In Governor Joe Manchin’s state of the state address he spoke of giving focused tax incentives to businesses that bring good paying jobs. It’s a little too late for that sort of talk. Only 6 months ago West Virginia lost the FutureGen Alliance plant to Texas because Manchin’s administration refused to provide any incentive except a spit of land that did not meet the plant’s qualifications. The Manchin-biased Gazette called it an “epic failure.”

As the Gazette explained, “FutureGen, when operational, will be the cleanest fossil fuel-fired power plant in the world with a target of zero emissions. Twelve sites in seven states, including one in West Virginia, were candidates to host the $1 billion power plant, a revolutionary public-private venture that could usher in a new era of nearly pollution-free energy from coal. Based on the ridiculous proposal by our elected leaders, West Virginia has now been removed from consideration as a possible home to the revolutionary plant.

“West Virginia did not bother to put a serious proposal on the table. The state’s meager proposal included a proposed site on the Ohio River near Point Pleasant and little else. West Virginia’s offer did not even include any special tax breaks or other monetary considerations.”

FutureGen was estimated to employ 1,300 during construction and 150 for daily operation.

It’s a little too late for Manchin to be talking about fishing after letting Moby Dick go by without so much as a “thar she blows!”

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Manchin did provide some seemingly meaningful reforms this time to coalmine safety. Last year’s fix involved authorizing equipment that was being tested on a limited basis in New Zealand and has yet to gain approval from the FCC. They might as well have authorized teleporters and light sabers while they were at it.

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You will be happy to note that Manchin is planning to do something by 2030 that no one else in this country has figured out. No, not eliminate cancer (that’s 2008’s agenda). He is going to make West Virginia independent of foreign oil. Manchin sounds less like a governor and more like a beauty pageant contestant pleading for something beyond her control like world peace.

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It’s funny hearing talk of a rash of illegal immigrants in a state whose population of Mexicans is 0.0000000001% that of the rest of the state — give or take 1%. But what is not humorous is the fact that Manchin is hiring more inspectors to make sure the number doesn’t suddenly go 0.0000000002%.

Of course I jest with the numbers, but given the real problems this state has, it is foolish to discuss negligible issues. Why doesn’t he appoint a committee to chase leprechauns next? They’re just as prevalent as an illegal Mexican worker.

All this talk of independence from foreign oil and illegal immigration makes me think he is beginning to position himself for a national office.

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The keystone of his speech, pay raises for teachers, was lackluster at best. A 2.5% raise will not keep the fleeing teachers home. Manchin knows what a real pay raise is; he gave it to some of his employees last year. I bet the Insurance Commissioner is still smiling over her 35% pay increase: an extra $32,500 each year.

According to a March 2006 article by the Daily Mail, “the WVEA made a deal with Manchin to forgo a pay raise this year in favor of a two-year raise next year.” The teachers should be getting a 6% raise from Manchin instead of a measly 2.5%.

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All in all the speech was unexciting with no serious reforms or solutions to bring this state out of 50th place. His topics were random and the solutions halfhearted. Instead of getting serious with real problems in our state, he chased butterflies.