By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill to sell the Jackie Withrow long-term care facility in Beckley is pending before the House Finance Committee. Gov. Jim Justice added House Bill 113, the bill relating to the Jackie Withrow facility, to the call on May 24, along with[Read More…]
Government
Statehouse Beat: For some reason, lobbyist spending down
By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For whatever reason, lobbyist spending during the January-April disclosure period dropped to $230,686, the lowest amount for that reporting period, which includes regular sessions of the Legislature, in nine years. That’s down 27 percent from $317,935 during the same period last year,[Read More…]
Local business could lose big if Legislature votes to sell Hopemont Hospital in Terra Alta
By THERESA MARTHEY The Preston County News & Journal TERRA ALTA, W.Va. — Uncertainty continues to loom over Terra Alta’s Hopemont Hospital. That’s because on Monday the state Legislature will consider a bill that, if passed and signed by the governor, will force the 100-year-old facility to be sold off.[Read More…]
Justice issues latest WV budget plan; talks to resume today
By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Legislative leaders are expected to return to the West Virginia Capitol Thursday morning to resume negotiations on Gov. Jim Justice’s latest revenue proposal, a plan with a less-steep increase in the state sales tax and with a slower, three-year phase-in of a[Read More…]
West Virginia leaders talk new budget pitch in Charleston
By JOSELYN KING The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register WHEELING, W.Va. — West Virginia legislative leaders discussed a new budget proposal during negotiations with Gov. Jim Justice Tuesday night, and their next move is to explain it to their members. Details of the spending proposal provided by House Speaker Tim Armstead,[Read More…]
Contractors group backs Justice infrastructure plan in wake of job losses
By MAX GARLAND Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A national contractors group voiced its support for Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed infrastructure plan Wednesday, saying it would create jobs in an area seeing one of the sharpest declines in construction jobs nationwide. “Proposals like the governor’s will bring more workers into[Read More…]
Economist says construction work in Charleston area at record low
Contractors Associations call for support of infrastructure projects By Don Smith W.Va. Press Association CHARLESTON, W.VA. — With jobs in construction, mining and logging in the Charleston area at the lowest levels since 1990, representatives of the Contractors Association of West Virginia and Associated General Contractors of America joined with Cabinet Secretary Thomas Smith, head[Read More…]
At the Capitol: Still no budget
By Phil Kabler For The West Virginia Press Association CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After 10 days in special session failed to bring the Senate and House of Delegates any closer to resolution of the impasse over the 2017-18 state budget, legislators voted for put the session on hiatus for a second time – until June[Read More…]
Whether eliminating income taxes will help West Virginia depends on who you ask
By RUSTY MARKS The State Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — During a recent debate on the floor of the West Virginia Senate, Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio, called a plan to move the state’s tax structure to consumption taxes and eventually eliminate the personal income tax a “bold, aggressive approach”[Read More…]
WV Gov. Justice takes active role in compromise negotiations
By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail Gov. Jim Justice employed his version of shuttle diplomacy Thursday, shuttling between cliques of legislators housed in various Capitol building meeting rooms in what turned out to be a daylong effort to try to come up with a compromise between glaringly different Senate and House[Read More…]
