The cost of our priorities
Opinion piece by Dakota Baker, RealWV
Recent federal and state policy changes have made it harder for many West Virginians to access public assistance. Expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work requirements have resulted in roughly 15,000 residents losing benefits after exemptions were eliminated and eligibility rules became more restrictive.
At the same time, federal Medicaid cuts are expected to reduce health coverage for tens of thousands of West Virginians in the coming years. Meanwhile, a roughly $40 million shortfall in the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program has led to renewed scrutiny of how assistance funding is being managed and who qualifies for help.
But don’t panic just yet. While many West Virginians are losing access to essential programs, the governor found nearly $2 million in the Governor’s Civil Contingent Fund to pay for a four-day America250 celebration including — insert drum roll here — a 230-foot portable Ferris wheel!
So, while lawmakers have been focused on tightening benefit eligibility and debating whether SNAP recipients should be allowed to buy soda, they also decided that this celebration was worth a $2 million price tag.
When questioned by other news outlets about the cost of the event in light of these recent cuts, Gov. Patrick Morrisey responded:
“The one thing I would say is this: This is an incredible and unmatched opportunity for people to come out and experience West Virginia and see all the amazing sites that we have. That’s priceless.”
But is it? West Virginia already has plenty of incredible attractions that draw visitors every year, Including state parks, festivals, small-town events, and the State Fair of West Virginia, which, if memory serves me correctly, already has a Ferris wheel.
Maybe I’m missing something, but spending nearly $2 million on a four-day celebration while cutting or restricting programs that thousands of West Virginians rely on seems like a strange set of priorities when you claim to put West Virginians first.
Editor’s note: Feature image courtesy of Perry Bennett.
