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Editorial

Where have all the good bills gone?

In a previous editorial, we referenced a number of “good” bills languishing in committee as the Legislature devotes its time to a variety of culture war and otherwise unnecessary bills. Well, today is cross-over day at the Capitol, so we’d like to highlight some bills we think would greatly benefit the state but will die if they don’t pass their chamber of origin by the day’s end. ○ HB 3016, ordering the Department of Agriculture to “establish a two-year program to provide residents of food desert communities with access to fresh and affordable produce. In establishing ...

Our teacher problem isn’t the teachers

Last week, West Virginia University announced its Teachers Ascend into West Virginia program. Which is exactly what it sounds like: Ascend, but this time geared specifically toward teachers — minus the remote work, or so we assume. WVU Today (DP-02-20-23) quotes Donna Hoylman Peduto: “We hope to position West Virginia as a competitive place to live and teach by offering rewarding experiences in our schools and communities.” That’s going to be easier said than done, as it seems Teachers Ascend will be battling the West Virginia Legislature along the way. In the last few ...

The Good, the Bad and the Stupid 6

Good: SB 577 is the resurrected insulin copay cap. Last year’s iteration, HB 4252, passed both chambers, but the House didn’t concur with the Senate’s changes before the session ended, so the bill died. SB 577 might actually be improved: It limits the copay for insulin (even if the patient is on multiple types) to $35 per 30-day supply and to $100 for devices (even if the patient uses more than one kind of device) per 30-day supply. HB 4252 did not contain the language that covers multiple types of drugs and/or devices, which meant that patients would have paid $35 per type of ...

In an info vacuum, an oft-repeated rumor can be mistaken for truth

The announcement that North Elementary’s principal and vice principal have been put on leaves of absence came as a shock. A letter was sent to the North community last Tuesday, and The Dominion Post received a copy of the letter a couple days later. When our reporter reached out to Mon County Schools Superintendent Eddie Campbell Jr., he declined to say more than that there was “an incident” that “remains under investigation.” We respect that Campbell wishes to protect people’s privacy, and that he would like to do his due diligence in fully investigating whatever ...

Let them play: Find equitable alternative to House Bill 2820

We’ve made our stance clear on syphoning education funds from public schools and distributing them to private, parochial or charter schools or even individuals: You can’t expect the public education system to improve if it’s been drained of money and resources. However, when it comes to school athletics, we tend to err on the side of “let them play.” Which is why we firmly believe that nothing about HB 2820 — to allow Hope Scholarship students, as well as students in microschools or learning pods, to play on public school sports teams — makes sense. The Hope ...

Comparing tax cut fantasies to reality

Of the tax cut plans on the table, the one proposed by the Senate (SB 424) is by far the most reasonable. As we previously reported, the plan starts with a 15% decrease in personal income tax. In out years, a 105% improvement of sales tax revenue over the previous year would trigger additional income tax cuts. SB 424 also includes eliminating the “marriage penalty” when filing taxes in West Virginia (when filing jointly bumps a couple into a higher tax bracket than if they’d filed separately); a rebate for vehicle property tax; a homestead real property tax rebate for 90% to ...