Blog

April 30, 2025 by Sean O'Leary
FY 2026 Final Budget Recap: A Shrinking Budget Still Reliant on One-time Funds

The final FY 2026 budget passed by the legislature during the 2025 legislative session closely resembled the budget introduced by Governor Morrisey back in February- largely flat from previous years with the impact of tax cuts and the ballooning cost of the Hope Scholarship crowding out many new investments. While the final budget was balanced…

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April 29, 2025 by Tamaya Browder
K-12 Education and the 2025 Legislative Session: Much Talk But Little Meaningful Action

Children in West Virginia are constitutionally guaranteed a thorough and efficient system of free schools provided by the legislature. In recent years, our public education system has faced mounting challenges including declining enrollment, declining state revenues due to tax cuts, increased disinvestment through the Hope Scholarship, and threats to federal funding and support for public…

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April 28, 2025 by WVCBP
Voices Rising: Communities Lead the Charge Against Harmful Federal Budget Proposals

This piece was authored by Alex Gallo, the WVCBP's community engagement coordinator. In recent weeks, West Virginia communities have mobilized to demand that their voices be heard as Congress considers sweeping federal budget changes that could decimate essential programs families rely on. Multiple open town hall events were held around the state during the April…

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April 11, 2025 by Sean O'Leary
Senate Amended HB 2014 Has Significant Potential Unintended Consequences

HB 2014, the "Microgrid bill" establishes special rules for the property tax distribution from High Impact Data Centers. Under it, all ad valorem property tax from the incremental assessed value of the data center is diverted to the state rather than the county sheriff’s tax office- that includes property tax revenue that would have been…

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April 8, 2025 by Tamaya Browder
Randolph County Schools Facing RIFs, Deficit Due to Funding Inadequacies

Public schools are essential for creating communities where all members can thrive through high-quality education and opportunities for enrichment via school meals, extracurricular activities, health services, college and career preparation, and other support services. Our public schools are facing growing challenges of disinvestment of funding and resources, a declining education workforce, and decreased student enrollment…

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April 7, 2025 by Sean O'Leary, Kelly Allen
HB 2014 Would Preempt Local Control; Divert Millions Annually in Local Property Tax Revenue for Schools and Public Safety to Fund Income Tax Cuts *UPDATED 4/9/2025*

HB 2014, Governor Morrisey’s “Certified Microgrid Program” legislation, passed the House last week and is now under consideration in the Senate. While much of the attention has focused on how this bill could draw "High Impact Data Centers" to West Virginia, it would also take local control from counties and municipalities to enforce their own…

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April 3, 2025 by Tamaya Browder
How are Public Schools Funded in West Virginia?

Public education is funded by a combination of federal, state, and local sources. In West Virginia, state and local funding make up 8 in every 10 dollars that fund public education. This critical state and local funding supports essential costs for the continued operation of schools. The Public School Support Program, also known as the school funding formula,…

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March 28, 2025 by Kelly Allen
Trigger Bill Puts Health Coverage for 165,000 and $1 Billion at Risk

On Thursday, the House Finance committee originated a bill, HB 3518, that would “disenroll and eliminate state coverage” for the Medicaid expansion population if the federal match for the program is reduced. According to the most recent data available (December 2024), more than 165,000 West Virginians between the ages of 19-64 would lose their health…

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