Gov. Jim Justice publicly acknowledged his support for another raise for public educators, although he didn’t guarantee its passage.
“I believe we should reward the very people who are helping us,” Justice said during a briefing today.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail first reported that the governor floated another pay raise while meeting privately with county schools superintendents in a story that included the governor’s comments to the paper. Ogden Newspapers reporter Steven Allen Adams asked the governor for public comment today, so now Justice’s support is audible for all.
“When I mentioned that at the superintendents’ meeting,” Justice said, “I felt like superintendents should know that, but from the standpoint of running to the media and saying ‘Jim said…’ Jim didn’t do that, did he?”
“I really hope that what we can do is get through the fourth pay raise of another five percent to all our state employees, and before I go out the door, if we continue to stay on a good path and we continue to do well in the state of West Virginia, I’d like to do the fifth.”
Justice acknowledged uncertainties such as continued economic performance and the desires of the Legislature.
Revenue Secretary Dave Hardy said a five percent pay raise for educators would cost about $120 million from the General Revenue Fund.
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw today said he supports another pay raise for educators. Hanshaw, R-Clay, acknowledged that he has not talked with the governor about the raises so far, though.
“But if you’re asking me would I vote for it, yeah I’d vote for it. I would support it,” Hanshaw said on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”
“I’ve said many, many times the public school teachers work much harder at their jobs than I do. They deserve everything we can give them.”
Senate President Craig Blair agrees.
“We have been talking about it for a while,” Blair, R-Berkeley, said on “Talkline,” clarifying that he supports providing the pay raise generally for state employees.
“I am absolutely in favor of doing another 5 percent pay raise so that we’ve got four years of 5 percent. They deserve it, particularly our teachers.”
.@WVSenatePres joins @HoppyKercheval to discuss the 5% teacher pay raise, and he discusses the claims of misinformation from the opponents of Amendment Two. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nDJuy pic.twitter.com/GLjEi8rlC5
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) October 10, 2022
Fred Albert, president of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, praised the governor. “It’s very pleasing,” Albert said on “Talkline.”
Albert noted that Justice made an announcement prior to the last legislative session in support of a pay raise, “and he got it done.”
“I want to thank the governor because I think he recognizes we have to do something. We have a crisis in our state with the teacher shortage and with young teachers leaving the profession and not attracting young people to go into this profession. So I think the governor recognizes that, and competitive pay is one of the solutions.”
What did Fred Albert, President of AFT-WV, think whenever he heard the news of Governor Justice promising another 5% raise for teachers in West Virginia? Fred joins @HoppyKercheval. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nDJuy pic.twitter.com/l20OdH9IoQ
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) October 10, 2022