BILLBOARD News Now
Backyard Brawl
(Editor’s Note: As a native West Virginian, the editorial in today’s The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register caught my eye. Back home “backyard brawl” refers to West Virginia playing Pitt in football. The newspaper’s connecting that with the state’s economy makes sense. Breaking protocol thought WV readers & neighbors outside the Wheeling circulation should have the benefit of this view.)
West Virginia is more than halfway through the first quarter of its “economic backyard brawl” against its neighboring states — and the score right now sits at 49-0.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who promised to get West Virginia more competitive with its neighboring states upon taking office in January, appears to need a new game plan to salvage this one.
This year alone, our neighboring states have seen the following developments to enhance their edge over West Virginia.
Consider:
– Pittsburgh, just an hour from Wheeling, will receive $90 billion in energy and artificial intelligence investments to bolster Western Pennsylvania as a high-tech hub. That’s worth two touchdowns, 14-0.
– The state of Ohio this year passed legislation to streamline income taxes heading into 2026. Starting next year, all Ohioans that make more than $26,050 will pay a flat tax of 2.75% on income. West Virginia continues to use a graduated tax system with high-end earners — those we need to attract here — paying 4.82% on income. Another two touchdowns: 28-0.
– Kentucky residents, as well, will pay less in taxes next year, with the state moving to a flat tax rate of 3.5% (currently 4%) on all income. That’s worth 14 points, 42-0.
– Virginia continues to grow in many ways, with the state home to 300 data centers. West Virginia, as of today, has none. Virginia also continues near the top of CNBC’s list of best states in which to do business. West Virginia currently ranks 40th. Now it’s 49-0.
So, how do the governor and the Legislature change the trajectory of this brawl the governor himself initiated? It can’t be through more legislative sessions such as the one earlier this year, in which lawmakers did little to nothing to move the state forward. Instead of considering tax reductions or other enhancements to attract businesses here, lawmakers instead focused on social issues including whether vaccines should be mandatory for all school children. Instead of creating an environment that fosters innovation, lawmakers instead wasted precious time during their 60 days on exerting more control over public education and the state’s higher education institutions. It’s no wonder we’re so far behind at the onset of Morrisey’s term.
To be fair, lawmakers did give the OK to legislation that will allow for data centers; while they create plenty of property tax revenue, they do little for jobs.
And that’s what West Virginia needs most right now: good-paying, family supporting jobs. Our population continues to dwindle. Fewer young adults have opportunities to stay here. That needs to be the focus for lawmakers and the governor: creating a regulatory and taxing environment in which businesses will want to locate here. That will solve nearly all the state’s problems.
As it stands today, though, there’s little on the horizon to suggest anything will change. If our goal truly is to win the “economic backyard brawl,” then we have mountains to climb, as right now we’re not even competing. If that doesn’t change — and fast — then West Virginia will continue to fall further behind its neighboring states.
How we’ve gotten to this point doesn’t matter. We need leaders willing to do the things necessary for West Virginia to have a future. Today, it appears we don’t have that level of leadership. That must change.
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