Earl Ray Tomblin in 2014 Governor's State of the State speeches


On Budget & Economy: We will not impose financial burdens on future generations

I've learned how incredibly important it is to be a good steward of the people's money. And how important it is to say yes when you can, and being strong enough to say no when you can't. That's the key to fiscal responsibility.

My fellow West Virginians, make no mistake, the State of our State is strong. We pay our bills on time and we've invested in our future by continuing to work together as we face future challenges. We will not impose financial burdens on future generations. In fact, our reserve fund is one of the healthiest in the nation.

We did not get here by accident--we got here with planning, patience and foresight. Our Rainy Day fund has a savings of over $920 million and it has helped protect and improve the state's credit rating for over 20 years.

Source: 2014 West Virginia State of the State speech Jan 8, 2014

On Free Trade: West Virginia is a strong international competitor

In October, I led a 13-day investment mission to Europe with stops in Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. As you know, jobs are my number one priority. I will go anywhere and meet with anyone to bring good paying jobs to West Virginia.

During that trip my team met with a number of prospects--several have committed to investing in West Virginia. One of the highlights of this trip was my stop at Pietro Fiorentini in Italy. My thanks goes out to the Italian company for placing its trust in West Virginia.

West Virginia is a strong international competitor. Production from manufacturing sectors--plastics, machinery, chemicals, aerospace, medical products and automotive--grew substantially. Exports have increased from $9 billion in 2011 to over $11 billion last year and outpaced the national growth rate.

Source: 2014 West Virginia State of the State speech Jan 8, 2014

On Government Reform: Dissolve state boards & councils that no longer operate

As we continue to plan we know it is more important than ever to eliminate government waste. That's why I will be proposing legislation reforming our purchasing laws to ensure that every dollar of state money is spent with the proper oversight to achieve the best value.

Because of this commitment to a good, responsive and efficient government, I have identified a number of boards, commissions, and councils that no longer operate, but linger on the books creating ambiguity and clutter. I plan to dissolve many of these groups by executive order, and I will submit legislation to eliminate the rest of these obsolete boards.

Source: 2014 West Virginia State of the State speech Jan 8, 2014

On Welfare & Poverty: Homelessness is devastating; revive Interagency Council

In tough economic times we hear the word "homeless" so often that sometimes we forget it can also describe veterans who have risked their lives but struggle to find a livelihood. Our West Virginia Veterans Home is working with the VA Medical Center's Homeless Veterans Resource Center to provide immediate shelter to homeless veterans.

Homelessness also includes hard-working families who can't make ends meet. It includes people with disabilities and children without support. Homelessness is devastating. We cannot turn our backs on our fellow West Virginians in need. I have revived the Interagency Council on Homelessness to bring together leaders who will work within the community to end homelessness in West Virginia.

Source: 2014 West Virginia State of the State speech Jan 8, 2014

The above quotations are from 2014 Governor's State of the State speeches.
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Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018