While the state slowly recovers from the Great Recession, struggles remain. There is only one job opening for every four people looking for work, the state has the lowest workforce participation rate in the nation, and West Virginia workers earn, on average, one dollar less an hour than the national average. Raising the minimum wage,…
Reports & Briefs
With seniors expected to make up nearly a quarter of West Virginia’s population by 2035, policymakers need to plan today to ensure seniors have a secure retirement, according to a new report by the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy and the West Virginia Partnership for Elder Living. The report examines the current economic…
2012’s Slide Continues Into June - Total nonfarm employment fell for the fifth straight month, as West Virginia lost 1,200 jobs in June. June marked the third straight month with job losses over 1,000, the first time that has happened since early 2009. Nonfarm employment has been below its pre-recession level since April. Unemployment in the…
In times of economic uncertainty, instead of sending trained staff to the unemployment line, companies in 24 states and the District of Columbia can use work sharing. This voluntary program allows employers to use unemployment benefits to retain their workers and avert lay-offs. Work sharing could be particularly helpful to West Virginia's mining and construction…
Disappointing Job Trends Continue in May - West Virginia saw its total nonfarm employment fall for the fourth straight month, losing 1,900 jobs between April and May. Although monthly losses have not been as large as at the beginning of 2009, a similar pattern seems to be emerging. Nonfarm employment remains below its prerecession level. In…
This policy memo is a comparison of how West Virginia and Wyoming tax their mineral resources. While there are similarities, there are also many differences. This paper continues the discussion of how states which are reliant on extractive industries can make policy decisions, like the creation of a permanent mineral trust fund, and how those…
Despite little growth in either its population or crime rate, West Virginia has seen a marked increase in the number of people housed in its corrections facilities. As the state's prisons become overcrowded, West Virginia is facing a corrections crisis that not only impacts the state's budget but also the low-income and minority communities…
A bill signed into law last week by Governor Tomblin will give a major tax incentive to companies that want to locate a cracker plant in West Virginia. According to the bill's fiscal note, this tax incentive would have no fiscal impact on the state. In reality, not only will the state lose millions in…
As one of the least economically diverse states in the nation, West Virginia relies heavily on its natural resources for revenue. Funds from these resources fluctuate and, one day, will be gone. As the Marcellus “Gold Rush” comes to West Virginia, it is time for policymakers to consider establishing a permanent mineral trust fund in…
Governor Tomblin’s FY 2013 budget will give West Virginia a small surplus but the state could head for red ink in the near future as expenditures for the state’s correction system as well as Medicaid grow, and revenue from the business franchise tax is reduced to 0%. Read the report.