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January 2, 2024 by
Who do Lawmakers Listen to About West Virginia Jails?

In March 2022, Governor Jim Justice announced that he had directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to investigate Southern Regional Jail (SRJ). In the days leading up to the governor’s announcement, media reports described horrifying conditions at the Raleigh County jail: filthy and broken accommodations, people sleeping on wet floors, violence against incarcerated people…

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October 17, 2018 by
Who Pays? 2018

The lowest-income West Virginians pay 21 percent more in taxes as a percent of their income compared to the state's wealthiest residents, according to a new study released today by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) and the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. The study, Who Pays? A Distributional Analysis of the Tax Systems in…

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October 3, 2024 by
September Revenue Collections Throw Cold Water on New Income Tax Cut Proposal

A weak September for General Revenue collections underscored the heavy price of 2023’s tax cuts on the state’s budget and should serve as a warning against Governor Justice and lawmakers moving ahead with even deeper cuts to revenue. Weak September Numbers September General Revenue collections totaled $567.7 million, which is $104.4 million below September 2023’s collections, marking…

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February 6, 2015 by
Sean O’Leary: Prevailing Wage is a Good Investment for West Virginia

Charleston Daily Mail and Huntington Herald-Dispatch - Over the next few weeks the Legislature will consider repealing or sharply scaling back the state’s prevailing wage law. ReadIn place since the 1930s, West Virginia’s prevailing wage law requires jobs on public construction projects pay a minimum wage based on occupation and area, typically from $15 to…

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August 31, 2016 by
Clarifying Prevailing Wage Savings ‘Estimates’

The State Journal - A recent guest column from Bryan Hoylman of the Associated Builders and Contractors of West Virginia and Jason Huffman of the West Virginia chapter of Americans for Prosperity made the claim that the repeal of the state’s prevailing wage law has saved the state $20 million in just two months. This claim…

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October 24, 2014 by
Budget Beat – October 24, 2014

Summit on Race Matters in Appalachia Almost Here Time is running out to register for the Summit on Race Matters in Appalachia. Please take a minute to fill out the easy on-line registration form today to hold your reservation! Register now! Thanks to generous funding from foundations and organizations, there is limited scholarship money available.…

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May 6, 2022 by
Tens of Thousands of West Virginians Will See Their Insurance Costs Rise Without Congressional Action

As one piece of the federal response to the pandemic, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which increased income-based health care subsidies, known as advanced premium tax credits (APTCs). These credits help make health insurance premiums more affordable to Americans at all income levels. While the increased APTCs have played a critical role in helping…

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January 17, 2022 by
Unemployment Reform Bills Are Another Attack on Workers

On the first day of the 2022 legislative session, the West Virginia Senate introduced bills that would make major changes to the state's unemployment insurance system, to the detriment of the state's workers. While Senate Bill 3 would add additional strict work search requirements for unemployed workers collecting unemployment insurance, Senate Bill 2 would reduce…

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