Government Story Archives - Page 6 of 1196 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Greenbrier Employees Continue To Have Health Insurance For Now

Greenbrier Hotel employees were notified Monday that they may lose their health care coverage at the end of August. But, according to union leaders, they will maintain their health care coverage for now.

The Greenbrier, owned by Gov. Jim Justice and his family, is four months delinquent in payments to its employees’ health insurance company, according to the Amalgamated National Health Fund.

The company said without payment it would stop providing coverage to the Greenbrier’s employees. The announcement was made as the iconic hotel faced imminent foreclosure.

Leaders from the Greenbrier Council of Labor Unions (GCLU) told West Virginia Public Broadcasting that due to the recently canceled foreclosure of the Greenbrier, employees will maintain their health care coverage for now.

“The Amalgamated National Health Fund will continue to provide health care benefits through Aug. 31st to the employees represented by the GCLU,” said a Greenbrier Council of Labor Unions press release.

This is despite the Greenbrier’s continued delinquencies that the union group said is “factual, tangible, and documented.”

GCLU said it demands that the Greenbrier come to an agreement with the health insurance company to settle its delinquencies so that employees continue receiving coverage in the future.

Justice Agreement Avoids Greenbrier Auction, For Now

The Greenbrier Hotel, Owned by Gov. Jim Justice and his family, was slated to be auctioned early next week. However, the Justice family reached an agreement with one of his creditors to halt the sale — at least until October.

After weeks of uncertainty facing the Greenbrier, the Justice family has reached an agreement with Beltway Capital, the parent company of McCormick 101, which was responsible for foreclosing on the Greenbrier.

The Justice family owed $40.2 million on a loan for the property and had fallen behind on payments since the loan was taken out.

Justice says his original lender, JP Morgan Chase, sold the loan to Beltway Capital because of political motivations – he is a Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in November and is heavily favored to win.

“When it’s all said and done, you know, what we’ve done is we’ve acquired those funds,” he said. “It’s going to cost our family a bunch of money.”

Justice has not provided evidence of political interference. JP Morgan Chase had a loan that was in default, and had no clear benefit to Justice losing the election.

The family is still delinquent on another $36 million loan taken out for the Greenbrier with a Louisiana bank. That loan has been in default since December, and the Justices are millions of dollars behind on payments.

Greenbrier employees were notified on Monday that they will lose their health insurance next week due to the Greenbrier Hotel Corporation being four months delinquent on premium payments.

However, if the Greenbrier makes a timely payment, employees could hold on to their insurance, according to a letter on behalf of the health insurance company.

Their situation is unrelated to Justice’s loan delinquencies.

Justice Would Split Time Residing In DC, W.Va. As US Senator

Justice says he plans to keep his residency in the Greenbrier County city of Lewisburg. But he also shared plans to locate an additional residence in Washington.

Gov. Jim Justice says he would split his time residing in West Virginia and the nation’s capital if elected to the United States Senate this November.

Justice has come under fire in the past for not living in the West Virginia governor’s mansion as required under the state constitution.

During a virtual press briefing Wednesday, the governor said he would retain his current home in the Greenbrier County city of Lewisburg, but also acquire somewhere to live in Washington, D.C.

“Absolutely I’ll have a place in D.C., and I’ll have my residence at Dwyer Lane,” he said.

U.S. senators must officially reside in the states they represent upon election.

Traditionally, lawmakers obtain lodging closer to the nation’s capital for work. But a growing number of lawmakers avoid staying in the capitol longer than necessary for work.

As the Republican nominee in a heavily red state, Justice is the current frontrunner to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Senate. This fall’s general election will be held Nov. 5.

His bid for federal office comes after long-time incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., announced last November he would not seek reelection, citing frustrations over an increasing partisan divide in Washington.

During the state’s primary election in May, Justice won his place on the Republican ticket handily, securing more than 60 percent of the vote.

Jim Justice’s Children File Complaint Against Sale Of Greenbrier

Gov. Jim Justice’s children have filed a complaint in Greenbrier County Circuit Court in an attempt to halt the sale of the Greenbrier Hotel.

The hotel is currently scheduled to be sold next week.

Gov. Jim Justice’s children have filed a complaint in Greenbrier County Circuit Court in an attempt to halt the sale of the Greenbrier Hotel.

The hotel is currently scheduled to be sold next week.

Jill and James Justice say that the sale of the Greenbrier to a “cutthroat” debt collector was politically motivated and would cause economic harm to the region.

The complaint says aside from the motivations and effects of the sale of the property, there are three “fatal” legal defects in the foreclosure. The first two alleged defects are technical. They take issue with the way the public was notified for the sale, and who approved the latest deed of trust.

The third alleged flaw says that JP Morgan Chase, the original lender, went back on its word.

The Justices say that they had verbal agreements with Chase that if they sold some of their cottages at the Greenbrier resort and sold or refinanced the Glade Springs Resort by Sept. 30 and put that money towards the delinquent debt that they would avoid foreclosure.

They also claim they had a verbal agreement with Chase representatives for forbearance, which would allow them to temporarily stop making payments or make smaller payments.

“(Greenbrier Hotel Corporation, Jay Justice and Jill Justice) seek a declaratory judgment that the sale cannot proceed, a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, and ultimately a permanent injunction enjoying it,” the Justices said in the complaint.

The original loan was for $142 million. The terms of that loan have been revised since it was first taken by the Justices in 2014 according to a Chase court filing to New York’s Supreme Court.

In April, Chase sent out a formal letter putting the Justices on notice of the delinquent status of its loan.

“By giving notice contained herein, you should not in any way anticipate that any other notice not expressly required under the loan documents and the sixth amended forbearance agreement,” the April letter from Chase to the Justices said.

The Justices say that the sale of the property would likely have a negative impact on the economy of Greenbrier County, and a significant loss in jobs.

The complaint states that the resort employs 2,000 people during peak season.

Greenbrier employees received notice on Monday that they may lose their healthcare coverage, for reasons not directly related to the foreclosure of the Greenbrier. The Hotel is four months, and millions of dollars behind on payments. The Insurer said in a letter that even the money that the hotel had taken out of its employees checks for healthcare coverage had not been paid to the health care insurer.

They also contend that the sale of the debt to the debt collector was politically motivated, pointing out that if Jim Justice wins the U.S. Senate race in November, he could give the Republican Party majority control of the chamber.

Chase however is on the hook for millions of dollars in missed payments, and has no clear benefit in Justice losing the election.

“Less than seven weeks after his nomination, and after 14 years of doing business with Justice, JPMC with no notice or warning sold Justices loan to McCormick,” the complaint said.

McCormick 101, a Maryland debt collecting firm, currently owns the deed of trust to the property. Chase sold the debt and the deed of trust to the Greenbrier hotel after the Justices had defaulted on the loan.

The deed of trust is only to the hotel, and not to much of the property that surrounds the hotels including the separate cottages, the golf course- and part of the parking areas. The Justices says this uncoupling would render both halves inoperable.

“The sale would leave the Greenbrier without a place to park guests’ vehicles during its busy peak season. And all guests use water; the loss of the Greenbrier’s water supply would leave it unable to operate at all,” the Justices said in the complaint.

Greenbrier Employees Told They May Lose Health Insurance

The letter alleged that the Greenbrier has continued to deduct money from employee paychecks for health insurance, but that money hasn’t gone to the Health Fund. Now the health care company says if a payment is not made, it will stop providing coverage to all the Greenbrier’s employees.

Greenbrier Hotel employees were notified Monday that they may be losing their health care coverage next week due to nonpayment- even though they have been paying for it out of their checks.

According to a letter sent by a firm representing the health care company, the Greenbrier, owned by Gov. Jim Justice and his family, is four months delinquent in its contributions to the Health Fund. The firm is Schulte, Roth and Zabel’s division based out of New York.

“[The Greenbrier Owes] approximately $2.4 million in delinquent contributions with an additional $1.2 million in contributions currently, or soon to be,” the letter from Schulte, Roth and Zabel said.

The letter was addressed to the hotel, multiple labor unions, and the company’s CFO – who is also Justice’s son in law.

It alleged that the Greenbrier has continued to deduct money from employee paychecks for health insurance, but that money hasn’t gone to the Health Fund. Now the health care company says if a payment is not made, it will stop providing coverage to all the Greenbrier’s employees.

“If payment is not timely made, the Health Fund will suspend health and welfare coverage to all of the Greenbrier’s covered employees,” the letter said.

Peter Bostic, Chairperson of the Greenbrier Council of Labor Unions, says unions are pursuing every legal option available to seek a resolution for the Greenbrier employees.

“Greenbrier delinquency has put our members’ healthcare benefits in severe jeopardy and is morally and legally wrong. Our members have met their obligation by working hard every day and paying their portion to the Greenbrier,” Bostic said in a statement.

The Greenbrier is scheduled to be sold on the Greenbrier County courthouse steps next week to settle a delinquent loan.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting reached out to the Greenbrier Hotel Corporation, The CFO and Treasurer Adam C. Long, and the Firm Schulte, Roth and Zabel about this story. None of those entities has responded.

State Officials Certify 4 Percent Tax Cut For 2025

This week, state officials certified a 4 percent reduction to West Virginia’s personal income taxes, effective Jan. 1. The reduction was anticipated for weeks, but became official Thursday.

Next year, West Virginia residents will see a smaller portion of their paychecks go toward taxes.

The state officially granted a 4 percent reduction to its personal income tax, effective January 1, 2025. The tax cut was certified Thursday by State Auditor J.B. McCuskey and Larry Pack, acting secretary of the West Virginia Department of Revenue.

The certification follows an early July announcement from Gov. Jim Justice that the state anticipated a reduction to personal income taxes. This was credited to a 2023 law, which automatically triggers income tax cuts when the state revenue surpasses figures from 2019, adjusted for inflation.

Justice has repeatedly expressed a desire to see state income taxes eliminated outright and has described the cuts as a way to support consumers and attract businesses and residents to West Virginia. In 2023, he signed into law a 21 percent reduction in state income taxes, the largest cut in state history.

Some elected officials and economic analysts have expressed concern that reducing taxes could hurt state services like Medicaid and public education by reducing their access to funding.

Still, Justice, McCuskey and Pack described the latest round of cuts as a win for everyday West Virginians.

“While it won’t happen during my time as your governor, our state is on a pathway to eliminating its personal income tax. So, let’s keep the ball rolling in the same direction,” Justice said in a Thursday press release. “Getting rid of the personal income tax will bring more goodness and more people to our beautiful state.”