News Releases

January 24, 2017 by Ted Boettner
ACA Repeal Threatens Health Coverage and Economic Hardship in West Virginia

For Immediate Release Contact Caitlin Cook, 304-720-8682 (Charleston, WV) A new West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy report, Repealing the Affordable Care Act: Hurting Our Health and Our Economy, released today provides a detailed analysis of the human and economic impact of repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in West Virginia. PDF of news release. Read…

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January 13, 2017 by WVCBP
Payday Lending-Free States Cry Foul over OCC “Fintech” Charter

For Immediate Release Contact: Linda Frame National "fintech" charter opens door to predatory payday lending The PaydayFreeLandia coalition, representing 15 states , plus the District of Columbia, demanded today that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) back off a dangerous plan that would gut their states' strong consumer protection laws. In a…

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January 11, 2017 by WVCBP
Campaign Launched to Protect West Virginia

(Charleston, WV) - Protect West Virginia, a coalition of citizens and organizations who oppose further harmful budget cuts and who want to connect West Virginia values to the state's budget priorities, kicked off its campaign today. View the PDF release. Lauren Groseclose, Sarah Starks, and Alexandra Gallo, like many West Virginians, are already feeling the effects…

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December 19, 2016 by WVCBP
Statewide Budget and Tax Poll

(Charleston, WV) Seventy percent of West Virginians are willing to pay more in taxes to maintain funding for public schools, police protection, and roads, according to a new statewide poll released today. West Virginia voters largely place the blame for the state's budget crisis on tax breaks for large corporations and the wealthy. Read the full…

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December 12, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Why is West Virginia So Poor?

For Immediate Release Contact Sean O'Leary, 304-720-8682 (Charleston, WV) West Virginia continues to be one of the poorest states in the country, with consistently low income and high levels of poverty. A new report released today by the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, "State of Working West Virginia 2016: Why is West Virginia So…

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September 15, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
West Virginia Poverty Rate Unchanged

For Immediate Release Contact Seth DiStefano or Sean O'Leary  (Charleston, WV) Too many West Virginians struggled to make ends meet in 2015, so West Virginia needs to take immediate action to pass a state Earned Income Tax Credit which would make it easier for people to build a secure future. PDF of news release. Nearly…

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September 13, 2016 by WVCBP
Medicaid Expansion is Working

More People in West Virginia Have Insurance Thanks to Health Care Reform For Immediate Release Contact Ted Boettner (Charleston, WV) Health care reform, and especially Medicaid expansion, continued to help reduce the number of West Virginians without health insurance in 2015. Today's release from the Census Bureau of the country's official data on health insurance…

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August 18, 2016 by WVCBP
What Would Modernizing West Virginia’s Marijuana Laws Mean?

For Immediate ReleaseContact Tara Holmes or Ted Boettner, 304-720-8682This November, several states are poised to join many others that have chosen to legalize or decriminalize marijuana. Legislation has been introduced in West Virginia for years to either legalize medical marijuana or reduce the criminal penalties for marijuana possession. What would it mean to the state…

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July 19, 2016 by WVCBP
First-Ever Summer Policy Institute To Bring Together Students from Across WV

For Immediate ReleaseContact Linda Frame(Charleston, WV) The West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy (WVCBP) will hold the first-ever West Virginia Summer Policy Institute (SPI) at West Virginia Wesleyan College the weekend of July 29-31.The 2016 SPI will give West Virginia college students a chance to learn about vital policy issues affecting all West Virginians,…

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