Dominion Post - May 4, 2005

	
<DL>Governor urges voters to support bond amendment</DL>
<DL>Would pay for unfunded pensions liability</DL>
<DL>BY JANET L. METZNER The Dominion Post</DL>


  <P><DL>Gov. Joe Manchin III took a few minutes Wednesday to urge voters to support a $5.5 billion pensions bond amendment at the polls June 25.</DL>
    <DL>The money will be used to pay for West Virginia’s unfunded pensions liability.</DL>
    <DL>“That’s not new debt. It’s old debt,” Manchin said after presenting PROMISE scholarship awards to 185 area high school seniors.</DL>
    <DL>“We have passed a pension bond referendum bill -— so future legislators cannot repeat the sins of the past. On June 25, we need your help and support. Vote yes for the pension bond amendment.”</DL>
    <DL>Later Wednesday, the governor was deciding whether to sign Senate Bill 514, the bill to increase the salaries of certain state officials, justices, circuit judges and family court judges.</DL>
    <DL>Delegate Cindy Frich, R-Monongalia, said she opposes passage of SB514for several reasons, including the fact that it increases some judges’ pensions — before the move is funded.</DL>
    <DL>“I e-mailed a veto request to the governor,” Frich said Wednesday afternoon.</DL>
    <DL>Among other reasons, Frich said the bill not only allows, for example, a $26,000 pay increase for Supreme Court and Circuit Court judges, but also a $19,000 increase in their pension each year. “And that’s not funded,” she said.</DL>
    <DL>“I don’t think it’s a good idea to increase the pension liabilities on the eve of asking the voters to borrow money in order to fund the unfunded liabilities of the pensions,” Frich said.</DL>
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