West Virginia State Treasurer John Perdue, who earlier this year began his fourth term in office, stopped by the offices of the Coal Valley News for a brief interview. The Boone County native said he was in the area to "applaud the good things going on in state government," and to point out what can and should be done better. In addition, Perdue shed light on his future political plans, which might well include a bid for the office of governor.

"I get asked about that fifty times a day," Perdue said. "My family and I have been discussing whether I should run for governor. I have to look at a number of issues and will be deciding very soon whether I’ll jump into the race." If Perdue does in fact decide to run, the long-time political figure believes he will be well prepared to administer a government that runs the gambit from law enforcement to tax collection and environmental enforcement. The treasurer has worked for numerous elected state officials and was on the staff of two-term West Virginia Governor Gaston Caperton..

With the ongoing financial crisis in the nation, any future West Virginia governor must be prepared to face some serious questions regarding taxes, education and the environment. Although the state "runs on coal," the administration of President Barack Obama and numerous environmental activist groups are involved in efforts to better regulate mountaintop removal mining in West Virginia and the nation.

Perdue told reporters that he is concerned regarding the future of the state if officials and community groups do not work together to help preserve the mining industry and find other sources of income for the day when coal is no longer around. Before arriving for the interview, the treasurer attended a Coal Forum in Logan. "I’m gratified that so many people have come to the table with concerns about the future of mining in West Virginia," he said. "I feel confident that we are going to find some answers. This is a problem we cannot ignore because so much rides on it. The salaries of so many West Virginia families rely so much on a paycheck derived from the mining industry that we can’t just sit idly by and hope the problem solves itself."

“Coal severance taxes are down and people are not spending as much, but I think we are in good shape right now, though the year 2010 and 2011 are going to be critical for the state. I hope the economy will turn around and the coal industry will turn around,” he said.

When asked about his outlook on clean coal technology, the treasurer responded, “Hey, I’m not going to give up on that.” Perdue noted that both West Virginia University and Marshall University had active programs researching “clean coal” technology.

The treasurer said that 20 to 30 years from now, coal will still be a major industry in West Virginia, though he says the state should learn from counties such as McDowell County, where all available coal has been mined from the ground. “Someday there’s not going to be any coal left in those counties and we have to ask, what is the future for those counties? We’re lucky, as we have Corridor G that brings traffic and tourism to the area.”

According to Perdue, what is going to change West Virginia is a strong education and he is an advocate for becoming more competitive in the global economy by starting year-round schooling in West Virginia.

“It’s proven that if you take a summer vacation, you are 6 weeks behind and the first 6 weeks back in school are used to play catch up,” he said.

“It was my education that opened up the door for me,” he explained, reiterating that he is proud of his heritage and coalfield roots.

While in office, Treasurer Perdue has helped with the establishment of the Smart 529 College savings program, where more than 19,000 West Virginians participating.

Since becoming treasurer, he has worked with the State Board of Education to mandate a 6-week financial education course in order to graduate from a West Virginia high school, as well as the start of the nationally recognized “Train the Teachers Program.”

“I really think education is going to be key to the future of West Virginia,” Perdue said.