On Tuesday, the Joint Select Committee on Tax Reform opened its meeting up to speakers from the public and organizations wishing to address its members.
Ted’s presentation to the Committee provided recommendations to address West Virginia’s chronic budget shortfall and cuts to programs such as higher education.
The Committee has heard testimony from national organizations recommending reducing or eliminating the personal income tax, as well as other taxes. Ted reminded the Committee that ten years of tax cuts have already packed a punch to the state budget, causing cuts across the board, with more announced just a couple of weeks ago.
Here’s coverage of the day in the Charleston Gazette-Mail and the Beckley Register-Herald.
This fall our members of Congress will have the chance to show that they support hard-working low-income families. Important provisions of two anti-poverty, pro-work policies, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC), are set to expire unless Congress acts to save them. By doing so, Congress will give low-income families a hand-up, not a hand out, to pay for basic necessities like child care and transportation that help them work while taking care of their families.
How can you help? Sign this online petition asking Senators Manchin and Capito to fight for working West Virginia families!
During this week’s interims, legislators revisited the topic of drug testing people who receive food stamps and other public assistance.
In this story by WV Public Broadcasting, WVCBP’s Sean O’Leary explains that in many cases this policy costs more than it saves.
Getting some one-on-one time this morning with Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Columbia University History Professor Eric Foner are, from left to right, WVCBP Executive Director Ted Boettner, David Evans, Mr. Foner, Reverend Matthew Watts, and American Friends Service Committee Director Rick Wilson. Professor Foner gave a lecture about Reconstruction last night at the University of Charleston. It was part of the McCreight Lecture in the Humanities series and was sponsored by the West Virginia Humanities Council. Here’s more in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
The Public Service Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday, October 26th on West Virginia American Water’s proposed 28% rate increase. The hearing begins at 6:00 PM at the Public Service Commission (201 Brooks St., Charleston). Please plan to be there at 5:30 pm.
For more information about the case, see the OurWater blog.
Registration is open for the Summit on Race Matters: Continuing Conversations, taking place in the Alumni Center of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine on November 10 and 11, 2015.
The conference will offer a unique opportunity for people from throughout West Virginia to continue the constructive, in-depth conversations that began last year in Charleston about the complicated history of race relations and racial inequality in the state.
Go here to register or contact Courtney Smith, 304-645-5620.
Please “like” the event on Facebook and spread the word about this exciting and important program.
Stay in touch at RaceMattersWV.net for upcoming events and how you can stay involved in the campaign to end racial inequity in West Virginia.
