Economy

March 4, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
February Revenue Surplus Supported by Low Estimate, High Severance Revenue

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Williamson Daily News - The State of West Virginia exceeded its monthly revenue estimate for February by more than $59 million, according to a report from the Senate Finance Committee. Read the full article. The excess in revenue continues to be built on a foundation of historically lowered revenue expectations, as has become…

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February 24, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
‘It’s scary’: While Hundreds of Workers Face Layoff in Brooke County, WV Lawmakers Move to Slash the Benefits They’ll Rely On

Mountain State Spotlight - Just south of Weirton, Shannon Baldauf spends her work days suited up in layers of fire-retardant clothing, climbing atop massive, blazing furnaces that purify tons of coal. Read the full article. “It’s a heat like you’ve never experienced,” she said. But come this summer, Baldauf and nearly 300 others who work…

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February 23, 2022 by WVCBP
New Brief Examines WV’s Temporary Budget Surplus, FY 2023 Proposed Budget Allocations and Implications

For Immediate Release: February 23, 2022Contact: Renee Alves, 559-916-5939 Charleston, WV – For the second year in a row, Governor Jim Justice has proposed a “flat” budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, with only minor changes from the FY 2022 budget. While the state is currently enjoying large budget surpluses, those surpluses are the result of billions in federal…

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February 23, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
Flat Budgets, Flat Expectations: The West Virginia Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Proposal

Overview Read the full brief. For the second year in a row, Governor Jim Justice has proposed a “flat” budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, with only minor changes from the FY 2022 budget. While the state is currently enjoying large budget surpluses, those surpluses are the result of billions in federal aid, artificially low…

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February 21, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
John David: A Need For a Reality Check in West Virginia (Opinion)

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Beckley Register-Herald - Legislators have been told that West Virginia’s economic recovery has been strong. The inference is that normality is around the corner and almost back. The serious question is whether “back to normal” is adequate. Read the full op-ed. There are several matters of concern. First, there is the workforce participation…

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February 18, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
Lack of Support for Colleges Cements Decline

Beckley Register-Herald - State legislators, past and present, who have voted to undercut support of public education should be embarrassed. Public funding for our colleges and universities in West Virginia has been trimmed consistently over the past decade just as both the state’s students and its economy have needed a hand up. Read the full…

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February 10, 2022 by WVCBP
EDITORIAL: The Good, the Bad and the Stupid 4

The Dominion Post, Yahoo News - Feb. 10—We're running our weekly roundup a little early this week, and we'll mostly be focusing on the "good " and the "stupid " today. The "bad " will come tomorrow. Without further ado, let's take a look at what the Legislature has been up to. Read the full…

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February 8, 2022 by WVCBP
Senate Passes Unemployment Bills in Contested Vote

Charleston Gazette-Mail - The West Virginia Senate passed two bills significantly altering the state’s unemployment system in a contested vote on Tuesday. Republican lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 3, which would place new requirements on job-seekers, on a party-line vote. Senate Bill 2, which would cut the state’s paid unemployment benefits from 26 to 12 weeks,…

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February 8, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
Personal Income Tax Repeal Facing Legality Questions

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald Dispatch - The West Virginia House Finance Committee passed a personal income tax repeal phase-out bill in about three minutes Monday, but the legislation still faces an uphill fight. Read the full article. With no discussion or questions asked of counsel, committee members passed House Bill 4007, which first would implement…

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