Winter a budget buster for Dept. of Transportation

Winter ends today in the eyes of the West Virginia Department of Highways, whose budget for snow removal and ice control is projected through the end of March.

Given this year’s heavy snowfall and extended freezes, the program was well over budget.

“We’re about $12.7 million in the hole,” said Department of Transportation Business manager Keith Chapman.

Chapman said it’s often difficult to budget accurately on the snow and ice removal because the weather can vary so drastically in West Virginia from year to year. This year however, the agency was able to find the extra money to make up the difference within its own budget with revenues above estimates for the fiscal year.

“So far this fiscal year, which stated in July, we’re up almost $21 million above estimate,” said Chapman. “The majority of that is from motor fuel tax we’re up 11 million and privileged tax we’re up 10 million.”

The privilege tax is applied to new-vehicle purchases. Chapman said the excess revenues happen occasionally, but not nearly as often as the snow and ice budget going over projections.