All of the ruling party members voted against my amendment except three of them.
Sunday on first reading I had asked the House Finance Chair, Harold Michael, D-Hardy, what the projects were that we were funding. He said he did not know.
Monday I moved my amendment. Tuesday, on third reading, I made a speech including the statement that I hope it doesn't happen, but I am afraid one morning we may wake up and read in the newspaper what embarrassing thing we funded.
That day has arrived. The Senate Finance Committee chairman, Walt Helmick, D-Pocahontas, had a list of what the House Finance Committee-amended HB 417 funded.
From the $2 million LEDA? I tried to eliminate $750,000 for a wellness center in Michael's district. Either more money for The Harold K. Michael Wellness Center, named after him, or a new center next to the existing Harold K. Michael Center. From the same line item which I tried to eliminate but the Democrats kept in the bill: $1 million for the Mingo County dirt race track. Don Blankenship finances this race track. That of course is the same Blankenship that Gov. Joe Manchin and Democratic Party House members have been accusing Republicans of selling ourselves to.
Who has sold themselves?
HB 417 also funds $3.75 million in dam projects in the soil conservation line-item. One of the three dams is in the Senate Finance Committee chairman's district.