Perdue Says He Will Lead on Shale
Wheeling WV Intelligencer
17 April 2011
By Joselyn King, Political Writer
WHEELING - West Virginia's next governor must take the lead in making
certain the state and its residents reap the benefits of Marcellus
Shale drilling, State Treasurer John Perdue said in Wheeling on
Saturday.
Perdue, a current Democratic candidate for governor, addressed a town
hall meeting at the Stone Church Volunteer Fire Department, where
nearby roads show the negative effects of trucks transporting natural
gas from drilling sites.
He criticized three other candidates in the race - present acting
governor Earl Ray Tomblin; acting Senate President Jeff Kessler,
D-Marshall; and House Speaker Richard Thompson, D-Wayne - for the
failure of legislation to regulate Marcellus Shale drilling to pass
into law at this year's regular legislative session.
Perdue, 60, a native of Boone County, said he comes from coal country
and the state's first "gold mine" of coal.
"Coal is important to West Virginia," he said. "I'm you're treasurer. I
would never deny that. But what do we have left of coal today? Thirty
to 35 years?
It doesn't take long for that to go. When it comes to Marcellus Shale -
the next 'gold mine' that God has blessed us with - we're putting the
cart before the horse."
He noted it was "arguably the most important issue in the state" that
the West Virginia Legislature address the issue of Marcellus Shale when
members met earlier this year.
"At the end, when the bell rang, they weren't there for you," Perdue
said.
"They walked away. If I'm governor, I'm going to say, 'We're going to
stay here until we get those checks and balances in place. We're going
to stay here until we protect the people and their rights.'"
He said if he had similarly failed to do his job as treasurer, "You
would be running me out of office."
"Leadership comes from experience," Perdue said. "It comes from someone
who understands how to put the checks and balances in place ... and
solve the problems for the people of this state.
"We have to make sure we do this one right. Big Daddy (the late U.S.
Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.) is no longer here to bring millions and
millions of dollars from the federal government to help us with our
infrastructure and the future of this state. The federal government is
broke, bankrupt."
West Virginia needs a long-term plan to maintain and improve its
infrastructure - including roads, water and sewer lines, and broadband
Internet access, Perdue said. And to pay for this, he proposes the
state set aside some tax revenues resulting from Marcellus Shale.
Addressing other issues, Perdue called for a moratorium on utility
rates. He noted "people are struggling to pay utility bills bigger than
their car payments."
He also suggests a change in the composition of the state Public
Utilities Commission. Currently the commission's three members are all
Kanawha County residents, Perdue said, and he would like to instead see
members representing each of the state's three Congressional districts.
Democrats seeking the governor's office in the May 14 special primary
election are Perdue, Tomblin, Kessler and Thompson, as well as
Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and Charleston resident Arne Moltis.
Republicans in the race are former Secretary of State Betty Ireland,
current state Sen. Clark Barnes of Randolph County; Delegate Mitch
Carmichael, of Jackson County; former Delegate Larry Faircloth of
Berkeley County; Putnam County Prosecutor Mark Sorsaia; and businessmen
Bill Maloney and Ralph William Clark and Cliff Ellis, all of Monongalia
County.