Charleston Gazette-Mail - West Virginians help one another. Without thinking twice, we take meals to parents who’ve had a new baby, form ad hoc neighborhood child care arrangements when schools close because of the coronavirus pandemic and pick up groceries for our at-risk elderly neighbors. Link to op-ed here. Our people know that working together…
OpEds
Charleston Gazette-Mail - President Trump’s recent executive actions are far too meager, ineffective and legally dubious to address the crisis that families in West Virginia and across the nation are facing. Link to op-ed here. Only Congress can enact a federal relief response plan that is robust enough to address the immediate and ongoing needs…
Beckley Register-Herald - Across our state, West Virginians are continuing to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis. Food insecurity is spiking, families are facing eviction from their homes because they can’t afford rent, parents are struggling to balance child care and work, and officials are scrambling to figure out how…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - Around the country, states are seeing dramatic increases in Medicaid enrollment as furloughed workers and their dependents lose their job-based health insurance and turn to Medicaid for coverage during the coronavirus pandemic. Read op-ed. Since March, West Virginia has seen an increase in Medicaid enrollment of approximately 24,000 people, but that is…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - While West Virginia has avoided major budget problems, so far, it is unlikely to continue as several billion dollars in federal aid dries up and the economic reality of the pandemic-induced recession continues to put downward pressure on state and local budgets. Link to op-ed here. Policymakers would be wise to take…
Beckley Register-Herald - Gov. Jim Justice needs to immediately classify grocery store, food processing and pharmacy workers who must work during this pandemic as first responders through Executive Order. Read op-ed. Being classified as an “essential” employee during the COVID-19 pandemic and response may guarantee you keep your paycheck, but it doesn’t keep you and…
Morgantown Dominion Post - Over the past several months, the Monongalia County Commission has been negotiating a “payment in lieu of taxes” (PILOT) deal with Longview Power LLC to build a gas-fired power plant. PILOT agreements are property tax abatements where corporations agree to make annual payments to local governments instead of paying the property…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - A crisis like the coronavirus outbreak creates an immense amount of pressure on state and local government finances. Demand for vital public services escalates just as the revenue to support those services takes a major downturn. Read op-ed. West Virginia is already in a tight budget situation, with resources stretched thin. Before…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - As of publication, no cases of COVID-19 have been identified in West Virginia, but it is very likely only a matter of time until our state’s residents are affected. Read op-ed. While the Governor’s Office and state agencies are taking this issue very seriously, this pandemic has revealed serious holes in our…
Beckley Register-Herald - Like many things, the coronavirus is exposing the disproportionate impacts that disease has on those with the least in our country. “Just stay home if you’re sick” is much easier said than done. Read op-ed. The ability to stay home when you are sick is heavily dependent on whether your employer offers…