Policy experts said West Virginia needs to rethink how it attracts and keeps residents if it wants a thriving economy.
The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy reported the state has seen the largest population decline in the U.S. over the past five years, at nearly 1.5%. The center is urging elected officials to focus less on tax cuts and more on services, which could make the state a more attractive place to live.
Sean O'Leary, senior policy analyst for the center, said officials are trying too hard to lure people to West Virginia through tax policy, while not doing enough to address the everyday issues influencing where people choose to live.
“A big thing is childcare,” O’Leary emphasized. “We hear all the time about what a problem childcare is for people working. If West Virginia were to have some sort of universal childcare program, that would be a big improvement.”
O’Leary argued stronger investments in education and health care could be selling points.
This spring, the governor’s office touted a new $230 million tax cut it said will ensure West Virginia remains the most competitive state in the region. By aligning the state tax code with federal changes, the governor’s office said the law has other benefits, including increased limits for childcare flexible spending accounts.
O’Leary warned maintaining a tax-cut mindset as the population continues to decline could lead to reduced services and infrastructure for the people who still call West Virginia home.
“We’re not investing in growing, we’re cutting," O’Leary pointed out. "Cutting is not leading to growth.”
He stressed policymakers need to focus on the reasons people often move when trying to solve population loss.
“Most people move from one state to another because of a new job, they’re transferred from their job, family considerations, they want better schools,” O’Leary observed.
The center reported while West Virginia’s birth rate has held steady, its death rate has gone up. It showed an aging population with low life expectancy is driving recent trends. Only eight of West Virginia’s 55 counties have experienced population growth since 2020.
Source: Public News Service
