By Phil Kabler

ph...@wvgazette.com

Gov. Joe Manchin wielded his line-item veto authority 35 times before signing the 2008-09 budget into law. Mostly, the governor cut accounts where lawmakers had increased funding back to this year's levels.

Manchin also vetoed a $24.5 million appropriation the Legislature intended to cover the state's upfront costs for legislation to allow 19,100 teachers and school personnel stuck with underfunded 401(k)-style pension plans to switch to the Teachers' Retirement System.

Manchin, in his veto message, said the actual expense won't be known until the Teachers Defined Contribution to TRS transfer election is completed this spring.

Once the exact amount of state funds needed is determined, the governor said he will call a special session to authorize that appropriation.

"We'll wait to see what happens with that transfer, and address the issue when we know exactly what amount we need," Manchin spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg said.

Otherwise, Manchin went through the budget bill, eliminating new appropriations and cutting others back to current levels to the tune of nearly $11 million.

That included eliminating $990,000 in the Department of Agriculture budget for 4-H Camp improvements.

He also eliminated $1.1 million for increased base pay, incremental pay and hiring bonuses for state Division of Natural Resources conservation officers. The governor had already vetoed the bill providing for the pay raise package.

Manchin also vetoed:

By Phil Kabler

ph...@wvgazette.com

Gov. Joe Manchin wielded his line-item veto authority 35 times before signing the 2008-09 budget into law. Mostly, the governor cut accounts where lawmakers had increased funding back to this year's levels.

Manchin also vetoed a $24.5 million appropriation the Legislature intended to cover the state's upfront costs for legislation to allow 19,100 teachers and school personnel stuck with underfunded 401(k)-style pension plans to switch to the Teachers' Retirement System.

Manchin, in his veto message, said the actual expense won't be known until the Teachers Defined Contribution to TRS transfer election is completed this spring.

Once the exact amount of state funds needed is determined, the governor said he will call a special session to authorize that appropriation.

"We'll wait to see what happens with that transfer, and address the issue when we know exactly what amount we need," Manchin spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg said.

Otherwise, Manchin went through the budget bill, eliminating new appropriations and cutting others back to current levels to the tune of nearly $11 million.

That included eliminating $990,000 in the Department of Agriculture budget for 4-H Camp improvements.

He also eliminated $1.1 million for increased base pay, incremental pay and hiring bonuses for state Division of Natural Resources conservation officers. The governor had already vetoed the bill providing for the pay raise package.

Manchin also vetoed:

Other objections removed language that sought to mandate spending in certain areas without specifying amounts. Those included a section directing state Health and Human Resources officials to comply with a 2000 court order that had targeted their waiting list for in-home care waivers for the disabled.

House Health and Human Resources Chairman Don Perdue expressed unhappiness with the language change.

"I am extraordinarily disappointed in Governor Manchin and his administrators at DHHR for moving to strike the language inserted in the budget bill to extend services to more than 380 qualified [mentally retarded and developmentally disabled] patients,'' Perdue said.

The Wayne County Democrat added that some have been on the waiting list for more than a year.

"It is clear that these children and adults qualify,'' Perdue said. "It is clear that they are not receiving services as the court directed, and are, effectively, standing in line.''

In his line-item veto message, almost all of the 35 changes to the budget were prefaced with the statement: "Being acutely aware of the national economy and of budget deficits currently facing many other states, it is imperative that a cautious and prudent approach is taken to avoid building the state's base budget."

The 2008-09 budget takes effect July 1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. To contact staff writer Phil Kabler, use e-mail or call 348-1220.