State's revenue collection hits record $3.5 billion: Manchin wants surplus to go toward pension shortfalls

Fueled by high energy prices and a rebounding economy, WestVirginia's state government collected a record $3.5 billion in taxes,fees and other revenue during its budget year that ended June 30,state officials said.

After several anemic fiscal years, revenues proved so strong thatstate budget forecasters in April revised their estimates for theyear upward by $349 million. And even though revenues did not meetthose new projections for April through June, the state ended thefiscal year with $83.8 million more than anticipated.

As the state had proposed to spend $3.05 billion for the budgetyear, Gov. Joe Manchin has dedicated the resulting surplus towardshortfalls in …