Earlier this year, Governor Justice, as well as the Chamber of Commerce celebrated the fact that West Virginia had the nation's highest personal income growth in country in the first quarter of 2019, using the single data point as proof that their preferred policies were growing the economy. In fact, the Chamber of Commerce went…
Budget Beat
Please take a moment to comment on a proposed change to a key SNAP (food stamps) rule which, if implemented, would take away basic food assistance from an estimated 3.1 million people, mainly working families with children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. The SNAP proposal would take over $19 million annually out of our state…
U.S. Census data out this week show gains in health care coverage in West Virginia since the passage of Obamacare have stalled. Despite the state's positive job growth in 2018, the was no reduction in the number of uninsured West Virginians. With an estimated 114,000 West Virginians without health coverage, it is imperative that policymakers…
While West Virginia's economy is improving and some industries are growing, most of the growth it tied to temporary natural gas pipeline construction. In order to get a clear picture of West Virginia's jobs picture, it is imperative to use the employment data correctly and not to inflate numbers or link them to policies that…
Wage theft is one of the most prevalent but under-reported problems confronting low-wage workers. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the estimated value of wages stolen through violations of federal and state minimum wage laws was $15 billion in 2015, easily eclipsing the $12.7 billion stolen through all reported robberies, burglaries, larcenies, and car thefts…
West Virginians have something to learn from Alaskans. Several years ago, Jay Hammond, the Republican governor of Alaska from 1974-1982, wrote a memoir called "Diapering the Devil," about how Alaska turned its rich oil assets into an everlasting source of wealth by creating the Alaska Permanent Fund. During the 1970s, when Hammond was asked how…
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Trump Administration finalized their public charge rule, which will allow immigration officials to deny green cards and citizenship to immigrants or would-be immigrants who are determined likely to receive even modest assistance from programs like SNAP and Medicaid at any point over their lifetimes. This…
This week, Governor Justice announced that he will form a Census Committee to help ensure that the state gets an accurate number during next year's count. The WVCBP and our coalition partners have publicly urged the governor to take this step and we applaud this move. Our message included the following statement from Kelly Allen,…
Last week, the WV Center on Budget and Policy held our fourth annual Summer Policy Institute, which gathered over 40 students from around the state to strengthen their policy knowledge and network with policy professionals. This year's SPI was held at West Virginia State University in Institute, West Virginia, with a theme of criminal justice…
At our 4th annual Summer Policy Institute this weekend at West Virginia State University, students will focus on criminal justice reform and developing policy recommendations to reduce incarceration rates and develop alternatives to incarceration. Check out these two events live on Facebook on Saturday, July 27: 9:00 - 10:15AM Panel: We Can Get There From…