PARSONS – Senator Dave Sypolt, R-Preston, said the Senate will begin meeting February 8 and he said one of the biggest challenges this year will be balancing the budget. Sypolt said the budget will be tight again this year.
“We were hoping the climb out of that this year, but it seems even the Governor’s proposal for the current year is going to run short,” Sypolt said. “We will have to deal with that before we can even deal with next year’s budget.”
He said he feels the state is probably past the point of making across the board cuts.
“I think you are going to see whole agencies and commissions eliminated,” Sypolt said. “Obviously, there is no other course to take. I guess the real choice will be who is going to be the winners and who will be the losers.”
Sypolt said some departments have already started downsizing. He said Gayle Manchin was appointed Secretary of Education and the Arts, she immediately let about one-third of the staff go.
“The Governor has also reduced his staff,” Sypolt said. “I am not sure by how many, but I know he turned in five cars back into the fleet management. I think everyone is going to be downsizing, but maybe more appropriately ‘right-sizing.’ That is good and something that should have been done several years ago.”
Sypolt said he is no longer Chairman of the Education Committee.
“I am Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and I feel that fits well with our district,” Sypolt said. “The eight counties in the 14th Senatorial District probably have the majority of the agricultural product produced here in the entire state.”
Sypolt said he is excited to move forward.
“The new Commissioner of Agriculture, Kent Leonhardt, is on fire,” Sypolt said. “I have had two meetings with him and I have a meeting with his Chief Deputy this week. I have met with the State Farm Bureau and a few of the local Farm Bureaus and some special interest groups to deal with some locally sources foods. The Governor has an affinity for agriculture and also for the timber industry.”
Sypolt said he is also the co-chair for the Timber Management Review Commission.
“I have been co-chair for the past two years,” Sypolt said.
Sypolt said he hopes Tucker County residents will attend one of the Town Hall Meetings offered today. He said the first one will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Tucker County Senior Center in Thomas and the second will begin at 7 p.m. at the Tucker County Senior Center in Parsons.
“We have had 13 Town Hall Meetings so far,” Sypolt said. “Senator Randy Smith, R-Tucker, and I are trying to bring these meetings to all parts of the district. Each of the Town Hall Meetings have a different flavor and you never know what you are going to have. The purpose of the meetings is for the Legislators to get ideas and thoughts from the constituents. They are talking to us and we are listening to them.”
In 2017, Sypolt serves as Chairperson of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and Vice Chairperson of the Energy, Industry and Mining Committee. He serves on finance, government organization, interstate cooperation, military, natural resources and rules committees. He is interim chairperson of the education committee and the education accountability committee and serves on the agriculture and rural development, economic development, energy, finance, forest management review commission, rule-making review committee and Veterans’ Affairs interim committees. He is beginning his eleventh year in the Senate.
Sypolt’s Office is located in Building 1, Room 214 W at the Capitol and he can be reached by calling 304-357-7914 or by email at dave.sypolt@wvsenate.gov.
