Governor Jim Justice Story Archives - Page 2 of 5 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

DHHR Split Bill Signed By Governor

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources is now officially becoming three separate agencies after Gov. Jim Justice signed House Bill 2006 into law Monday.

There will now be a Department of Human Services for programs like Child Protective Services, a Department of Health and a Department of Health Facilities for facilities like state run hospitals. Each agency will also have its own secretary to lead the agency.

“With the governor’s signature on House Bill 2006, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources is ready to implement and uphold the intent of the West Virginia Legislature,” Interim DHHR Cabinet Secretary Dr. Jeffrey H. Coben said. “Under the direction of Gov. Justice, we will work to ensure a seamless transition to a new organizational structure over the course of this next year. DHHR leadership and our dedicated staff look forward to working with all stakeholders to optimize the functions and services we provide to West Virginians.”

The DHHR has long been troubled but has come under fire in recent years for staffing shortages and other problems, compromising the care provided to children in the foster care system or those living in state hospitals.

The legislature attempted to split the agency up last year, but that bill was vetoed by Justice. After a number of interim legislative committee meetings, and the resignation of then Secretary Bill Crouch in December, the push picked up steam.

The overall agency has a collective budget of $7.5 billion, although much of that money is from Medicaid.

The bill takes effect in May, but the new departments are set to be in place by Jan. 1, 2024.

Amid State Of Emergency, Floodwaters Force Some W.Va. Students To Spend Night At School

Students spent the night at their West Virginia high school after floodwaters prevented buses from bringing them home, authorities said. Gov. Jim Justice declared a State of Emergency for all of West Virginia’s 55 counties Thursday over concerns from heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.

Updated on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.

Students spent the night at their West Virginia high school after floodwaters prevented buses from bringing them home, authorities said.

Lincoln County school officials notified parents about the unusual step Thursday night.

“At this point, students are resting and tucked in for the night,” the school district said in a notice posted on its Facebook page and county school district website shortly before midnight.

Initially, schools in Lincoln County were dismissed two hours early on Thursday because of high water. But many roads became impassable, forcing the high schoolers to remain in their building.

Students were given cots, blankets and pillows, and other supplies were being gathered through community members, stores and churches, the statement said. School and central office staff provided supervision. The district did allow parents who could drive to the school on their own to pick up their child. School officials said they would feed the students breakfast Friday and then bring them home.

Classes were called off in Lincoln County and at least eight other counties Friday after storms dumped nearly 3 inches (8 centimeters) of rain in some places. In Kanawha County, the state’s largest, school bus routes were changed or closed because of flooded roads Friday.

Flood warnings continued Friday in several counties in southern and central West Virginia. Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency as the storms rolled through Thursday.

Justice Declares State Of Emergency For W.Va.

Gov. Jim Justice has declared a State of Emergency for all of West Virginia’s 55 counties over concerns from Thursday’s heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.

Creeks and streams have spilled over and roads are closed in numerous counties due to high water and mudslides.

The latest National Weather Service forecast predicts thunderstorms with heavy rains and strong winds across the majority of the state through late Thursday night and into early Friday morning.

Justice has directed the West Virginia Emergency Management Division (EMD) to implement the West Virginia Emergency Operations Plan as it relates to flood response. EMD is in contact with local offices of emergency management and state agency partners to assist and respond when help is needed.

The State of Emergency will remain in effect for 30 days, unless terminated by subsequent proclamation.

Click here to view the State of Emergency.

Tax Reform Roundtable Brings Out Conservative Big Hitters

Gov. Jim Justice continued to push for tax reform Monday in a roundtable that featured two of the country’s top conservative tax policy influencers.

In his opening remarks the governor drew attention to the crowd size.

“There’s an awful lot of you out there, I hope you don’t have any eggs or rocks,” he said.

Justice was joined at the West Virginia Culture Center by Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and Stephen Moore with The Heritage Foundation.

The nearly all male roundtable also featured Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, and local business leaders.

A few of those business stakeholders included Charleston Chick-Fil-A owner Tom Minturn; president of Ashbrooke Express Mart, Joseph Moser; and Kristin Anderson, a former swimming coach and “wife and mother” from the Kanawha Valley area.

“I’ve seen too many friends and family members choose to leave the state for opportunities and so I think anything we can do to make this you know, make our economy competitive, make this a desirable place to live, work and raise a family,” Anderson said. “Once people get here. They won’t leave.”

Justice has been promoting a reduction in the personal income tax since last year. His tax plan, approved by the House at the start of the 2023 legislative session calls for a 50 percent personal income tax cut beginning with a 30 percent phased-in cut starting in June. This would be followed by two 10 percent tax cuts in 2024 and 2025. It includes a $700 million fund to cover a possible financial downturn.

The House of Delegates early in the legislative session passed a bill similar to the governor’s recommendation. The Senate has since passed a separate bill with small reductions as well as tax credits.

Norquist said moving quickly to bring the rates down to zero over time is key. He cited North Carolina, which he said has “taken their income tax rate down dramatically” over the last 12 years.

“There’s not much of a difference between six years and seven years. Get it done, get it done right and bring the rates down to zero over time,” Norquist said. “The most successful states have done it with triggers, where revenue comes in above a planned spending level. So half of that money or two thirds of that increase goes straight into reducing the income tax permanently.”

Norquist described it as a march to zero.

“There are a number of states doing it. West Virginia can be in the lead, acting this year,” he said. “And I just urge you to look towards a flat rate, look toward zero, and make it clear that that’s where you’re going over time so that people making investments deciding to move here decide to stay here know that that’s what’s coming.

Stephen Moore said the state’s economic viability depends on what he called three “critical” factors: the right to work, schools of choice, and zeroing out the income tax.

“That’s an enormous stimulus to the families of West Virginia but also to the economy,” he said.

Both Blair and Hanshaw talked about tax reform under consideration in the legislature. Blair said he was concerned about how going to zero tax income would change the metrics on how the state’s reciprocity agreement with other states works.

Blair is talking about West Virginia’s reciprocal agreements with Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Any West Virginia resident who works in one of those states, must file for a refund from that state if their employer withheld the other state’s income tax.

“We will make it so that the people working in West Virginia will be zero, but they could actually end up paying more taxes than what they currently would have been in the state if the reciprocity agreement goes away.”

“And that reciprocity agreement is real. These other states that need it because the other states around them came up that way and they were able to manage accordingly.”

Dr. Joshua Baker, president of Mount West Community and Technical College in Huntington, told the panel he’s heard from site selectors and companies concerned about “available workforce” as well as about taxes.

“I think we’re in a very interesting time period where people, mostly because of remote work but also because of some socio-political issues that people are looking to relocate and we are on the map,” Baker said. “And the package that we put together, which absolutely includes taxes, is a critical element as they decide where they’re going to move.”

Charleston Chick-Fil-A owner Tom Minturn returned to West Virginia 12 years ago to open up his business which now includes about 250 team members.

“We talk a lot about prosperity, and we do some financial counseling coaching with them to be able to help them but to be able to provide this for them would be amazing,” he said.

Gov. Justice Tests Positive For COVID-19

Late Tuesday, upon the sudden onset of symptoms, Gov. Jim Justice immediately sought a COVID-19 test, and it came back positive.

Justice, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, is experiencing mild symptoms and is isolating at home. He is being treated by several physicians, including his family physician Dr. Gary Poling, and Dr. Clay Marsh, the state COVID-19 Czar. Everyone the governor has been in close contact with over the past few days is being notified.

Justice is in communication with his chief of staff and office staff to ensure that state government continues to operate smoothly.

Justice also tested positive for COVID-19 in January 2022.

NAACP And Partners Respond To Governor’s Flat Budget Proposal

The morning after his seventh State of the State address, advocacy groups gathered at the capitol to voice concerns about Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed flat budget.

The West Virginia Education Association partnered with the Charleston chapter of the NAACP and several other West Virginia-based advocacy groups to hold a press conference Thursday morning. Speakers discussed their concerns about the repercussions a flat budget could cause for West Virginians, particularly children, working families and communities of color.

“So our message today is that our children are counting on lawmakers and the governor to set forth a path that helps children thrive and helps families thrive,” said Jim McKay, state coordinator of Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia. “And unfortunately, we’ve seen that despite how many families in every corner of the state who are struggling, lawmakers are not proposing programs to help meet their needs.”

McKay noted the expense of child care as a contributing factor to the struggle of many in the state.

“What we didn’t hear was anything (in the budget) about children after they’re born until they enter school,” McKay said. “And so for our organization, we really want to prioritize the needs of young children, help value moms and dads and by doing that, then children are going to have their best chance of success in school and in life.”

Darryl Clausell is the President of the NAACP of Charleston. He urged legislators to prioritize the needs of West Virginians when passing the budget.

“One, we have to quit playing cookie cutter politics, or party politics. Get to the real issues that affect West Virginians, you know, not legislation to follow a stream of what other states are doing, but it doesn’t really benefit us in West Virginia,” Clausell said. “Let’s not rob Peter to pay Paul, to eliminate one segment of our state income means we’re going to have to have trade offs and make it somewhere else.”

Clausell, McKay and other advocates asked for transparency in budget-making from lawmakers this session, in order to build a budget that works for all West Virginians.

Rebar Manufacturing Facility Coming To Eastern Panhandle

Commercial Metals Company (CMC) is planning to set up a new, state of the art micro mill in Berkeley County. The facility will manufacture reinforcing steel, also known as rebar, from scrap metal.

Commercial Metals Company (CMC) is planning to set up a new, state of the art micro mill in Berkeley County. The facility will manufacture reinforcing steel, also known as rebar, from scrap metal using green technologies and renewable energy.

Gov. Jim Justice made the announcement in Charleston and said the company plans to invest $450 million dollars in the facility which will be fully operational in late 2025.

Barbara Smith, the company’s CEO joined Justice on stage at the Culture Center to make the announcement.

“At CMC, we like to say that we build the world every day,” she said. “The concrete reinforcing steel or rebar that this mill will produce is used to reinforce and strengthen everything in your daily life from roads, bridges, the building, we’re standing in schools, hospitals, homes, you name it. The people of West Virginia will make the steel that builds America.”

CMC turns scrap into new, sustainable steel products by recycling more than 19 billion pounds of metal each year. The new facility in the Eastern Panhandle is expected to have the capacity to produce 500,000 tons of straight-length rebar and a premium spooled rebar. Spooled rebar boasts less waste, increased productivity and improved safety.

“I am thrilled to welcome Commercial Metals Company to West Virginia,” Justice said. “We’re honored that CMC selected our great state as the home for this state-of-the-art facility, set to be one of the most environmentally friendly steelmaking operations in the world. The Mountain State has a proud history in the steel industry and this investment is yet another example of West Virginia welcoming this industry into our state.”

Justice noted the company will employ 230 West Virginians making $76,000 a year.

CMC created the world’s first successfully operating micro mill – a plant with a smaller footprint that uses energy more efficiently than traditional mills. The Berkeley County plant will be the company’s fourth. The micro mill uses an electric arc furnace (EAF) to turn recycled steel into new finished products instead of the traditional blast furnace. They also use 100 percent recycled scrap metal.

“CMC will be a tremendous asset to West Virginia, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the Mountain State,” West Virginia Secretary of Economic Development Mitch Carmichael said. “There’s no doubt that West Virginia is the best place for this micro mill.”