West Virginia is rich in natural resources and talent, but also the poorest amidst all our surrounding States.
Even worse, West Virginia ranks last or close to last in the United States regarding just about every indicator of jobs and prosperity.
Sadly, we also are near the top in the amount of per capita taxation and government intrusion into all of our lives.
Mississippi usually gives West Virginia a run for our money in the dead last category of jobs and prosperity, but even these "good ol' boys" recently have begun to see the error of their ways.
West Virginia's wrong-headed taxation of groceries and home heating fuel are just two examples of regressive and wrong tax policies.
The West Virginia personal property taxes on family cars and the lower gasoline taxes by our neighbors Virginia and Maryland are two more examples of how West Virginia drives folks to flee across our borders.
The recently passed expansion of our "toll road" system by the West Virginia Legislature has created an additional slippery slope of more unfair and geographically biased taxation. It has the potential of doing much more harm than good. Sadly, this new toll road system also effectively shuts out our affected local communities and citizens from having much of a say regarding how all of this will impact us.
For a detailed and further analysis of why West Virginia taxes should both be restructured and reduced, read "Unleashing Capitalism: Why Prosperity Stops at the West Virginia Border and How to Fix It". You can order a copy at Amazon.