Search Results

January 27, 2021 by
Addressing Uninsured Black West Virginians is Essential to State’s Wellness

The COVID-19 pandemic has both underscored and exacerbated Black Americans’ health disparities across the United States. While this pattern has garnered national attention, West Virginia has been less successful in identifying and quantifying similar patterns, in part because Black West Virginians comprise less than 4 percent of the population, or roughly 64,500 people — well below the national average of 13…

Read More
January 30, 2013 by
Education Reform – Beyond the Numbers

Over the past few weeks, Ted and I have looked at education in West Virginia, both as a reaction to the governor's education audit, and the likelihood that education reform will be a major topic in the upcoming legislative session. First I broke down West Virginia's education spending, and found that with a few exceptions,…

Read More
October 29, 2020 by
Food For All Summit More Important Than Ever as Hunger Persists

While the COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating consequences for many elements of the West Virginia economy, one of the most startling effects has been increased rates of food insecurity throughout the state, especially in households with children. This year, the third annual Food For All Summit will take a closer look at the cracks in…

Read More
May 1, 2009 by
Taxing West Virginia’s Coal Reserves: A Primer

This report describes the history and current methods of taxing one of the state’s most valuable resources. It is intended as a useful reference for county officials, coal companies, landowners, and local citizens. Morgantown-based Downstream Strategies prepared the report, in collaboration with the WV Center on Budget and Policy. Read

Read More
February 19, 2013 by
Child Poverty in West Virginia: A Growing and Persistent Problem

On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) report, this new report revisits many of the same measures of well-being that ARC researchers examined a half-century ago. This analysis, however, focuses its attention on West Virginia, the one state that exists entirely within the federally designated Appalachian region, and, more…

Read More
September 4, 2011 by
Is the Recovery Losing Steam?

Friday morning's news that there was no job growth in the month of August sent disappointment throughout the country, and stoked fears that another recession may be around the corner. The meager 17,000 private sector jobs added were offset by an equal loss of public sector workers, as state and local governments continued to make cutbacks.  A…

Read More
June 15, 2020 by
Cracker Plant Won’t Bring Petrochemical Jobs Boom to Ohio, Experts Warn

The Columbus Dispatch, MSN.com, Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland.com - Experts caution Ohio saying a proposed multi-billion dollar petrochemical plant may be a non-starter due to market conditions. Read article. With the price of plastic plummeting and a global oversaturation of ethane-ethylene cracker plants and plastics manufacturing, experts are cautioning Ohio about moving forward with an…

Read More
June 15, 2020 by
Tri-State Economists Warn Leaders ‘Dirty Industry’ Won’t Bring the Jobs They’re Banking On

ABC27.com, WTRF.com - Regional economists are warning tri-state governors that the petrochemical boom is a ‘non-starter’… meaning the Ethane Cracker Plant potentially making its way to Dilles Bottom could be a giant leap in the wrong direction. Read article. Citing a years-long trend of declining profit margins of the Beaver County plant, a group of faculty…

Read More