An editorial from The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — There is little question that West Virginia has missed out on some of the prosperity our neighboring states and much of the country have enjoyed.
The state’s median household income of $41,500 is 22 percent below that of the nation as a whole, and under the incomes in neighboring Virginia ($64,700), Pennsylvania ($53,100), Ohio ($48,900) or Kentucky ($43,300). Many other economic indicators play out in a similar fashion. But why?
Economists, business leaders and politicians cite many factors, from education levels to our mountainous terrain. But particularly over the past decades, many also have blamed some of the problem on a legal climate that is unfriendly to business. In other words, West Virginia had developed a reputation in some corners as a place where costly litigation was common and a fair shake was hard to find.
The group is clearly a pro-business advocate, and the rankings are based largely on feedback from corporate defense attorneys. Each year, plaintiff attorney groups point out the “hellhole” report is a biased PR stunt, and to some extent, that is true.
But the lingering question has always been whether it “mattered…