WVCBP in the News

August 9, 2021 by Kelly Allen
The Importance of Paid Family and Medical Leave in West Virginia

WOWK13 - On Inside West Virginia Politics, Kelly Allen, the Executive Direct of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, talks about the importance of Paid Family and Medical Leave being considered in Congress. Watch the full segment. According to Allen, 1 in 5 people have paid medical leave with a higher-paying job. With…

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August 3, 2021 by Quenton King
The Human Cost Of Bail

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - Lisa Hartline grew up in Parkersburg. Today, she is an attorney at Legal Aid of Pennsylvania representing people who can’t afford a private attorney because she used to be one. Read the full article. “I think I’m more willing to make exceptions when maybe clients aren’t following the plan that…

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July 30, 2021 by Kelly Allen
Advocates in West Virginia Call on Congress to Expand Paid Leave for Workers

WOWK, Opera News - Dozens of people from various families gathered for a picnic in Charleston’s Cato Park. But this wasn’t just about good food and having fun. Read the full article. It was also about politics. Advocates are urging Congress to pass a paid family and medical leave bill that covers all American workers.

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July 30, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
WV Leisure and Hospitality Job Market has Rebounded Since COVID’s Start

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch - West Virginia leisure and hospitality jobs, which were hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, experienced an 18% employment uptick from June 2020 to June 2021. Read the full article. The number of jobs in the sector grew from 62,800 to 68,000 between January and May of this year. The numbers…

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July 29, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
Sales Tax Holiday in W.Va. This Weekend Could Help Struggling Families

West Virginia MetroNews - This weekend’s Sales Tax Holiday in West Virginia is expected to benefit a number of state residents who are hoping to save a few dollars amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Read the full article. “For a family that’s struggling, that can really help,” said Sean O’Leary, a senior analyst with the West Virginia…

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July 27, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
Surplus or Mirage? Why WV Gov. Jim Justice’s Budget Numbers Aren’t What They Seem

Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Times West Virginian - On July 1, Gov. Jim Justice announced that in the 2021 fiscal year, which ended the previous day, West Virginia had a budget surplus of $413 million, topping previous expectations for the year. Read the full article. “We’re in great shape in West Virginia,” Justice…

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July 26, 2021 by WVCBP
US Suffers Population Decline, So Does California & Illinois

Big Sky Business Journal - For the first time ever, California posted a population decline in 2020, and the United States as a whole didn’t fare much better. Its growth has decelerated to 0.35% year-over-year, the slowest growth rate since the Great Depression. Read the full article. Population experts blame the slowing growth rate on three…

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July 26, 2021 by Rhonda Rogombe
Report: A Third Of West Virginians Use Medicaid

West Virginia Public Broadcasting, News Break - West Virginia has a much higher rate of Medicaid enrollment than most states. That’s due to high numbers of low-income households, Medicaid expansion, and now the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen to the full segment. The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy released a report on just how many people use Medicaid…

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