Blog

December 17, 2016 by WVCBP
Protect West Virginia

Irresponsible budget cuts that slash basic funding for education, public safety, and roads put our state at risk and hurt our families. We are rolling out our Protect West Virginia campaign next month in hopes of holding lawmakers accountable and demanding real budget solutions to preserve our heritage, safeguard our communities, and secure the state's…

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December 12, 2016 by WVCBP
Impacts of ACA Repeal, Push for RECLAIM Act and More

184,000 West Virginians Could Lose Coverage with Partial Affordable Care Act Repeal An Urban Institute analysis projects 184,000 West Virginians would lose health care coverage under an Affordable Care Act repeal, a 208 percent increase in the number of uninsured. "The ACA, while not perfect, has become a foundation of health security for thousands of…

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December 9, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
Eliminating the Business Personal Property Tax Would Be a Fiscal Disaster

Not content with the recent $425 million in tax cuts passed in recent years, the legislature's attention has once again turned to the state's business personal property tax. The business personal property tax (sometimes short handedly referred to as the inventory tax) was the topic of the most recent Joint Select Committee on Tax Reform subcommittee…

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December 9, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
184,000 West Virginians Could Lose Coverage with Partial Repeal of Affordable Care Act

With the new Trump Administration's promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare), Congress is now considering partial repeal through the budget reconciliation process, to avoid a filibuster. The repeal maybe phased in over time, but no replacement plan has been defined. The budget reconciliation process only allows changes to components…

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December 3, 2016 by WVCBP
Our Broken Budget and More

Jennifer Jett Prezkop writes, "West Virginia's financial situation is a precarious one at best," in her West Virginia Executive Magazine article. Read. WVCBP Executive Director Ted Boettner had this to say on the matter: "policymakers will need to address the revenue problems in order to improve the state's fiscal health and make much needed investments that…

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December 1, 2016 by Ted Boettner
What Will it Take for Coal to Make a Comeback?

Back in early May, President-Elect Donald Trump pledged to revive West Virginia's coal industry and some school officials in Boone County say they are counting on this to help them keep schools open and save jobs. While it doesn't need to be repeated here that this is highly unlikely (see here, here, here, and here), it…

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November 19, 2016 by WVCBP
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care Hosting Secretary Burwell on Tuesday, November 22

West Virginians for Affordable Health Care is hosting U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell on Tuesday, November 22, at 11 a.m. on the campus of the University of Charleston. Register here. Secretary Burwell will talk with West Virginians who have benefitted from the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare). The event will be hosted in…

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November 4, 2016 by WVCBP
Lunch and Learn This Wednesday

Lunch and Learn - November 9:Business Tax Cuts Haven't Delivered Jobs for West Virginia Business tax cuts have not kept their promise of bringing jobs to West Virginia. Why? Because state and local taxes don't play a major role when business leaders decide where to locate and expand their companies. Tax cuts do, however, damage…

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November 2, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Revenues at Nine-Year Low So Far

Today, the state budget office released revenue collections for October which were $6.3 million below estimates.  While personal income tax collections where $14 million above expectations, sales and use and corporate income taxes were down $13 million and $5 million, respectively. So far, the state's General Revenue Fund is down $87.4 million over the first…

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October 29, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
Social Security Keeps 132,000 West Virginians Out of Poverty

Social Security continues to play vital role in reducing poverty in West Virginia. According to the latest Census data, in 2014-2015 there were approximately 318,000 West Virginians living in poverty, including 40,000 seniors. Without Social Security, 132,000 more West Virginians would live in poverty. Most people aged 65 and older receive the majority of their…

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