WVCBP in the News

December 18, 2015 by Ted Boettner
Health-Care and Education Jobs Bolster States’ Employment

Wall Street Journal - Health care jobs are rising across the country, as an aging population demands more nurses, doctors and home health aides. The economy added 638,000 jobs in the education and health services industry sector between November 2014 and November 2015, the bulk of them in health care. ReadTwenty-one states added at least…

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December 17, 2015 by Ted Boettner
Fracking Research Collaborative Cuts Across State Lines

Midwest Energy News - In mid-October, a trio of shale drilling states — Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia — signed an agreement to grow the natural gas industry on a regional level, focusing on job training, infrastructure and other areas. ReadAs that tri-state connection forms, a grassroots network of independent policy organizations and research groups…

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December 1, 2015 by Ted Boettner
Appalachia Grasps for Hope as Coal Loses its Grip

Associated Press, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pune Mirror, WRAL.com - The seams of coal in some McDowell County mines are so thin that workers can barely squeeze them down. Eddie Asbury, 66, owns the mines, but still does everything himself. In order to keep business operating with such a paltry amount of coal, Asbury has discarded the…

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November 17, 2015 by Seth DiStefano
Earned Income Tax Credit a Tool ‘To Fight Against Poverty’

The Dominion Post - A coalition of interest groups pushing for the Legislature to adopt a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) explained why they think the credit is a good thing and announced a website that lets people explore the projected local impact of a credit on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Read"The Earned Income Tax…

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November 17, 2015 by Seth DiStefano
New Web Site Shows How Families in Each Area of the State Benefit from the Earned Income Tax Credit

Beckley Register-Herald - Proponents of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) unveiled a new tool Monday to help lawmakers see what the credit would do in their districts. ReadThe invest in Working Families Coalition launched the interactive web site www.investinwvfamilies.org, during a press conference at the Capitol. The site allows users to search the state…

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November 17, 2015 by Seth DiStefano
Coalition Campaigns for Tax Credit for Low-Income Workers in WV

Charleston Gazette-Mail - A coalition of 18 citizen and community organizations kicked off a campaign Monday for passage of a state Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers, unveiling a website that shows the economic impact of the credit, by legislative districts. ReadSeth DiStefano, with the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, said the…

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November 16, 2015 by Ted Boettner
West Virginians Can Boost Their Social Security Checks – By Waiting

West Virginia Public News Service - More than seven out of 10 West Virginia retirees put in for early Social Security, but experts say you can get a big boost to those monthly checks by waiting as long as you can. ReadYou can claim Social Security as early as age 62. But Kristen Arnold, an…

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November 16, 2015 by Ted Boettner
Wages, Safety Lower in Right-to-Work States, Lawmakers Told

Charleston Gazette-Mail - Legislators heard the pros and cons Sunday of proposed legislation to make West Virginia a right-to-work state, with proponents saying it will help grow the state's economy, and opponents calling it an effort to destroy unions and hurt working-class families. ReadBoth sides agreed that average wages are lower in right-to-work states, but…

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November 12, 2015 by Sean O'Leary
Gazette Editorial: WV Lags on Work

Charleston Gazette-Mail - West Virginia has 1.16 million working-age people between 18 and 65, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. State figures say 750,000 West Virginians hold jobs. That leaves about 400,000 without jobs — around one-third of the workforce. Therefore, the true jobless rate is about five times higher than the official rate of…

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November 10, 2015 by Sean O'Leary
Poor Health Among Many Reasons for Low State Workforce Participation

Beckley Register-Herald - An older, unhealthy and uneducated population is why West Virginia ranks last in workforce participation rate nationally. ReadA new report by the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy looks beyond the known and examines what can be done to get West Virginians back to collecting a paycheck.It's beyond debate, for decades…

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