THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 02/09/2007
Page: 6A
Headline: HOUSE TO EXCEED TEACHER PAY PROPOSAL SPEAKER EXPECTS ACTION ON CORRECTIONS PAY, HEALTH BENEFITS FOR CPS WORKERS
Byline: LAWRENCE MESSINA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The House of Delegates plans to exceed Gov. Joe Manchin's teacher pay raise proposal and make permanent his bonus-like offer to other public employees, as the Legislature enters the latter half of its 60-day session, Speaker Rick Thompson said Thursday.

The Wayne County Democrat also expects delegates to improve upon Manchin's requested $1,000 salary hike for corrections officers, while addressing health benefits for Child Protective Services workers.

"We're looking at a multiyear approach," Thompson said. "They're crunching the numbers now to see what we can do."

Teacher pay

With the session hitting its midpoint Thursday, Thompson said the House Education Committee should amend and advance Manchin's teacher pay bill (HB2777) next week.

Assigned to take the lead on this year's budget bill, the House is taking first crack at all pay raise-related measures.

"The sense I get from the members is that the House would like to do more than 2.5 percent," Thompson said, referring to the governor's pay request for teachers.

Table gambling

Thompson also believes the racetrack table-gambling bill will be among the issues that dominate the session's second half.

The four tracks want each of their host counties to vote on permitting casino games. The House Judiciary Committee proposed heavily amending the bill (HB2718) Thursday.

Among numerous changes, the committee might increase the annual license fees paid by each track from $25,000 to $2.5 million.

It also might increase the annual tax on game proceeds from 24 percent to 35 percent, while altering how that revenue is distributed.

Minority leaders

The 2007 session features a new House speaker - Thompson - as well as new Republican minority leaders in each chamber. Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth, R-Mercer, said he is enjoying his new role so far.

"I sort of have that busybody type of personality anyway, always wanting to know what's going on in everyone's office," Caruth said. "So this is a good fit."

Last week, Caruth and House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, helped unveil a GOP agenda for the session. Their proposals include tax cuts, a crackdown on illegal immigrant workers and curbs on asbestos lawsuits.

Seven bills to governor

The Legislature has sent seven bills to the governor so far this session, among 51 bills that have passed one chamber or the other.

By last year's session midpoint, 74 bills had passed at least one house but only two had reached Manchin's desk.

"I think it's gone slowly, and I don't say that as a criticism," Caruth said. "I think we will be extremely busy from here on out. My great concern is that we have enough time left in the session to get to some of the major issues we really didn't touch."

Thompson cited the dozens of bills advanced Thursday from the House's minor committees, which usually meet only once a week.

He also noted that 19 delegates, nearly one-fifth of the total, are new this year.

"I'm encouraged by the way the bills are moving," Thompson said. "The members seem enthusiastic to me. They seem excited about the session."

Raleigh seat vacant

Settling in as the House's new leader, Thompson faced an early crisis: the continued absence of Raleigh County Democrat Ron Thompson. Although elected to a seventh term in November, Ron Thompson had not attended the Legislature since March 2006.

The House voted Thursday to declare his seat vacant, making him the first lawmaker in the state's history to forfeit his seat for refusing to take the oath of office.

"There are always things that come up that you would not reasonably anticipate," said the speaker, who is not related to the ousted delegate. "I think we've been dealing with them appropriately."

AP writer Tom Breen contributed to this report.