West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice—With Babydog Alongside Him—Signs $150 Million State Highway Bill

7 months ago

Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) signs a $150 million state highway funding bill.

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Transcript

00:00 [crowd noise]

00:15 Okay, we can officially start the event now. Baby dog's taking her seat.

00:19 [crowd laughter]

00:20 I'd like to welcome everybody here today. Just briefly, I'm Jeff Miller,

00:25 Executive Director of the West Virginia Parkways Authority.

00:28 This event today, Jimmy Riston's got a much more ceremonious event planned

00:35 with the Governor than I do, but I figured I'd take the opportunity while we're here.

00:40 And if you hadn't happened to notice, but behind us here, we've got a pretty large scale

00:45 construction project going on. I figured I'd take a quick opportunity just to give a brief update

00:50 on where we are. If you recall, many of the people that were in the crowd today,

00:55 November 2022, the Governor, Secretary Riston, and myself, we met in the Tamarack Conference Center

01:02 to make an announcement that we were going to redesign and redevelop all the West Virginia

01:08 travel plazas on the West Virginia Tarp Pike. So I'm here to say, obviously,

01:13 you've been driving by these now for going on almost two years, you know, kind of wondering

01:18 where we are, and I'm happy to announce that I think the progress on these is going very well.

01:24 You can see behind me, obviously, it's a dramatic, beautiful canopy that reaches out across

01:31 the building there that's going to go over top of the fueling stations. I think many of the people,

01:37 we have 36.5 million transactions on the West Virginia Tarp Pike every year.

01:42 80% of those are out of state and commercial truck traffic. We've got to be able to provide

01:48 a place for them to stop and to rest, you know, for their families to refuel, to get a bite to eat.

01:55 The glass houses of the '50s and '60s meant a lot to this area, so when we had the opportunity

02:00 to redesign these with the assistance of our architect, HNTB, and our contractor, Paramount Builders,

02:08 we took a hard look at what would the people want. We, I think, came up with a beautiful design,

02:13 something that meets today's modern standards, but also a little throwback to what the West Virginia

02:18 Tarp Pike had at one point. So we hope that by the end of this year, Governor Justice will be

02:26 cutting the ribbons as a governor and not as a U.S. Senator. We get them done before then.

02:31 So we're really looking forward to that, and I'm really pleased. And at this time, it's my honor

02:37 and my pleasure, I'm going to turn the microphone over to Secretary Riston, and I think he's got

02:41 a big announcement to make on behalf of the DOH. Thank you all.

02:44 (applause)

02:49 Thank you, Jeff. Thank you. You know, we definitely are one DOT. We work hand-in-hand with all

02:55 of our transportation agencies, and we've been doing that for quite some time now, thanks to the

03:00 great leadership of our governor. We're standing here not in the shadows of this great project

03:06 that Jeff has going on, but we're also, if you look just a little further out there on the

03:12 Tarp Pike itself, that was the first Roads to Prosperity project that we got under contract.

03:18 So the governor's told me a lot of times, you know, the more complicated the question is,

03:23 the more simpler the answer is. So when you talk about transportation in West Virginia,

03:28 the answer is always the Roads to Prosperity program. He brought in that big, bold vision to us,

03:33 and we have cut so many rivers, so many projects that took time, took decades and decades,

03:41 because we underinvested in our infrastructure. The governor's program, which we executed as

03:47 faithfully as possible, has really changed the landscape of the state of West Virginia.

03:52 So much so that we were able to invest even more in our infrastructure, even more to date.

04:00 And with the signing today, in the last five years, $816 million of general revenue surplus money

04:12 that has been grown through this economy, thanks to in 2017 when we elected this man,

04:19 he had a vision to put transportation at the forefront and focus on education,

04:24 and that's exactly what we've done. We've worked hard, we've grown our economy,

04:30 we've cut taxes time and time again. It's a great day to be a West Virginian.

04:35 It's a great, great day to be a West Virginian.

04:38 [applause]

04:42 I would like to clarify just a couple of things. You know, you see this really good investment

04:47 that Jeff's making with Parkways Authority here on the rest areas.

04:51 None of the general revenue funds will be going to that project.

04:54 The project that we'll be working on will be paving for the citizens of West Virginia

04:59 on the secondary roads. We will not be helping putting money on the turnpike.

05:05 This will be paving for our secondary roads. That's what our citizens have told us we need.

05:10 We've been out there diligently for the last few months patching those potholes.

05:14 I know a lot of you think that maybe that patching is kind of a waste of time,

05:19 but they have to be repaired before I can pave them.

05:22 So we're off and running, we're ready to go, and thanks to the leadership of the governor

05:27 bringing the legislature back in, being the leader that he is, getting the consensus,

05:32 once again, we're going to have $150 million to pave West Virginia's secondary roads.

05:39 [applause]

05:43 We'll swing right back to the turnpike for one more second, Jeff,

05:47 because I started off telling you about the complicated questions having real simple answers.

05:52 Any question about the West Virginia turnpike, the answer is real simple.

05:57 The answer is easy pass. Buy an easy pass. It's the best bargain in the country.

06:02 [applause]

06:04 Thank you, thank you very much.

06:06 One small thing, you know, you're seeing road work all over the state.

06:11 You can't go anywhere without seeing those folks just like that.

06:15 Turn around and look at them. These are the guys that make it happen.

06:18 These are the guys that make it happen.

06:20 [applause]

06:23 Let's make good decisions when you put that key in the ignition,

06:26 because they're dependent on you to make good decisions.

06:29 They absolutely are.

06:31 We're going to get your roads in the shape that you deserve and the shape that you want them in,

06:35 but you have to do your part.

06:36 You've got to make good decisions when you're operating your vehicles.

06:39 Let's do that for each other.

06:42 A bad decision out there on these highways can last a lifetime.

06:46 Let's make good decisions.

06:49 Without anything further, I would like to introduce the great governor of the state of West Virginia,

06:55 Governor Jim Justice.

06:57 [applause]

07:03 Well, thank you, Jimmy.

07:06 Don't think it goes unnoticed that I walk out here and there's not a single one of you that clap,

07:12 and then an abstinent baby dog comes walking out and all kinds of you are clapping.

07:21 Could we do this, please?

07:22 Because I can't stand this.

07:23 We've got a bunch of chairs up here, especially all the ladies.

07:26 Why don't you all come down here and sit down?

07:28 I mean, I hate to have you all standing up.

07:30 Come on. Come on.

07:31 If you want.

07:33 If you don't, it's up to you.

07:35 And then, you know, please, come on.

07:40 But if you don't choose to, that's up to you.

07:45 And then, you know, if we have a chair left, you know,

07:48 somebody that's real old and needs to sit down, Bird White can sit down somewhere.

07:52 [laughter]

07:58 Let me just tell you just this.

08:02 You can't imagine how proud I am to be here, you know.

08:07 I mean, just think about it just for a second.

08:10 You know, there was a day not long ago that I rode my bike from Northwestern Avenue

08:18 to the Little League Park to either play a game or to practice.

08:23 There was a day not very long ago that over on Ford Street,

08:28 we lived in a rented house right across from the cemetery,

08:32 the next to the last house on Ford Street,

08:36 right across from where Colony Drug used to be.

08:41 Literally, you know, I was a little boy that grew up with grandparents

08:47 that didn't have indoor plumbing.

08:49 And now, you know, I have the opportunity to be here as your governor.

08:56 And I'm crying out loud.

08:58 It's proud beyond belief.

09:01 And Jimmy mentioned just little things,

09:04 little things that have probably been forgotten over and over.

09:08 But the idea of the E-ZPass, it started out it was going to cost you $8,

09:15 $8 for people that were going up and down the turnpike and everything

09:19 and spending $12 to go from one end to the other and back if they were going--

09:25 I think that's correct if they were coming from Princeton.

09:29 We have done so, so much.

09:32 But absolutely, how have we done it?

09:35 How have we done it?

09:37 And here's exactly how we've done it.

09:39 First of all, we've been blessed by the good Lord beyond belief.

09:43 And any of you that believe differently are out in left field as far as I'm concerned

09:49 because absolutely all you've got to do is just look around

09:54 and you'll see miracles happening everywhere.

09:58 Absolutely they don't work without the good Lord and His hand.

10:04 Now, with all that, then the next thing, how did we do it?

10:08 We did it because all these folks out here, all of you, all of us,

10:15 we joined our hands together and we ran across the finish line together.

10:21 We did it.

10:22 For God's sake of living, we did it.

10:25 [applause]

10:33 And then along came a baby dog.

10:36 [laughter]

10:38 And she loves every one of you.

10:42 It's hard to believe.

10:43 A bulldog's not supposed to do that.

10:46 But she makes you smile and she loves every one of you.

10:51 Again, again, a blessing or a coincidence from God above.

10:59 That wasn't supposed to happen either.

11:02 For crying out loud, you know, I was sitting there on Christmas Eve four-plus years ago

11:07 when my son and daughter just reached this little 10-week-old bulldog puppy over my shoulder,

11:13 and the first thought that went through my mind was, "Oh, my gosh, are you kidding me?"

11:19 Because I knew what she was going to grow into.

11:22 And she does love chicken nuggets.

11:25 And she is recovering really well from her ACL surgery.

11:29 They shaved her whole butt in, and she's still got a little spot that hadn't quite filled in,

11:34 but she's doing really good.

11:38 Now let me just tell you just this.

11:41 Jeff Miller has done an amazing job.

11:44 Jimmy Riston's done an amazing job.

11:47 Chelsea Ruby with what we're doing right here in tourism all across this incredible state.

11:53 Who could absolutely not say, "Work well, well done"?

12:00 You know, again, we pull the rope and we make things happen.

12:05 And just look right out on the other side of us right here and just think.

12:10 You know, we're spending, I think, in excess--well in excess--

12:15 $122 million on the plaza centers.

12:19 Think of how much that will absolutely promote West Virginia.

12:24 I mean, for God's sakes, all these people, I think there's like--if I'm correct,

12:30 I think it's like 77% of the traffic out here is from out of state.

12:37 Well, 77% of them are out of state.

12:40 They're all stopping now to travel plazas, and they're all getting a real look at West Virginia.

12:47 Doesn't it make us better?

12:50 Of course it does.

12:51 Tons better.

12:53 You know, with all that being said, just think of just simply this.

12:59 And I'm not tooting my horn in any way, but when I walked in the door,

13:03 for God's sakes, you couldn't drive to the convenience store

13:07 for destroying your full vehicle on the way to the convenience store.

13:12 Our roads were in so disrepair it was off the chart.

13:17 Now, if you look at any standard of life for people that want to come here or whatever,

13:25 there's two things.

13:26 The first thing they look at is how the schools.

13:30 That's the first thing people ask.

13:33 We tried to commit so much money to our schools and to education

13:37 and to five pay raises, unbelievable, and on and on,

13:41 and we've still got a bunch of work to do, but we're better.

13:45 And the second thing they look at in standard of life is highways.

13:50 And I truly give all the credit to the good Lord on this, but I was standing in the shower

13:56 when the idea came, and it was just this.

14:01 I said, "What would we have to do if we let every highway that is on the books today,

14:12 what would it cost every living, breathing West Virginia, babies, all of us,

14:18 what would it cost us?"

14:21 And all of a sudden we found out it wasn't that much.

14:24 And then all of a sudden we used a way to get that away from every living, breathing human

14:29 in West Virginia to just a little teeny bit here on the gas tax or whatever it may be

14:35 to where you wouldn't even feel it in any way.

14:39 And all of a sudden then we headed to a vote and a referendum of doing something

14:45 that was six times bigger than has ever been done before.

14:50 And boom, we took off.

14:52 We took off into state.

14:54 And before you know it, you turn around nine times and everything,

14:59 and every single travel guide and everything else now is saying things

15:04 that nobody would have ever believed.

15:06 West Virginia is the place you ought to go.

15:09 And before you know it, here we go.

15:13 Now, in my state of the state address, I said we need, again, with our surplus dollars

15:21 and everything, to commit another $150 million to highways, to just fixing our roads

15:27 and doing everything.

15:28 And you see all the equipment that's going up and down the road.

15:31 For crying out loud, you could see your face in the reflection coming off of brand-new equipment.

15:39 We sold our equipment.

15:42 Do you realize that?

15:43 In prior administrations, we sold our maintenance equipment

15:47 because we didn't have a dime to pee.

15:50 We didn't.

15:52 Today, we've got great equipment, and today we're doing it and doing it and doing it and doing it.

16:00 Now, I'm going to sign a bill right here.

16:03 I congratulate all those that are working on these incredible travel plazas and everything.

16:09 I congratulate Jeff for a great job.

16:12 Way to go.

16:13 Way to go in every way.

16:15 And all of you guys that are workers in the back and everything that work for transportation

16:19 and everything, God bless you.

16:22 And I would tell all of you all here, absolutely watch what you're doing

16:28 because all these orange cones and all these people that are back here deserve,

16:32 absolutely deserve, to get their dinner bucket and go home tonight.

16:39 And they're standing there with people going by at 70 miles an hour,

16:43 and they're standing there three feet away.

16:46 You've got to be careful.

16:48 You've got to be really careful.

16:50 That goes for all of us, every single last one of them, me included.

16:56 We've got to be really careful because they're doing work that is absolutely the best of the best.

17:04 I can never thank you enough.

17:06 That's all there is to it.

17:08 It's been a big-time honor.

17:10 I would tell whomever follows me, you know, this has been a really great honor for me,

17:20 and not only that, we have got this thing cooking like crazy.

17:25 Don't screw it up.

17:27 Don't screw it up now.

17:30 For God's sakes, it is too blooming good.

17:35 Don't screw it up.

17:38 And don't think for a second that we don't have the capabilities, me included, of doing that.

17:45 I mean, I'm the one that turned Baby Dog's butt around at the state of the state address

17:51 and said to the world, if you don't like West Virginia and everything, here's what you got.

17:57 And I got in trouble for that, didn't I, Baby Dog?

18:03 But listen, all I can say is, like I just said, I'd love to see you smile.

18:10 I'm going to sign a bill signing right now.

18:15 Thanks for helping me, Jimmy.

18:21 Okay.

18:23 This is Senate Bill 1002.

18:29 This is an additional $150 million that we just called back into special session

18:36 that was stripped away from my budget in the beginning,

18:40 and we just got called back into special session, and lo and behold,

18:44 I'm here today in my own hometown that I spent my whole life growing up in,

18:51 absolutely signing a bill as your governor for $150 million

18:57 to continue this momentum, continue this wave that we're sitting on the top of

19:03 and riding, and boy, it is really fun.

19:06 So let's keep doing it, and I'm signing this right now.

19:16 Why don't we do this?

19:18 Why don't all you guys, especially that have the orange on or the not-so-orange-lime

19:24 or whatever it is, come up here.

19:26 Come on up here.

19:27 Now don't just peel around.

19:29 You've got to move.

19:30 Come on.

19:33 And all of you that don't have it on, come on, all of you.

19:35 Come on, let's go.

19:50 None of you have got a gun or anything, do you?

20:09 Here we go.

20:26 [Applause]

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West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice—With Babydog Alongside Him—Signs $150 Million State Highway Bill

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