Public schools are essential for creating communities where all members can thrive through high-quality education and opportunities for enrichment via school meals, extracurricular activities, health services, college and career preparation, and other support services. Our public schools are facing growing challenges of disinvestment of funding and resources, a declining education workforce, and decreased student enrollment…
Tax and Budget
HB 2014, Governor Morrisey’s “Certified Microgrid Program” legislation, passed the House last week and is now under consideration in the Senate. While much of the attention has focused on how this bill could draw "High Impact Data Centers" to West Virginia, it would also take local control from counties and municipalities to enforce their own…
West Virginia Watch - Last week West Virginians sent a clear message: Don’t cut Medicaid. Read the full op-ed. In overwhelming numbers, families, advocates and health care providers turned out to reject House Bill 3518, and called on their legislators to reject this dangerous proposal that would have automatically eliminated the Medicaid expansion — and with…
West Virginia MetroNews - As Congress moves closer to a budget deal, Senator Shelley Moore Capito has acknowledged the possibility of significant effects on Medicaid. Read the full article. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program for health insurance and medical services, traditionally for low-income people but more recently also for the working class.…
West Virginia Watch, News from the States - While facing the huge uncertainty around proposed federal cuts to food banks, SNAP and school feeding programs, county officials have been sounding the alarm that if their county jail bills keep increasing, they do not know how their counties can afford funding popular, non-mandated services like senior…
Public Employees Won’t See a Pay Raise in Any Version of the State Budget. Here’s What Else to Know.
Mountain State Spotlight, Charleston Gazette-Mail - In the final days of the session, lawmakers are hashing out the only bill they are required by law to pass – the state budget. Read the full article. In February, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said the budget would be tight. Money coming into the state coffers has decreased over…
West Virginia Watch, Yahoo - Funding for foster care has been slashed in the House Finance Committee as members opted to ignore Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s proposed budget, including his $182 million request for a child welfare system in crisis. Read the full article. There are more than 5,800 children in foster care, and there aren’t…
Public education is funded by a combination of federal, state, and local sources. In West Virginia, state and local funding make up 8 in every 10 dollars that fund public education. This critical state and local funding supports essential costs for the continued operation of schools. The Public School Support Program, also known as the school funding formula,…
Raw Story - Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told reporters he can edit federal spending and revenue baselines as the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. Read the full article. “As Budget Chairman, under section 312 of the Congressional Budget Act, I have the authority to determine baseline numbers for spending and revenue. Under that authority, I have…
WTRF - A recent executive order signed by The Trump Administration to dismantle the Department of Education is causing some concern about how public schools will receive federal funding. Read the full article. According to the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, federal funding brings more than $350 million annually into West Virginia’s 55 county school…