State revenue officials said Tuesday that final figures reflect a general tax revenue surplus of $22 million above the roughly $3.9 billion spent from that portion of the budget.
Gov. Joe Manchin had estimated the available surplus at $8 million last week when he proposed a $500 bonus-like payment to each full-time state employee.
Those payments would also rely on part of a $57 million excess lottery surplus.
Half of the $22 million must go to the state’s emergency reserves, leaving $11 million for the proposed payments. But the proposal has been criticized by public employee groups, who instead favor permanent raises.
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