‘Rural By Design’ Planning Can Benefit West Virginia Communities

April 12, 2010

The Mineral County Chamber of Commerce recently asked me to address this question:  “How do you keep the county’s rural design in place while also planning future growth?”
“Rural by Design” is a concept that seeks to preserve the positive qualities associated with rural areas while carefully planning for future growth.
This requires active involvement from local [...]

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West Virginia Legislature Approves Several Development Measures

March 19, 2010

While some have intimated the 2010 legislative session was lackluster, several bills passed relating to development.
Given the pressing need to jump start West Virginia’s economic recovery, the below eight bills were approved by the Senate and House of Delegates. Together, these measures address a range of economic issues and represent a good start.
The below descriptions [...]

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West Virginia Senate Advances Economic Development Initiatives

February 25, 2010

Although budget issues have garnered much of the attention during the 2010 legislative session, there has also been a concerted effort to jump start West Virginia’s economy.
The Senate Economic Development Committee has passed several important bills. The following three measures are now moving on the Senate floor:

Senate Bill 235 – Establishing Creative Communities Development Act.

SB [...]

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Tech Park Must Be Preserved to Expand Innovation in West Virginia

February 16, 2010

It’s critical that the  South Charleston Technology Park be maintained, as the economic benefits span the Kanawha Valley and across West Virginia. These fully outfitted laboratory buildings, pilot plants and infrastructure offer a working research park unique to the Mid-Atlantic region.
Losing them would stifle the region’s ability to develop and commercialize emerging technologies. Instead, furthering [...]

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The Downturn: An Ideal Time to Forge West Virginia’s Economy

February 2, 2010

Difficult circumstances can make or break people, businesses, and governments. On the other hand, they can serve as a catalyst for innovative thoughts and actions.
This month’s State Legislatures magazine includes a story entitled “State of Business: Lawmakers Need a Strategy to Create a Robust Economic Environment During Hard Times.”
To quote from Kenneth Poole’s article: “Today’s [...]

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A ‘Do-It-Yourself’ Approach to Economic Development in West Virginia

January 29, 2010

West Virginia’s economic development efforts have traditionally focused on bringing large scale manufacturing projects into the state. Though such initiatives are worthwhile, we can’t overlook the importance of cultivating small-businesses and entrepreneurship.
“The Next Industrial Revolution” was recently explored by Wired magazine. Technology and methods of production have advanced significantly, the article contends, allowing start-up companies [...]

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Fostering Creative Communities and Intellectual Capital in West Virginia

January 21, 2010

In order to expand West Virginia’s economic capacity, two elements are particularly critical: We must have vibrant communities and innovative minds that cultivate entrepreneurship.
Fortunately, an increasing number of people have committed to helping communities grow and reversing the “brain drain” phenomenon. To address these matters, two pieces of legislation were introduced today.
Creative Communities Development Act
Senate [...]

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Let’s Continue to Explore Consolidated Government in Kanawha County

December 18, 2009

Major policy decisions are often preceded by significant study and deliberation. The more important the issue, the longer the process can take. Over the course of my term as a state senator, I’ve observed many advantages of democracy in action, but unfortunately speed is not always one of them.
This reality can be observed in Kanawha [...]

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21st Century Jobs Cabinet of West Virginia Proposes Significant Educational Reform

December 11, 2009

Enhancing the state’s quality of education is of utmost importance. To do so, we must evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of our education system. The 21st Century Jobs Cabinet of West Virginia was created for this purpose.
As a member of the jobs cabinet, I was assigned to its subcommittee on teacher recruitment, hiring, and retention. [...]

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West Virginia Senate Work Group to Study OPEB Unfunded Liability

December 4, 2009

The least glamorous legislative issues are sometimes the most important, and the state’s unfunded Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) is a good example.
In a nutshell, by funding 70% of health care coverage for retirees, the state has over-extended itself, because such costs are not fixed and continue to rise significantly over time, a phenomenon that [...]

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