Than the usual pep talk on "West Virginia Day" and how great it is. Well yes, the State has many fine people and places; who can dispute that? But than once the ticker tape and tinsel is swept up, we are back to the same old thing from the Machine and its flunkies.
New ideas, bring new businesses, new industries to the State. And then the tired cliché of we "need to bring our young people back" and better yet, keep them here to begin with. Both admirable goals I would think? But than comes the reality of a Government controlled mostly by "elitists" who no more want change than the Communists or any other archaic group that spews propaganda like it was George Orwell's 1984 again? Change means breaking the choke hold that has been the norm for decades. It means turning out the far too long bureaucrats that could care less about the little people except to encourage their tax get paid on time. Too many of the population centers in the center and southern parts of this state hold on to "then". But "then" died with the closing of the plants and the mines. When the kids also began more and more often to flee as soon as they could get a usable degree and a decent job anywhere but here. Sure I know of the many that must still love hearth and home dearly. But not enough to work for a minimum wage job or just above it and few if any benefits to live here.
We are in an ever smaller World everyday and must change to meet the challenges of that World. How many of you are paying attention to the plans by people like Mr. Gates, Mr. Zuckerberg, Mr. Cuban, Mr. Bezos and other tech wiz's who see Robots doing so many of the "mundane" jobs in just a few years. And those job can be and will be done using AI- Artificial Intelligence. So even some of the jobs I earlier said could not be outsourced off shore will instead be outsourced to a Robot here that makes the one on "Lost in Space" look like a can opener. I am thinking of welding, electrician, carpenter, auto mechanic and so forth. These were the backbone of our nation for many years paying good wages/ benefits and job security. Now, I think the plans of these Billionaires are going to do a lot of folks in? Their solution is to retrain into the new jobs. And those are? The Robots will repair/ reprogram themselves so no jobs there per say?
Out of all the foolishness of the past State Budget Session one person really stood up for the changes that will help the State financially. The down to the wire thing might make for good press in D.C., but not so much here. Mr. Ferns is really right on the spot when he says the Legislature needs to turn over more authority to the Legislative Audit Office to prepare almost on a daily basis part and parcel of a new budget- a work in process if I may. The problem will be that it does not become like the Agencies they are watching?
Stating the obvious, he noted that there is currently no way to verify what any State Agency is asking for versus what it needs. This is trying to drive that new State SUV with blindfolds on and wondering why you wake up with a headache?
To be quite honest, the entire budgeting process at each and every level is nothing but a series of we want versus what is truly needed. Millions of dollars are wasted buying items to buy off a department be it in a City (Vienna), County or at a State level as its turn comes up for the goodies. The State Audit Group or whatever it is called that approves City/ County budgets is nothing but another rubber stamp operation. In 10 years, I have yet to see them say "NO" to any thing that was submitted to them by this City. Consider having a child come up too you every few days and asking you to move $10. from your left pocket to their right pocket so they can buy pizza after school. Where is the control or the need versus the want?
If I may, a "Job well done" for the VFD Fireman who is retiring after 25 years. Am going to say that as I go over the above comment, that it appears I was wrong. So in the interest of "Truth in Advertising", allow me to correct that the above Retiree will not be one of our fine folks but is instead from P'burg. That does not change the fact that he as have many of ours served their respective Communities well. 'nuff said'.