Virginia treasurer. He's a friend
of mine, Randall reach Smith.How are you, sir, I'm doing
well. Happy, Happy Arts Day. We are so happy to have you
here, you especially as the deanof all journalists. Easy, easy,
true. I am the least.My wife is a graphic designer, graphic

(01:20:53):
artist. She's an artist. Ihave no ability none. I have no
artistic I'm not saying that to beself deprecating. I have no artistic ability.
You have all the artistic ability.What's the importance of the arts?
Oh my gosh, Hoppy. Thearts are so important because I always say
it defines who we are. Itshows the world who we are as West
Virginians. You know, we're theonly state that's completely in Appalachia, and

(01:21:14):
so many of the arts that areindigenous to our country happen right here in
West Virginia, the heart of Appalachia. And you know we've had the last
two days, we had one hundredand forty seven arts organizations year for our
State Arts Conference. Tuesday night,we had the governor's words for the arts.
Yesterday he signed the bill to havethe Cabinet secretary. And I heard
the governor talk about if we don'thave our arts, we do not have

(01:21:36):
our soul. And when the bigguy says that, I listened to it,
He's great. What is it?I mean, what does it?
What does it give us? Whatdoes it bring out in us? Look,
I'm just a guy. I'm justa nuts and bolts guy, so
I'm not an arts guy. Whatdo the arts bring out in us?
The arts bring out all of ourown originality, our own individuality, and

(01:21:58):
all of us are artists. WhenI go to budget hearings and we talk
about the importance of funding the arts, and they'll say, well, I
don't know anything about the arts.And I say, you're the greatest art
collectors. We have. Your refrigeratorkeeps the most important arts that you have.
Your grandchildren's are and your children's are. It is so important the arts,
and they really do. They definewho we are. And we're just
a great state. And we havegreat artists in this state. And you

(01:22:20):
get to see all of them heretoday. Yeah, who else here today?
Oh my gosh, well, youknow, we have the symphonies here,
Wheeling, West Virginia Symphony, Huntington'shere, Mountain State, Mountain Stages
here, public and all of ouragencies are here. What I really like
is right across from you is ourAmerica two hundred and fiftieth a booth for
you know, because we have thecommission for the Semiquin Centennial coming up in

(01:22:42):
twenty twenty six as house in ourdepartment, which is the acknowledgment of the
first battle of the Revolutionary War,and do you know where that was?
Point Pleasant? And we celebrate thatthis year October tenth. It's the two
hundred and fiftieth commemoration of the Battleof Point Pleasant and we have a three
day event planned to be up there. You know why because I had this
gentleman on last night, I know, History Day, Yes you did,

(01:23:05):
yes, and he's he's here inthe uniform of the era and still trying
to still trying to lay claim thatbeing the first battle. There's some historical
dispute about that, but we werelaying claimed. No, there is no
dispute. I had somebody that washelping me on the commission to get all
the education and there was the professor, and I said, you know,
I brought up the that it wasthe first battle. He disagreed and said,

(01:23:26):
well, you're off the commission.We don't need you just as the
powerful secretary. You can do that. Oh that was before I was secretary.
Now I have to be more diplomatic. Randall reach Smith is with us.
He is a longtime curator. Nowhe's the secretary of the Department of
Arts, Culture and History. Iknow your passionate about arts and culture.

(01:23:46):
What about history? When did yourpassion for history emerge? Or was that
when you were young? I tellyou how me. You know, I'm
old as dirt and I just hadthe most wonderful teachers. Yeah, I
can tell you every teacher that hadan influence on my life. And I
had a wonderful uh history teacher atBarbersville High School it's Capitol Dental High School

(01:24:10):
and just instilled us. You broughtme to know your state government day here
when Oh, you know, Iloved artsmore when I when when I came
back home and I was up inWheeling and I went out to eat at
one of the Italian restaurants. Dothat they went there and he was there
and I went up, I said, old Governor More, you probably don't
remember me, and he said Imet you and I said, yes,

(01:24:32):
sir, he said, you askedme that question at know your state government
day about what he was going todo with the surplus of Democrats. No,
he remember, yes, and evenhe called me Randy. No he
did, Yes, he did.I tell Shelley Moore Capital that all the
time. He I that was oneof his That was one of his gifts,
is that he had that wonderful memoryand that that was helped him politically.

(01:24:55):
Well, it made me understand theimportance of knowing who I'm talking to
and what I'm talking about to them. So and I tell you, we
are blessed because you know, thelegislators here they support everything that we do.
They well they're smart. They neversay no, I don't know this
year, we just we just beentalking about the budget. There's a whole
big issue now about the budget.So you might get some those, Well

(01:25:15):
might get some those now, WellI'll have to go and talk to them.
Well, you're a pretty convincing guy. I mean, you're persuasive,
like, oh my gosh, radto reach Smith here again, I guess
I gotta listen to him. Well, here's the important thing about the arts.
It enhances every subject in school.You know. With the Library Commission,
you know, is with us inthe department. And this year they
took federal funding that we had someextra funding and we bought tutor dot com

(01:25:41):
and we have all these people kidsare tutoring for free tutor wv dot com.
And it's not two thousand subjects onit, and you can tutor on
there for free. And it's importantabout knowing your history and knowing your literature,
and you know the importance of thepower of the word. Well,
another thing, the governor gave usmoney. This past summer we did the
Literacy School, the Governor's Literacy Schoolfor Arts, Culture and History. We

(01:26:03):
had one hundred kids from all overthe state and they were coming there to
improve their reading scores. And Ihad books and stuff when they come with
their own books and all they didthe entire time was read. And I
always always tell everybody I have thebest job because I just get to work
with all the good kids and theywant something and we need to deliver for

(01:26:24):
them. Yeah, you're right,you're right, well said, I know
you are an accomplished singer. I'mahas been are you? Are you really?
Yes? But better than it neverwas. And you know, Hoppy,
I'm supposed to sing on Saturday night, I feel like I'm getting a
scratchy throat. You may have tostand in and sing the national anthem for
me. I can't. I can't. I cannot, literally I cannot carry
a two. I mean not evenclose, not even close. And look

(01:26:45):
at all serises. You're an accomplishedsinger. You've got the anthem many many
times. Yes, some other placesyou perform. Are you still performing professionally
anywhere? Just doing the anthem?When when you you know what, Hoppy,
I sang twenty years and you knowI was fourteen year years in Europe
and lived in Germany saying all overthe world. I did all of that
and it was fulfilling. But Ilove doing this because to every day you

(01:27:09):
get to help somebody, You getto make a difference. We get to
work together to make something better.I learned early on that people don't like
the word change, so I don'tchange anything. We just make it better
and improve upon it. And theylike that. So Randall Reech Smith a
state treasure, not the treasurer or. But he's a state treasurer, and

(01:27:30):
you're a wonderful advocate for the artsin West Virginia. We're fortunate that you
decide to come back to West Frost. Oh I love it. I've been
back nineteen years. I love ityears. Yes, gosh, this is
my third governor, really, andyou finally got one to say you can
be the secretary. I tell you, nobody has a bigger heart for this
state. Nobody loves children more thanJim Justice. In fact, I'm going

(01:27:51):
tonight if you talk about culture,I'm going down to watch his team playing
their regionals. Go lady Spartans,Oh suck up, what a suck up?
You are? Well? And Idid sing the national anthem there.
Oh he was so rotten. Iwas sitting there getting ready to go sing
and go don't mess up, random, don't mess up. And I was
like, sh you go, don'tmess up, don't mess up. So
I get ready to take my firstbreath to singing, and I hear we

(01:28:11):
go don't mess up. Oh he'sjacking with you. Oh he's the best.
Have you ever forgotten the words?Oh my goodness, people do it
all the time. The two artistthings to sing, the national anthem and
the Lord's Prayer. Really, ohyeah, but you've forgotten the words before.
Uh. The only time I everforgot words is something was how Great
Thou Art? For a miners whenwe're out there? Oh no, it's
some very nice person anonymously sent methe music to How Great Thou Art?

(01:28:35):
Wasn't that so kind and gracious ofthem? Randall reach Smith formerly the curator
of the State Department of Arts,Culture, and History, but now he
is the secretary, so it's probablygone to his head. He probably can't
taking over off of space here andno, no, no, it's actually
oh speaking of space, you wait, I want you here on June twentieth,
got a big surprise for you.Really. Yes, can't tell you

(01:28:57):
what it is. It's the governorsto tell. But you're gonna love it.
When can you see it West Virginia'sbirthday? Yes, so I need
to be here, yes, sir. But you point it up like it
has something to do with the capital, and that's all you're gonna say.
It has something to do with thoseblank spaces right there. Oh oh,
oh, well you know, andnow be careful, this is his story
building. You can't just start willingNelly doing stuff. I'm not building.

(01:29:19):
I'm just doing what Cass Gilbert toldme to do. Now you're channeling Cass
Gilbert. Hey. Always a pleasure. It's a pleasure. Thank you so
much, and thank you for yourlove and support of the arts. You're
welcome and everything West Virginia. Well, I'm an acquired taste. Thank you,

(01:29:40):
sir, Thank you. We'll takea break. Talk on continues from
the state capital right after this.A new episode of Live Healthy West Virginia
is now posted on the podcast centerof metronews dot com. Why are cancer
cases surging and adults under fifty inWest Virginia and worldwide? Unfortunately it's in
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(01:30:00):
liver cancer, breast cancer, andkidney cancers. Listen to Live Healthy
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the Voice of West Virginia. WestVirginia Outdoors is the Mountain State's only hook

(01:31:28):
and bullet radio show dedicated to themore than quarter million hunters and anglers across
the state. Award winning host ChrisLawrence has been tracking down hunting and fishing
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stuck his head through the blind intowhere you were. Yeah, yeah,
well he had jumped, he leapedin the blonde. Oh gosh, yeah,
he had. His whole body wasin the air for a couple of
seconds and is the only thing thatlanded in the blonde was you know,
of course in a partley. WestVirginia Outdoors covers it all Saturday mornings at

(01:32:14):
seven oh six am and for yourdaily fix, Outdoors Today brings you two
and a half minutes of news andnotes from the woods and water every weekday
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Courritty, I'm Greg Hunter and I'mBrad Howe, and we invite you to
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(01:32:39):
basketball, baseball, you name it. If it's got anything to do with
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(01:33:03):
keep your fellow West Virginians informed.If you see news happening, become a
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(01:33:42):
bomb. The AARP broadcast location atthe ENCOVA Insurance Studios are the upper rotunda
of the State Capitol. Tech.Let me do some text text hoppy.
If the state feels they can't givestate employees raises. Why do they?
Why don't they do away with PIAand give Blue Cross or some of their
affordable insurance for them. It wouldit wouldn't work. I mean, could

(01:34:02):
you, yes, and you couldjust ensure it like an insurance company would,
but it wouldn't. It wouldn't workfor this reason that the way PI
works, it really doesn't operate asan insurance company. It's a benefit because

(01:34:24):
individuals are charged premiums based on abilityto pay, not their health condition,
which is the exact opposite of aninsurance company. And if you had just
a private insurer or then you'd havesomebody who's working as a cook in West
Virginia in a school system and theyhave diabetes or they have a heart condition,

(01:34:45):
and their premiums would skyrocket, sothat no private insurer would be interested
in West Virginia. Happy house.West Virginia canna have a healthy infrastructure if
we keep cutting taxes two billion highwaymaintenance deep that's only increased since twenty fifteen.
Text top EPI is going up anotherfourteen percent in July. We need

(01:35:06):
that five percent raise. Come ontar well again. This is this is
all kind of convoluted now. AndI think Brad made a great point that
should there have been more spade workby the administration over the past two months
about this multi this three hundred fourhundred million dollar potential possible callback by the

(01:35:27):
federal government that now you have tofactor in the budget saying well, we
don't think we have to pay thismuch back to the Feds, but we
better have that money available in casewe do. Kind of thrown this whole
budget thing into a into a tizzyhere in the last days. Let's see
text three oh four talk three ohfour Happy. Can you ask these Republicans

(01:35:51):
why they are pro regulation and governmentwhen it's a cause they agree with.
I wrote about that today, andwhat I see here is a lot of
legislative action that I would not callconservative in a traditional sense, a Republican

(01:36:13):
in a traditional sense. It feelsmore populist in a lot of ways.
And again you can go and youcan read the commentary today, but there
and I cite some instances where itseems like that the not all, but
many Republicans are saying we want toempower individuals, we want to empower families,

(01:36:33):
we want to empower teachers. Andthen there's other bills where Republicans or
majorities are saying, we want totell individuals this that they can or cannot
do this. We want to tellteachers they can or cannot do this.
So read the commentary today's posted atwv metro news dot com. It's what
I saw as some philosophical inconsistencies thathave emerged this session. Copy. I

(01:37:00):
thought we were in financial utopia.That's why the GOP has been saying.
That's what they've been saying. Nowfor some reason, they have no money
but can consolidate their power at theCapitol. I think we just need to
see what's gonna happen here over thenext couple of weeks, because I don't
want to get too far out infront of my skis on this. But
but clearly, as Brad was tellingus and as has come out that there

(01:37:23):
are these concerns, which I heardthis a week ago, and I ask
about this to some administration folks andI said, Okay, is there going
to be this four hundred million dollarcallback from the federal government. Well,
these talks are ongoing, and theywere making up the rules as they went
along on this COVID money, andyou know, we're talking to them and

(01:37:44):
we can work this out. Theyask for more information, We'll give them
information. They come back and say, we want some more information. Well,
we'll sort all this out, okay. And I just kind of said,
okay, all right, we'll we'llthat's what's happening, and if it
becomes an issue, then we'll we'llget more deeply into it. But now
it seems like it's come up asissue. Happy, today's a big day

(01:38:05):
when it comes to cart Is todaya big day when it comes to car
taxes? Isn't today the last dayto make car tax payments to qualify for
the rebates next year? Man?I do not know. I am sorry,
hoppy. I wonder if all thoseworkers who have gotten laid off recently
from the factory closings will continue tovote for Republicans who are trying to cut
their unemployment benefits. I bet they'llblame Democrats as usual. Those individuals who

(01:38:32):
are losing their jobs would not bedirectly impacted by any legislation that would pass
now, and probably the effective datewould probably be you know, June one
or July one or something like that. And the layoffs would already have taken
place, so they would not bedirectly impacted. But I think that my
Caputo and I've disagreed with him abouta lot of things. I think he

(01:38:53):
made a good point. And asI've tried this morning, I talked with
representatives of business and representatives of labor, and everybody's trying to fixigure out what
these significant changes to the unemployment programwould be. Well, we're near the
end of this session, and isthere really a need to rush now into
making these significant changes? It feelsrushed. It feels rushed. Yeah.

(01:39:19):
A significant announcement today on WAJR andMorgantown. John Kelly, the longtime football
coach at University High thirty plus years, retiring. Never thought he would retire.
Hoppy the Internet says, they're currentlytwenty eight hundred and eighty nine doctors
in West Virginia. You said thatthree hundred of them signed to protest the

(01:39:42):
bill, so it seems that ninetypercent of them didn't sign it, just
saying well, not all doctors handledthese kinds of cases. So I don't
know if a brain surgeon at Marshallgot the memo, I don't know.
Hoppy the raises will do no goodif it's only enough to pay for insurance.

(01:40:04):
Nothing for the cost of living,says the texture. All right,
take a break and come back.Talk On continues from the AARP broadcast location
at the in COVID shirt studios atthe upper rotunda of the state Capitol.
We'll be back right after this.As Governor Justice always says, West Virginia
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(01:40:26):
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(01:42:21):
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(01:43:08):
stories for more than twenty five years. Stockfish for Repatriation Purposes to that's reintroduction,
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Outdoors covers it all Saturday mornings atseven oh six am and for your daily
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(01:43:55):
West Virginia. It's two hours ofsports conversation to wrap up your weekend.
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(01:44:40):
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Call eight five five WVU care Hoppy. What's up with the moonshine?
Bill Well the House way back inJanuary passed a bill forty seven to ninety
three that would allow home distilling ofup to twenty five gallons for one person

(01:45:23):
age twenty one in older, upto fifty gallons in a household with two
or more legal drinking age folks passedthe House early in January. It's been
sitting in the Senate in the GovernmentOrganization Committee. I checked the agenda for
today they met this morning. Itwas not on the agenda today, so
it's sitting. It did pass theHouse, it is sitting in the Senate.

(01:45:45):
That's where it is now. Let'ssee, boy a ton of texts
I did not get to. Letme see stand by. Did Leslie Rubins
say that skull can throw off thetest? Well, somebody who's making a

(01:46:06):
joke about that, I don't know. I mean, I do know this.
That test, that field test iskind of a preliminary test before they
take you to the station and dothe big test. I was told that
the other day. But this risktin saga is really weird and certainly not
over yet. Happy eleventh hour billin unemployment, no time to read it,
send it to committees. A mistake, suspicious at this late date in

(01:46:29):
the session. See tomorrow. Thishas been talk line on Metro News,
The Voice of West Virginia