Economy, jobs, and population retention
Republican House leaders set economic development and job creation as top 2026 priorities, while the treasurer tied tax and education policies to reversing population decline by attracting young people and families. Budget writers simultaneously kept spending flat despite a surplus.
What should be West Virginia’s top strategy to grow jobs and keep residents from leaving?
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Sources
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw — https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/12/09/house-speaker-says-economy-jobs-will-be-top-priority-for-wv-house-republicans-in-2026-session
their priorities for the upcoming 2026 regular session will be policies focused on economic development and job creation.
State Treasurer Larry Pack — https://wvtreasury.gov/About/Press-Releases/details/treasurer-pack-releases-2026-legislative-priorities
West Virginia has and will continue to have a population problem unless we do something about it. Therefore, we must do more in our power to attract young people and families to the state... prioritize policies that spur economic growth.
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- Invest heavily in public education, healthcare, housing, and transit to retain workers
- Combine workforce training and infrastructure with targeted incentives for new employers
- Balance modest business incentives with a flat budget and limited new programs
- Focus on tax cuts, deregulation, and letting private industry drive job growth
- Minimize government economic intervention beyond deep tax and regulatory cuts