Throwing himself into the merger of two chemical companies, Dow and Union Carbide, in an effort to save as many of the 2,600 Charleston area jobs as possible. Meeting with officials at PhaRma, a national organization of brand-name pharmaceutical products, to discuss ways to lower prescription drug prices. In arguably his most public action since taking office, Wise offered the Legislature a plan for dealing with unregulated, ever-expanding video poker machines. Wise wants to limit the so-called gray machines to 9,000 statewide and tax them. The proposal has been vigorously debated since.
Many lawmakers agree.
Wise's willingness to deal with gray machines has earned bipartisan respect among legislators, though Republicans insist the machines should be banned. I give the governor credit for getting the issue out there. It hasn't been done before,'' said Senate Minority Leader Vic Sprouse, R-Kanawha. Video poker machines are legal if used for amusement purposes. The problem, Wise and others have said, is the machines become illegal gambling devices when players receive winnings.