This week, Congress is marking up their long-awaited committee bills to achieve the $1.5 trillion in spending cuts outlined in April's budget resolution to partially offset the cost of extending expiring tax cuts that primarily benefit the nation's wealthiest households. Many of the provisions would disproportionately harm West Virginia, increasing grocery and health care costs…
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Following this year’s regular legislative session, the need for sufficient funding and support for public schools remains. Although several bills were introduced this session to modernize the school funding formula, prevent school closures, and provide increased pay and benefits for school employees, none of these bills passed. Meanwhile, the legislature approved continued funding for the…
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…
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…
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…
Congress is quickly advancing a legislative package known as ‘budget reconciliation” that seeks to extend 2017’s expiring tax cuts, paid for in part by cutting more than $1 trillion from safety net programs that hundreds of thousands of West Virginians and millions of Americans rely on, including Medicaid and SNAP food assistance. The largest of…
Last week, the U.S. House narrowly passed a budget resolution that sets Congress on a course to enact deep cuts to Medicaid and SNAP (food assistance) in order to pay for windfall tax cuts for wealthy households. Combined with tariffs recently implemented by the White House (and expected to cost an estimated $2,700 per household…
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…
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…
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…