Gov. Jim Justice’s insistence on relegating CARES Act money to road maintenance seems a lot less like the smoother passage to hospitals he touts it as and a lot more like a last-ditch effort to fulfill a campaign promise as the election looms ever closer.
Do our roads need fixed? Most certainly. West Virginia roads are dreadful. But in the middle of a pandemic, with case numbers rising exponentially and outbreaks popping up everywhere, is road maintenance really the best use of funds specifically distributed to aid in the fight against COVID-19?
No. No, it isn’t. And we are not the only ones who feel this way.
Justice has been asked repeatedly to justify diverting CARES money to roadwork when county health departments are vastly understaffed and testing still is not at the level it needs to be. And every time Justice opens his mouth, horse manure spews out.
We’re not exactly saying that Justice is full of it. We’re saying that every time Justice gives an answer, more questions are raised, then he refuses to answer those questions. Which gives what little he will say an unpleasant metaphorical aroma.
On Wednesday, Justice rambled about how he could send — get? — more money for cities and counties if they qualify for more. Then he backtracked and said West Virginia cities and counties already qualify for $200 million. Then he said there’s an additional $100 million sitting around, and if he doesn’t use it for the roads, the money has to go back to the government.
Why don’t cities and counties qualify for that other $100 million that’s collecting dust? Why can that money be used for roads, but not for health departments? His vague claims that “experts” told him this is what he needs to do is not at all reassuring.
When pressed about funding for county health departments — which have become the new front line in terms of tracking the spread of coronavirus — Justice insisted county health departments are funded by grants.
OK. Fine. How much are those grants worth? How many health departments have to share those grants and how much money would each department receive? Are there restrictions on how the money can be used? When does that money run out? Are the grants renewable? Most importantly, do the grants cover everything each health department needs to keep up with the pandemic?
Considering what we’ve seen thus far, we’re guessing the answer to that last question is “no.”
Remember when Justice forced Cathy Slemp to resign because her case numbers were wrong? Well, the DHHR investigated how those numbers became wrong (DP-06-30-20). It determined county health departments couldn’t keep up with their cases and failed to mark cases as recovered. Given how much Justice cares about those numbers, wouldn’t he want to make sure health departments have the manpower and equipment needed to make sure our COVID-19 numbers stay correct?
Mon County Health Department is begging for trained, volunteer contact tracers. With the outbreak in Mon County, “contact tracer” might just be one of the most important jobs at the moment. And MCHD can’t afford to train them, let alone hire them.
Tell us again, governor: Why does that $100 million have to go to roads?
———–UPDATE———–
From “Lawmakers question Justice’s CARES usage” published July 12, 2020:
“Justice said Friday that $50 million of the $100 million — out of $1.25 billion in CARES money — he’d channeled to the Division of Highways would go toward broadband expansion, for such things as distance education and telehealth.”
