Budget Beat

August 13, 2021 by WVCBP
Ending Enhanced Unemployment Benefits Failed to Increase Employment and Instead Increased Hardship in West Virginia

In June, Gov. Justice prematurely ended all federally funded pandemic unemployment benefit programs. These enhanced unemployment benefits, which the governor terminated 12 weeks before required, have played a major role in West Virginia’s economic recovery. The governor justified his decision to end the enhanced benefits by claiming that doing so would encourage people to return to work.…

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July 30, 2021 by WVCBP
Dental Benefit Already Making a Significant Impact in West Virginia

As a result of SB 648 (passed in 2020), this year West Virginia began offering a dental benefit for adults over the age of 21 who are enrolled in WV Medicaid. Our newest blog post takes a look at how this new benefit has impacted WV Medicaid members. Nearly one in five West Virginia adults gained access to dental benefits via Medicaid this…

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July 16, 2021 by WVCBP
Strong Unions Serve an Essential Role for Black Workers in West Virginia

In her first blog post for the WVCBP, summer research associate Myya Helm explores the decline in worker power in West Virginia since the 1980s and highlights the role of organized labor for the state's Black workers and how unions are critical to the pursuit of equity in the workforce. Despite ample evidence that unionization…

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July 9, 2021 by WVCBP
Signs of Caution in West Virginia’s FY 2021 Surplus

West Virginia FY 2021 revenue collections are $413 million above estimates, but as of May 2021, the state was still down 36,000 jobs. How is this possible? Our new blog post breaks down a few significant contributors: delaying Tax Dayreceiving an influx of federal COVID relief dollarsbeginning with relatively low revenue estimates These crucial pieces of…

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July 2, 2021 by WVCBP
2021 Regional Jail Cost Freeze is Not a Long-term Solution to the Overcrowding Crisis

Last week, the Legislature provided a one-year relief to county governments by freezing the current regional jail per diem at $48.25, rather than allowing it to increase as scheduled to reflect the true daily cost of jail incarceration, nearly $55. Our new blog post explains why this temporary relief is simply a band-aid fix for county budgets…

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June 11, 2021 by WVCBP
Public Input Needed to Ensure ARPA Funds Reach Struggling Communities

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) will allocate more than $1.355 billion in federal relief funds to the state of West Virginia to address the ongoing economic and health impacts of the pandemic. Recently, members of legislative leadership have called for a special session to fulfill the mandate set forth in House Bill 2014, which provides for legislative oversight for any…

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June 4, 2021 by WVCBP
American Jobs and Families Plans Provide Critical Aid to West Virginians, Include Revenue Proposals that Make Tax Code Fairer

WVCBP executive director Kelly Allen recently published an op-ed expressing support for the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan, both of which would provide much-needed support to hundreds of thousands of West Virginians simply by asking the wealthy and corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. Excerpt below: A higher tax rate on about 1%…

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May 21, 2021 by WVCBP
Proposed Tax Increases in the American Families Plan Would Affect Only 0.1 Percent of West Virginia Taxpayers

Last month, President Biden announced the American Families Plan (AFP) proposal, featuring major investments in K-12 education, child care, higher education, health care, and paid leave, as well as extended tax cuts for families and workers with children. The AFP also includes revenue-raising proposals that would affect only very high-income taxpayers. And while the benefits of the…

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May 14, 2021 by WVCBP
The State of Reentry and Barriers for Returning Citizens in West Virginia

Across the United States, citizens returning from prisons and jails face numerous obstacles as they reintegrate into their communities, including finding steady employment and stable housing, obtaining reliable transportation, and navigating the requirements of community supervision. The challenge in overcoming these obstacles is heightened in West Virginia, a rural state with limited access to transportation…

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