In early January, state lawmakers will return to Charleston with one task they are required to complete each legislative session: passing a balanced state budget. This process will be particularly challenging in the new year, happening amid declining state revenues from deep state tax cuts and a slowing economy, a looming budget deficit, and significant…
Tax and Budget
WTAP - Gov. Patrick Morrisey has publicly released West Virginia’s application for the federal Rural Health Transformation program. Read the full article. Morrisey calls it a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to potentially bring over $100 million annually into the state over the next five years to improve healthcare. The plan targets what Morrisey calls the root cause of West…
Real WV - Competing bills on health care both failed in the US Senate on Thursday, adding further uncertainty to the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies which will cause steep increases to health care costs for around 60,000 West Virginians. Read the full article. The Democratic plan to extend the ACA subsidies…
West Virginia Watch, Times West Virginian - When the Hope Scholarship, West Virginia’s school voucher program, was enacted, proponents framed the program as one of choice — a way to provide alternative education options to families who could not otherwise afford it. Now, on the eve of the program’s expansion — set to double or…
What is the Hope Scholarship? The Hope Scholarship is a school voucher program that diverts public taxpayer dollars to cover private school and other non-public school expenses like tuition and fees, uniforms, supplies, technology, and even extracurricular costs like dance lessons and zoo tickets. DOWNLOAD THIS BLOG POST AS A FACT SHEET HERE. The program…
Summersville Community Television - In this presentation, the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy breaks down how proposed federal funding cuts could impact communities across our state. Watch the full video.
Charleston Gazette-Mail - Nationwide, communities are pushing back against data centers and the fossil fuel polluting power plants that come with them. Many localities have successfully urged their governments to pass temporary moratoriums on the developments while the localities study the effects data centers might have on their water supply, land use and more. Some…
West Virginia News - The West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy is urging Congress to extend enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) past the end of the year, warning that tens of thousands of residents will face drastic health insurance cost increases without action. Read the full article. These Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, implemented…
For Immediate Release: December 1, 2025 Contact: Sean O'Leary Charleston, WV – Over the summer, Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1), which includes a temporary “no tax on tips” provision framed as helping low-wage workers, while the rest of the legislation provides huge, permanent tax cuts to the wealthy and makes the largest cuts to…
Introduction Amid an extended period of high inflation and a slowing economy, voters and politicians alike are looking for policies to make life more affordable for workers and families. READ THE FULL POLICY BRIEF. During the summer of 2025, Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1), which included a temporary “no tax on…