Public News Service - Some parents said they have struggled to make ends meet after federal monthly Child Tax Credit payments of between $300 and $360 a month per child stopped last December. Without the extra cash, some West Virginians anticipate not being able to afford basic necessities as consumer goods and gas prices continue…
Economic Security
Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia Daily News, Beckley Register-Herald - Holland Cole grabs a tiny fist full of pink Play-Doh and kneads it. Next to her sits a box full of art supplies for sculpting trees, hearts, butterflies or anything a preschooler could desire. Her friend, 3-year-old Ayda James, molds purple and blue ponies, while…
Beckley Register-Herald - Last year, when funding from the CARES Act started flowing in to local and state governments across the country, many were hopeful about all the good that money could do in the wake of the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Read the full article. However, organizations in Beckley found that multiple…
West Virginia MetroNews - More than 200,000 West Virginians could see the relief on student loans as part of a forgiveness plan announced by President Joe Biden on Wednesday. Read the full article. Kelly Allen, the Executive Director at the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy discussed the impact of the plan on West…
WBOY, WOWK, MSN - President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that $10,000 in student debt will be canceled for Americans who make less than $125,000 annually, leaving a large percentage of West Virginia students debt free. Read the full article. According to the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, a third of student loan borrowers in…
AP, 95.5WSB - The sprawling economic package passed by the U.S. Senate this week has a certain West Virginia flavor. Read the full article. The package, passed with no Republican votes, could be read largely as an effort to help West Virginia look to the future without turning away entirely from its roots. The bill…
In the spring of 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to address the ongoing economic and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to historic reductions in child poverty through the expanded Child Tax Credit, ARPA’s Fiscal Recovery Funds to states and localities were among the most impactful parts of the…
Housing insecurity has been a particularly insidious aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recession as households’ collective ability to contain the illness relies on their ability to isolate themselves at home. There are several additional factors to consider here, but at its core, the question remains: if you are facing eviction or foreclosure, where…
Mountain State Spotlight, Beckley Register-Herald - To have even a chance of getting a cell signal, Tabitha Wyatt used to balance her phone on her porch banister or bathroom windowsill. Read the full article. She and her family live in Russellville, an unincorporated community in Fayette County. Wyatt now relies on her internet service to…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s a good time to take stock of what we’ve learned. Read the full op-ed. A big takeaway from the past two years is that government response matters. From the Paycheck Protection Program to the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, federal investments helped keep families and businesses…