WVCBP in the News

February 24, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
‘It’s scary’: While Hundreds of Workers Face Layoff in Brooke County, WV Lawmakers Move to Slash the Benefits They’ll Rely On

Mountain State Spotlight - Just south of Weirton, Shannon Baldauf spends her work days suited up in layers of fire-retardant clothing, climbing atop massive, blazing furnaces that purify tons of coal. Read the full article. “It’s a heat like you’ve never experienced,” she said. But come this summer, Baldauf and nearly 300 others who work…

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February 21, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
John David: A Need For a Reality Check in West Virginia (Opinion)

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Beckley Register-Herald - Legislators have been told that West Virginia’s economic recovery has been strong. The inference is that normality is around the corner and almost back. The serious question is whether “back to normal” is adequate. Read the full op-ed. There are several matters of concern. First, there is the workforce participation…

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February 18, 2022 by Sean O'Leary
Lack of Support for Colleges Cements Decline

Beckley Register-Herald - State legislators, past and present, who have voted to undercut support of public education should be embarrassed. Public funding for our colleges and universities in West Virginia has been trimmed consistently over the past decade just as both the state’s students and its economy have needed a hand up. Read the full…

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February 16, 2022 by WVCBP
Kathleen Stoll: Use Caution Before Stampeding Ahead on Tax Cuts (Opinion)

Charleston Gazette-Mail - The West Virginia legislative session reminds me of the Wild West. You never know what magic-show patent medicine will be hawked, or what bills will stampede through the committee corrals. Read the full op-ed. I own six horses. Any warm spell means it’s time to saddle up. But, before throwing a saddle…

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February 16, 2022 by WVCBP
This Would Be a Fascinating Way to Ensure Accountability

The News-Herald - I’ve written many times about the concept; about the relationship between accountability and responsibility, for example. Read the full op-ed. Unfortunately, too often we need to use the word in tandem with the phrase “lack of.” Which is best exemplified by what we often see — or don’t see — from our…

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February 15, 2022 by WVCBP
At WVU, as State Funding Goes Down, Students Bear More and More of the Burden

Mountain State Spotlight - Last summer, the West Virginia University Foundation — the institution’s fundraising arm — touted in a news release that it had raised a record $270 million. Read the full article. Foundation President and CEO Cindi Roth said the number “speaks volumes about the generosity and commitment of our alumni and friends.” WVU President…

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February 15, 2022 by WVCBP
WV Bills Aim to Lower Drug Costs, Prevent Medicaid “Cliff”

Public News Service - West Virginia groups are pushing state lawmakers to pass several bills related to health care, bills they say would lower copays and increase access to health insurance. Read the full article. Legislators are considering a bill which would allow people who make a small amount of money over Medicaid's income limit to "buy…

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February 14, 2022 by Seth DiStefano
West Virginia Stockpiled $110 Million in Welfare Funds Despite Pandemic, Soaring Hunger Numbers

Mountain State Spotlight, Fayette Tribune - West Virginia is sitting on more than $110 million in unspent welfare funds from a federal program that gives families — mostly children — money for essentials like food, clothes and rent. Read the full article. Meanwhile, state food banks reported soaring hunger numbers amid the pandemic, and in December,…

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February 11, 2022 by Renee Alves
WV House Advances Personal Income Tax Phase-out Bill

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch, Williamson Daily News, Tax News Daily - The West Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill cutting personal income tax rates by 10% in a 76-20 vote on Friday. read the full article. House Bill 4007 now heads to the Senate. If passed into law as it currently reads, the bill…

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February 10, 2022 by WVCBP
EDITORIAL: The Good, the Bad and the Stupid 4

The Dominion Post, Yahoo News - Feb. 10—We're running our weekly roundup a little early this week, and we'll mostly be focusing on the "good " and the "stupid " today. The "bad " will come tomorrow. Without further ado, let's take a look at what the Legislature has been up to. Read the full…

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