Final approval came Saturday night to give West Virginia teachers an across the board $1,000 pay raise. The bill has seen many ups and downs and has been transformed in all directions since its creation. Originally introduced by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, the bill began with a two percent raise for teachers and service personnel. The bill was then modified by the House Education Committee, reducing the raise to $837 for teachers and a 2 percent raise for service personnel. Clay’s own Delegate Dave Walker then supported amending the bill to reflect a multi-year increase of wages starting with a $1,000 raise next year, a $2,000 raise the following year and a $3,000 raise the third year, plus a $100 month supplemental pay for service workers. The modification was deemed as “fiscally irresponsible” and was once again changed. The final number of $1000 was more than the initial bill, but still plausible with a tight budget. The bill must now be signed by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.
