“I pay taxes, I follow all the rules. The law affects my life way more than the average person. There are a lot more stipulations that govern my life and I have no say.”[1] Taylor works at a West Virginia nonprofit and is serving a multi-year probation sentence. Under West Virginia law, she and others…
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With early voting underway, West Virginians are beginning to weigh in on Amendment 2, the so-called Property Tax Modernization Amendment. If passed, Amendment 2 could undermine funding and services that voters have already chosen to prioritize via the passage of excess levies and bonds in their communities. If the tax exemptions in Amendment 2 are…
Open enrollment for 2023 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace coverage begins today, November 1. The Marketplace has been a critical feature of our health care system since its introduction in 2014. It provides quality health coverage for families who are not eligible for employer-sponsored coverage, Medicare, or Medicaid. The ongoing public health emergency triggered by…
It's almost Halloween, that scary time of year of ghosts, goblins, and the promise to eliminate the tax on your car (or hearse). And there is nothing more terror-inducing than ill-advised tax cuts and the loss of local control. So turn out all the lights, hide under a blanket, and get ready to have your…
When economic times get tough and state revenues decline in West Virginia, higher education funding is often the first thing to be cut in the state budget. This is counterintuitive for a state looking to grow and diversify its economy. Investments in higher education lower tuition costs for students, reduce student debt origination, lead to…
Earlier this month, the West Virginia Manufacturers Association (WVMA) released a report in support of Amendment 2, which would give the state legislature the authority to exempt business machinery, equipment, and inventory from property taxes. While the WVMA claims the report bolsters the case for Amendment 2, it contains several flaws and misleading assumptions that…
When Anthony[1] was arrested in 2020, he sat at the police station for hours before a man came over the station telephone and told him, “We’re going to set your bond at $25,000 cash.” The man on the phone was a magistrate conducting Anthony’s “first appearance” hearing. At this hearing, a magistrate explains the criminal…
The real-life consequences of repeatedly enacting flat state budgets are becoming clear across West Virginia in the form of state agency staffing shortages. Just this month, West Virginia Education Association (WVEA) officials warned of record teacher vacancies in the state’s public schools, and Governor Justice declared a state of emergency in the state’s correctional facilities…
Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act and the House is expected to quickly follow. This new legislation marks the most significant national climate bill ever passed, while also improving access to affordable health care, creating jobs in manufacturing and clean energy, and putting downward pressure on the inflation and rising…
This week, Governor Justice called for a special session to consider yet another attempt to cut the state's income tax. Like previous failed attempts over the past few years, this latest plan would lead to major revenue losses for the state, while giving most of the tax cut to wealthy West Virginians. The personal income…