A lawsuit against the West Virginia Economic Development Grant Committee will
be heard in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
The West Virginia Supreme Court ordered the suit filed by Jackson County Attorney
Larry L. Harless to the lower court Friday.
He filed the suit Tuesday on behalf of theThe West Virginia Citizen Action Group
which challenged the constitutionality of the nine-member committee.
The petition asked the court to declare the committee unconstitutional, void its
decisions and bar it from further action.
If the committee is ruled illegal, $200 million set aside for projects across
West Virginia, including Huntington's Pullman Square, could be left unfunded.
"So one guy can screw up everything? What a country!" said Veronica
Moore, of Huntington. "We need the money for Pullman Square and the Alley
Cats' park. We need more things to do in WV. That money could have paid for those
projects."
"If the money was designated before the committee met," said Alan Robertson,
of Guyandotte, "Then something could be fishy. The attorney may have a point.
"There is no such thing as an honest politician," said Patricia Jones,
of Ona. "I don't think the average person cares where the money comes from.
We just want more things to. Now i"