Posts that cover the broad issue of fairness in society in regard to jobs, insurance, business startup, etc.

Let’s Revive West Virginia’s Future Fund

Companies that take our coal and natural gas pay a royalty, called a severance tax, to the state. Other states with exportable natural resources have saved a part of those taxes into what's called a sovereign wealth fund. It's kind of an insurance policy to provide some financial security when the resources run out. West Virginia had one, called the Future Fund, for almost a decade, but the legislature cancelled it in 2023. That was a mistake.

We’re Teachers…We’re Drowning (Part 2)

The teacher pay crisis in the Eastern Panhandle has a solution often proposed by our local legislators. It's locality pay. The idea is to pay teachers a wage that they can live in in the counties where it costs more to live. The state legislature can't or won't get it done.

We’re Teachers…We’re Drowning (Part 1)

It's almost common knowledge that teachers in West Virginia have it tough. Their pay is poor compared to neighboring states and there are too few of them. Teachers from the Berkeley County Schools sound off about uncredentialed teachers being hired while credentialed teachers leave the state.