Public News Service - The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy is warning against trying to close the state's $600 million budget gap entirely or mostly through cuts. Governor Jim Justice wants to raise $450 million in new revenue - with about half of that coming from increased business taxes. Read.
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West Virginia Press Association - West Virginia lawmakers and economic researchers discussed the state's revenue crisis and possible plans to balance the budget during the Friday, Feb. 3 2017 AP Legislative Lookahead. Read.
WDKW TV - The start to the legislative session is just two days away and the big thing on lawmakers minds is how do we balance the state budget. Read.
Register-Herald - West Virginia lawmakers will consider rolling back drinking water protections statewide that have been in place since 1967. Read.
State Journal - Michael Caryl figures he knows a thing or two about taxes. A Martinsburg attorney who specializes in tax law and former state tax commissioner under Gov. Arch A. Moore Jr., Caryl has come up with, what he believes is, a more fair and equitable tax system for the state of West Virginia that both…
Herald-Dispatch - A West Virginia delegate said Friday he'd like to see lawmakers discuss legalizing medical marijuana, despite the House speaker's recent declaration that such legislation won't gain a foothold this year. Read.
Parkersburg News and Sentinel, Weirton Daily Times - If West Virginia attempts to eliminate an estimated $500 million deficit with spending cuts alone, some areas of the state could become completely uninhabitable, a budget expert warned Friday. Read.
Gazette-Mail - State Senate President Mitch Carmichael said Friday that lawmakers are looking into a proposal that would eliminate West Virginia's personal income tax and raise the consumer sales tax. Read.
MetroNews - Statewide organizations have a dozen legislative agenda items for state lawmakers to consider during the 2017 Regular Legislative Session. Read.
State Journal - Public interest groups are organizing resistance to a rumored sale of an aging West Virginia coal-fired power plant to Monongahela Power and its sister agency, Potomac Edison. Read.