The February 21, 2014 editorial, "The 1 percent do not keep West Virginia down," argues that raising the minimum wage is a poor policy for addressing income inequality, claiming that an increase would do more harm than good. In fact, raising the minimum wage has far greater benefits than costs. Read The editorial misrepresents the…
OpEds
Our state budget reflects our values and priorities for public investment, and West Virginia needs public investments in schools, health care, transportation, innovation and public safety to build a brighter and more prosperous future for our middle class, economy, and our children. We need to make the public investments that are essential to making West…
Charleston Gazette - West Virginia is going through some challenging economic times. However, I'm convinced that the changes that lie ahead will be less traumatic than some that have already occurred in the lives of most West Virginians. Read Recently, I worked with folks from the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy on The…
Charleston Daily Mail - The headlines and misinformation about Obamacare have left many people confused about the law and what they have to do it comply with it. Read To help clear the air, let's review some of the most common questions people have about Obamacare. Do I have to sign up for Obamacare? No.…
A recent Daily Mail editorial stating that the Affordable Care Act is a bad deal for young people is, simply put, wrong. Citing a Wall Street Journal article, the editorial suggests that young people will opt to pay the penalty instead of purchasing health insurance, undermining the success of the ACA. This assumption is not…
Huntington Herald-Dispatch - A new report published last week suggests that the Affordable Care Act may be good for new business in the Mountain State. The report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that the number of self-employed people in West Virginia should rise by 6,000 after 2014. The reason? Better access to affordable…
Charleston Gazette - Gov. Tomblin's recent decision to accept federal funding to provide health coverage to thousands of working West Virginians through Medicaid will not only improve the health of those who gain insurance, it could also save the state money and help with some other pressing problems, including unemployment, substance abuse and overcrowded prisons.…
Charleston Gazette - Gov. Tomblin recently came up with an additional $15 million in funding for the state budget. While the Governor decided to spend the money on education initiatives, Medicaid, and other programs, there was little explanation of where the money came from or his reasons for spending it the way he did --…
Charleston Gazette - I'm a child of Appalachia, so I know hard times: how to survive them, how to get out of them, what we owe to those still struggling. I'm also a minister who, throughout my career, has focused on finding common ground and a shared purpose with other faiths, pastoring to my own…
The State Journal - Every business faces ups and downs, and how a business reacts and adapts to a downturn plays a large part in its success. Read During tough economic times, businesses often face difficult decisions and can be forced to lay off valuable, trained employees in order to survive. Not only do businesses…