By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia taxpayer money is being used to support a newly launched out-of state Catholic school and its plans to push abortion restrictions and other right-wing policies.
The support totaling $5 million is coming from a fund usually tapped for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements — without evidence of approval from a Cabinet secretary, as required by state law.
The West Virginia Water Development Authority on Oct. 10 approved a grant of up to $5 million through the state’s Economic Enhancement Grant program for the College of St. Joseph the Worker, a Steubenville, Ohio-based Catholic school whose inaugural class began lessons this fall.
The $5 million grant to the college was $3.74 million more than the next-largest Water Development Authority grant among 28 disbursed during fiscal year 2025, according to authority records. The college was the only recipient out of 28 not based in West Virginia, per authority records. Most recipients were towns, cities and public service districts getting support for water and wastewater improvement projects.