Charleston Gazette-Mail - Right now, Congress has before it two major tax policy changes: One would give a tax break to wealthy tech and other corporations, while the other would help hundreds of thousands of West Virginia families and parents of kids across the country make ends meet during a time of rising prices. Read…
OpEds
Charleston Gazette-Mail - As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s a good time to take stock of what we’ve learned. Read the full op-ed. A big takeaway from the past two years is that government response matters. From the Paycheck Protection Program to the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, federal investments helped keep families and businesses…
This coming Monday, West Virginia lawmakers will hold a special session to authorize a $600 million “revolving door” loan fund touted as a way to bring private investment and jobs to the state. Read the full op-ed. While Gov. Jim Justice celebrates it as a “self-sustaining” project, it requires a $600 million up-front commitment from…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - Entitlement. When did it become a dirty word? Read the full op-ed. In government services, it refers to a program that is available to all who are eligible, like Medicare or Social Security. If you meet the qualifications, you can get the benefits. And it’s no coincidence that these programs for older…
Beckley Register-Herald - The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy strongly urges Senator Manchin to recognize the urgency of our state’s needs and move quickly to support workers and families in West Virginia. Read the full article. In a statement released earlier this week, Senator Manchin suggested that the need is neither urgent nor…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - Right now, Congress is considering a budget package that serves as an important companion to the negotiated bipartisan infrastructure package. Read the full op-ed. Alongside much-needed investments in roads and bridges, it would address longstanding needs of workers and families in our state and around the country — things like paid family…
Charleston Gazette-Mail, Daily Advent - Since the coronavirus pandemic began, we at the West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy have been soliciting stories from people all across the state to hear how various issues — unemployment insurance changes, challenges accessing child care, food insecurity, lack of paid leave and more — have affected their…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - Every June, the United States and the world uplift and celebrate the LGBTQ community — their history, their achievements, their identities and more — through Pride Month. Read the full op-ed. But at its core, Pride Month is about advocacy. It is about queer folks fighting for sociopolitical autonomy, acceptance and freedom.…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - This past weekend marked the end of West Virginia’s participation in federally enhanced unemployment programs, enacted to address joblessness in the wake of the pandemic, and, now, thousands of struggling West Virginians are losing crucial supports regardless of whether good-paying jobs are available to them. Read the full article. This short-sighted decision…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - Over the past year, the pandemic and our nation’s response have highlighted some of the flaws in our antiquated federal-state unemployment insurance system. Read the full op-ed. The CARES Act addressed some of these well-recognized problems, particularly through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides unemployment benefits to people who do…