Rewire - At a town hall with West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) in Wheeling, West Virginia, on February 27, sixth-grader Gideon Titus-Glover pointed out that the governor’s plans to increase the state’s tourism budget was a conflict of interest. Read.
WVCBP in the News
State Journal - A recent study by an Illinois-based public policy institute suggests prevailing wage laws help improve income disparities between white and minority construction workers. Read.
Charleston Gazette - A while back, the Justice administration was pursuing work requirements as a condition for getting Medicaid. After discovering the facts and economics of how Medicaid works, the governor and his people wisely put that proposal aside and moved on to other priorities. Read.
HuffPost - Jessica Jernegan joined her fellow teachers to rally at the Oklahoma state Capitol in 2014 and demand more funding for schools. Despite the pleas of an estimated 25,000 protesters, the Republican-dominated legislature had other priorities in mind. Read.
Inequality.org - Teachers are ready to revolt. That’s the message we ought to take away from West Virginia, where educators in every county went on strike to demand better compensation. The teachers secured a major victory, including a 5 percent pay raise for state public employees. Read.
Charleston Gazette - West Virginia continues to experience a steady economic recovery. Read.
Beckley Register-Herald - A bill implementing work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one step closer to becoming law. Read.
The American Prospect - For years, states have cut school funding while reducing taxes on corporation. But teachers and workers are fighting back. Read.
The American Prospect - West Virginia’s teachers won a 5 percent pay raise for all state employees. But it was the legislature’s corporate tax cuts that underfunded the teachers in the first place—and it may slash public services to pay for the raise. Read.
Charleston Gazette-Mail - A state Senate committee sent a bill to the floor Thursday that would impose work requirements on certain able-bodied adults without dependents in order to qualify for benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which includes food stamp benefits. Read.