Issue Position: Jobs and the Economy

Issue Position

Even more so than in the past, it's critically important to strengthen and expand the state economy now. Workforce participation in West Virginia is among the lowest in the country, coal severance taxes have declined significantly, and the state budget is in deep trouble. Basic government services that we expect and deserve are in jeopardy. We need to experiment with a variety of approaches to create jobs that build upon our strengths and our natural assets. Small businesses and entrepreneurs will play a large role in growing middle-class wages. With solid state policies, new energy opportunities will grow significantly in the future for coal, oil and gas, solar, and wind. Our high-technology, tourism, and agriculture sectors are also poised to grow and create jobs.

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