Simply balancing the state budget, beginning the process of recovering from investment losses, ensuring that important government services are not interrupted and avoiding new taxes have preoccupied West Virginia officials during the past several months. They have had - and will continue to have - plenty on their plates.
Unfortunately, concerns such as those cited above have diverted attention from other important issues. Among them, as a national group reminded us this week, is funding to keep West Virginia's roads and bridges in good condition.
West Virginia needs to raise about $5 billion more than is expected to be available for roads and bridges during the next 10 years in order to maintain them properly, according to TRIP, a nonprofit transportation research group in Washington, D.C. During a press conference Tuesday in South Charleston, a TRIP official said the state's highway system is "deteriorated and insufficient."
This is not the first time that West Virginians have been told more money is needed for road and bridge maintenance. We know of no one who argues that.
Finding ways to raise more money is problematic. Funding doesn't grow on trees - and federal money cannot be expected to meet all our highway needs. In one form or another, higher taxes may be necessary if the state Department of Transportation is to receive more money.
State officials rightly are reluctant to establish new taxes now. West Virginia residents need all the help we can get to recover from the current downturn in the economy.
As TRIP officials have reminded us, however, the concern won't go away.
Clearly, Gov. Joe Manchin and legislators should make it a priority to solve the highway funding problem.