Economy

September 24, 2024 by WVCBP
W.Va. Needs Workforce, Education Improvements, Say Economists

West Virginia Public Broadcasting, River Cities Tribune and Register, West Virginia News - West Virginia continues to struggle in key economic areas, according to new data from the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The business group says the years-long trend requires policy solutions. Read the full article. Between 2013 and 2023, West Virginia was one of just…

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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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