Economy

February 2, 2024 by Kelly Allen
This Tech Titan Wants to Turn West Virginia Into a ‘Start-Up State’

New York Times - John Chambers grew up in West Virginia and went on to run what was once the world’s most valuable company, the computer networking firm Cisco Systems Inc. Now he is trying to help economically lagging West Virginia by making it a “start-up state” akin to Israel, which has been called the start-up nation.…

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February 1, 2024 by Sean O'Leary
West Virginia is Marketing Itself to Business but Will Regular People Benefit?

Times West Virginian, West Virginia Press, Spirit of Jefferson - West Virginia is the place to do business. That’s the message lawmakers have been keen to spread as the state pursues policies and initiatives designed to encourage businesses to come to the Mountain State. Read the full article. Collectively, the effort is called Choose West…

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January 9, 2024 by Sean O'Leary
West Virginia’s Job Growth Not Broadly Shared

While, as a state, West Virginia has fully recovered all jobs lost during the pandemic, that job recovery has not been felt evenly across all counties. Recent economic development announcements have been limited to a handful of counties, mostly on the state's border. As of November 2023, 18 counties are still below their pre-pandemic jobs…

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December 8, 2023 by Kelly Allen
Kelly Allen: Gov. Justice Must Bring Back 6-year Budget Plan (Opinion)

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Martinsburg Journal - The only thing West Virginia lawmakers are constitutionally required to do during the Legislature’s regular session is to pass a state budget for the ensuing fiscal year. But responsible stewardship requires looking beyond just the next year to ensure the state is on a sustainable fiscal path, as elected officials…

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December 4, 2023 by Kelly Allen
State Officials Release November Revenue Numbers; Here’s What They Show

Charleston Gazette-Mail - West Virginia’s revenue collections for November were $404.8 million, $44 million above estimates, according to a monthly budget report released by Gov. Jim Justice. Fiscal year-to-date collection from July to November stands at $2.2 billion, exceeding estimates by $286.2 million. Read the full article. “Even as inflation continues to throw us a curveball, our…

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November 29, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
Census Data Shows Migration Mostly Happens To/From Neighboring States

According to newly released U.S. Census Bureau estimates, West Virginia's net migration was positive in 2022. Approximately 43,000 people moved to West Virginia from another state last year, though that's 1,000 fewer than moved to the state in 2021. The number of people who moved away from West Virginia to another state rose from 36,000…

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October 30, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
A Puddle of Money: Here’s What to Know About West Virginia’s Rainy Day Fund

Mountain State Spotlight - From the Greenbrier to the governor’s mansion, Jim Justice has spread the word about the state’s $1.8 billion surplus this year. But there’s another $1 billion just laying around, too.  Read the full article. It’s called the Rainy Day Fund. In plain English, it’s West Virginia’s emergency fund — the proverbial “oh crap”…

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October 15, 2023 by Seth DiStefano
‘Big Jim’ and Babydog Go to Washington?

New York Times, Seattle Times - Out of the driver’s seat of the Suburban with the ‘‘Coal 3’’ license plate emerged Gov. Jim Justice, Big Jim as they call him, looming over everyone who had been waiting for the past hour and a half. Read the full article. He had come to a gravel patch…

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October 4, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
West Virginia Sees $109 Million Revenue Gap in First Quarter of Fiscal Year

The first quarter of FY 2024 ended with West Virginia collecting $109 million less than it collected in the first quarter of FY 2023, though the state did exceed the artificially low revenue estimates set by Governor Justice's administration. Most of the gap compared with last year was due to a collapse in severance tax…

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