By Phil Kabler, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — During his statewide listening tour with West Virginia business leaders last year, Commerce Secretary Ed Gaunch said Friday, two themes were constant: the need for workforce development and for tax reform, particularly aimed at reducing the personal property tax on business equipment, machinery and inventory.
Gaunch told attendees of the West Virginia Press Association’s Legislative Lookahead at the state Culture Center that low workforce participation rates have plagued West Virginia for a generation.
“What I’m saying is, the workers we have are among the best, we just need more of them,” he said.
Gaunch said Commerce is committed to collaborative efforts with community and technical colleges and other training programs to improve the state’s low workforce participation.
Delegate Moore Capito, R-Kanawha, said the Legislature needs to remove barriers that keep people from entering or reentering the workforce, citing 2019 legislation to expunge criminal records for nonviolent offenders.
He said the Legislature also needs to address the issue of people in rural areas who are without a driver’s license or public transportation and are unable to get to workplaces.
Delegate Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha, said the government should take steps to encourage people who work out-of-state to live in West Virginia, citing the state’s recent investment to continue MARC commuter rail service from the Eastern Panhandle to Washington, D.C.
Skaff also suggested that economic development efforts should focus on growing existing West Virginia companies, and not necessarily in attempting to recruit large out-of-state corporations.
“The people that are currently here, how can we help them grow?” he asked. …
