OP-ED: Steve Roberts: WV must address growth, education and child care
March 22, 2025
Recent floods have caused significant damage to homes, businesses, bridges and roadways in several West Virginia communities. These floods remind us of the challenges faced by many of our fellow citizens and highlight fundamental issues facing our state and its people. A path forward is necessary to provide hope and opportunity for all. We must focus on critical areas such as economic development, education and childcare to build a strong, sustainable future. West Virginia has recently experienced troubling setbacks. Many will be surprised to learn that we lost jobs in important sectors last year, and that the state has fewer jobs now than in 2019. As the West Virginia Legislature passes the halfway mark of this year’s regular session, it is crucial that we act to reverse this trend and support policies that will create jobs and opportunity for all West Virginians.
We at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce express our gratitude to legislators for their service and commitment to our state. Whether native or new to West Virginia, we share the same goal: to make our state the best it can be. This legislative session represents a key opportunity to take meaningful steps toward achieving that goal.
The education numbers paint a stark picture: West Virginia ranks 48th and 49th in the nation for reading and math achievement, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Our students deserve better, and it’s time to demand more from our educational system. The status quo is no longer acceptable. We must raise the bar for educating our children.
To do this, we must prioritize accountability, transparency and a culture of high expectations in our schools. Bills such as HB 2897, which would allow the legislative auditor to conduct periodic audits
of the Department of Education, and HB 3446, which requires guidance counselors to help students submit their FAFSA before graduation, are steps in the right direction.
Perhaps no issue is more urgent than the lack of affordable and accessible child care. The average cost of child care in West Virginia is $800 per month per child — an impossible burden for many
families. Coupled with the scarcity of available child care in many areas, parents are often forced to make a difficult choice: continue working and sacrifice time with their children or leave the workforce
altogether.
For employers, this issue is just as critical. More than three-quarters of West Virginia Chamber members say the lack of child care is a key obstacle in attracting and retaining talent. By investing in
child care, we not only support families but also strengthen our workforce and set West Virginia up for long-term success.
The Chamber supports legislative efforts like HB 3239 and HB 2730, which expand access to affordable child care, and HB 2780, which would extend state subsidies to employees of licensed child care centers, regardless of income. Additionally, initiatives like HB 2605, which enhances tax credits for employers who establish child care facilities, and HB 2641, which provides tax credits for employers who continue to operate child care facilities, are crucial for creating a sustainable, family-friendly workforce.
Another important issue facing employers in West Virginia is the burden of high business taxes. According to the Council on State Taxation’s State and Local Business Taxes Report, West Virginia ranks eighth in the nation for the percentage of tax paid by businesses to the state.
This is not just about making West Virginia a more attractive place to do business — it’s about setting our state up for long-term prosperity. States surrounding us have lower business tax rates, and we need to make our state more competitive. The Chamber supports initiatives like the business tax reductions in HB 3293 and the elimination of the business inventory tax in SJR 6. To create jobs, we must make our state more appealing to job creators. The competition is real, and businesses will migrate to where they can thrive.
The challenges facing West Virginia are significant, but they are not insurmountable. As the Legislature moves into the final weeks of this session, we must consider the long-term impact of the decisions being made. After all, we all share the same goal: a stronger, brighter future for our state and the opportunity to overcome challenges, like those brought on by the recent floods.
Steve Roberts is president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce
As seen in The Charleston Gazette-Mail, The Herald Dispatch, The Intelligencer and The Journal