Wasteful Spending: A Trade Secret   In 2017, an investigation was launched into the West Virginia Supreme Court for overzealous spending. 2009 sparked a renovation initiative for the Court with a price tag of roughly $876,000. But, by 2017, the expenses ballooned to $3.7 billion. Most notable of the excessive expenditures were the $32,000 sectional…

Florida has a beach, beautiful weather, and, most importantly, Disney World. Who wouldn’t want to move to the Sunshine State?   This seems to be a wildly popular argument for those opposed to elimination of the personal income tax (PIT), using Florida as an example that growth is not from taxes. However, this couldn’t be…

West Virginia has had crisis after crisis imposed on it; some have come externally, but many have been so tragically self-inflicted. The best example of this cycle is how our certificate of need a.k.a. CON laws have hampered our ability to respond to any of the health issues our state has experienced.   History of…

Can Hope Scholarships Help Pay Private School Tuition Fees?: Marginal v. Total Thinking Explainer Another concern with the proposed Hope Scholarship is the matter of whether or not the scholarship amounts would truly make a difference to families with the lowest incomes. This is particularly a concern for those who may want to use the…

Apprenticeships and Career Education Get People into Jobs Do you need a college degree for a great career? Certainly not. February is CTE Month, a time to think about how career and technical education can be a fast track to jobs and community development. Vocational programs can prepare students for the jobs that actually exist…

Thanks to increasingly popular technology, you no longer need to leave the comfort of your home to get basic medical care. Telemedicine allows you to meet with your healthcare provider via smartphone or computer. For states with large rural areas, like West Virginia, telemedicine could provide healthcare for residents who have limited transportation options or…

Education Costs & the Hope Scholarship   Amid all the talk about why lawmakers in West Virginia should or shouldn’t pass legislation that introduces Hope Scholarship education savings accounts to students and families across the Mountain State, one major point of contention always comes back to the almighty dollar - the costs of education in…

Not yet a month out from Joe Biden’s first day in office, the newly inaugurated President has signed 25 executive orders and proposed plans for impactful change across the nation. Lumped into a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, the President has suggested increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.   The Biden administration…

By Garrett Ballengee originally published by West Virginia Executive Magazine as an Executive Exclusive.   Experts say that certificate-of-need (CON) laws are hurting the quality of health care in West Virginia, but there are efforts to eliminate the onerous regulations. CON laws require health care providers to get permission before expanding or offering new services.…

One of the top concerns for everyone is equity in education. On paper we have done a good job, investing near average for the nation per capita despite having a historically low GDP. But beyond budgetary reports, how equitable is our education system? The Current System West Virginia’s model works well for the rich; they…