The West Virginia House of Delegates' leadership is committed to funding the Promise scholarship, according to a news release issued Friday from House Speaker Tim Armstead, who accused some people of politicizing the issue.
With lawmakers still not having passed a budget for next fiscal year, which starts July 1, Promise's level of funding still is not set.
Brian Weingart, senior director of financial aid for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, sent letters to high school guidance counselors last week warning that the state cannot yet guarantee that funds for the scholarship will be available for next year.
"During these difficult economic times, it would be a horrible burden on our families to eliminate funding for this program that's helped so many of our children attend college," Armstead, R-Kanawha, said in his statement. "While we have sought additional spending cuts to balance our projected $270 million-plus shortfall next year, House leadership has repeatedly stated that those cuts do not include critical programs, like Promise and the Public Employees Insurance Agency.
"It's unfortunate that some are choosing to politicize these letters to pressure lawmakers into passing nearly $270 million in tax increases," Armstead said. "House leadership is fully committed to finding a responsible solution to our budget situation - one which doesn't place the entire burden on taxpayers, yet honors and fully funds our commitment to essential programs."
Armstead, whom House spokesman Jared Hunt said was unavailable for comment late Friday, told MetroNews' Hoppy Kercheval on Friday that House leadership has had, for several weeks, a "very responsible" list of proposed cuts, including eliminating planned funding for vacant positions.
He also suggested there might be enough House Republican votes to pass a 45-cent-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax.
A tobacco tax increase is among the revenue measures Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin is asking lawmakers to consider in a special session he's called that starts Monday.
Lawmakers and the Governor's Office have yet to come to a budget agreement, more than 60 days after the end of the regular session. During the regular session, which lawmakers adjourned March 15 without passing a spending plan for 2016-17, the governor had proposed raising the existing 55-cent-per-pack cigarette tax to $1 a pack, which would provide about $78 million a year in new revenue.
The Republican-controlled Senate amended the bill to provide a full $1-per-pack increase, and passed the bill on a 26-6 floor vote. But the Republican-controlled House Finance Committee rejected the bill 21-3.
House Minority Leader Tim Miley, D-Harrison, said Friday that "the Republican leadership has kept its plans for next week shrouded in secrecy" and he doesn't know what GOP leaders' plans are for the Promise scholarship, although he said he has "no reason to believe" they will try to cut funding for it.
"Democrats will fight tooth, toe and nail to maintain the Promise scholarship funding level," Miley said, although he said he didn't know his party's level of support for tax increases.
Republicans seem averse to them. On the same day Tomblin announced the tax increase proposals he wants considered during the special session, legislative leaders issued statements objecting to them.
"After weeks of discussions on a balanced approach to closing our state's budget gap, it's disappointing that, with this call, the governor has decided to place the entire burden of this nearly $300 million deficit on the backs of the taxpayers," Armstead said in a statement Thursday.
High school students who qualify for the $4,750 yearly Promise scholarship normally would've received award letters by this time.
Higher Education Policy Commission spokeswoman Jessica Tice said Friday the number of eligible students is currently around 3,300, although the figure is changing daily as the HEPC receives test scores and works through various issues. She said the number of eligible students is expected to rise in coming weeks as ACT and SAT scores continue to come out.
Armstead's statement noted that Promise scholarship award letters also were delayed in 2009, when the Legislature and then-Gov. Joe Manchin delayed passing the state budget until May 31, to get more information on federal stimulus funding.
Reach Ryan Quinn at ryan.quinn@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1254, facebook.com/ryanedwinquinn, or follow @RyanEQuinn on Twitter.
