West Virginia editorial roundup

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Recent editorials from West Virginia newspapers:

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Dec. 27

The Charleston Gazette-Mail on oversight of West Virginia’s state-supported colleges and universities:

Long ago, West Virginia’s state-supported colleges and universities mostly operated independently, each lobbying the Legislature for more tax money. The state Department of Education supposedly governed all schools except West Virginia University, which had its own board. But in 1969, an all-encompassing Board of Regents was created, allegedly to streamline higher education in the Mountain State.

Politicians promised that the Regents would consolidate some schools, eliminate others, reduce education bureaucracy and save public funds.

But none of those improvements occurred. Instead, the Regents became just another layer of state bureaucracy, spending millions of tax dollars and accomplishing little. Chancellor Leon Ginsberg was fired in a 1986 political coup, and he denounced the Regents as useless.

In 1989, the Legislature split the Regents into two boards, one for larger schools and one for smaller. In 2000, lawmakers reshuffled bureaucracy again, creating the Higher Education Policy Commission — and later splitting off the Council for Community and Technical College Education.

This year, a legislative audit essentially found that both the latter bodies are worthless. They spend $3.5 million yearly but “do not provide oversight or accountability,” the report said. It added that they merely rubber-stamp tuition increase requests and do little to govern higher education.

Now a right-wing think-tank linked to the Koch brothers has joined the attack, saying the HEPC and CCTCE should be abolished.

However, HEPC Chancellor Paul Hill told reporter Jake Jarvis: “Our agency is a great bargain that provides a huge return on the state’s investment.” He said HEPC staff members bring colleges millions in grants, and also provide legal, financial and personnel services.

Could those benefits be acquired, even if the two agencies didn’t exist? When the new Legislature convenes next month, education committees should make an in-depth study to decide whether the two bureaucracies are worth keeping.

Online:

https://www.wvgazettemail.com

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Dec. 26

The Herald-Dispatch on West Virginia’s dwindling population:

There are some good things about declining population.

Shorter lines at restaurants on Friday night and less congestion on Interstate 64, come to mind, but it is a short list.

Generally, the 2016 Census estimate that shows West Virginia has lost population for the fourth year in a row is bad news with a capital B. It also puts an exclamation point on the big challenge facing Gov.-elect Jim Justice and the state’s legislative leadership in the coming years growing the Mountain State’s economy and job opportunities, especially for young people.

West Virginia was one only a handful of states that lost population between 2015 and 2016, dropping about 10,000 residents to a population of 1,831,102. Since the 2010 Census, the state has lost 23,000 people, about a 1.2 percent loss. The only other states that have posted a decline over the decade are Illinois, Connecticut and Vermont, and West Virginia’s was by far the sharpest.

That means fewer people working, fewer people shopping at our stores, and, ultimately, fewer people to share tax burdens and social costs the state faces.

States gain or lose population in two ways, demographers say. The first is “natural” growth or the number of children born compared to the number of people who die. The second is migration or the number of people who move in versus the number who move out.

Sadly, West Virginia in recent years has been losing ground on both fronts. Deaths outnumber births, and those leaving outnumber those coming in.

So, strategies to help young West Virginians build careers and families in the state need to be a top priority for state leaders. That should include better preparing students and young workers for the job opportunities already available in the state.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s “My State, My Life” program was a good start, informing students about growing job areas and showing what education would be needed to get those jobs. That program needs to be expanded because too many promising high school students have already made up their mind that they will have to leave the state to build a career.

Creating the best possible climate for entrepreneurs and startup businesses should be another important goal. With his business background, Justice should be the man for that job.

The recent population losses are really nothing new. For almost a century, the state’s population has gained or lost on the ups and downs of the coal industry. But the net result is that West Virginia is the only state that has less population than it had in 1950.

Efforts to stabilize coal industry employment are critical, but that will not be enough. State leaders need to nurture a truly diversified economy to create a different future for West Virginia.

Online:

https://www.herald-dispatch.com

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Dec. 28

The Inter-Mountain on probe into funding for new drug addiction treatment center:

If state officials had an unlimited pot of money to spend, one of the first checks they would write would be one to fund new drug addiction treatment centers. West Virginia simply does not have the resources to provide enough help to addicts.

So when state officials are able to scrape up a few dollars for addiction treatment, they need to make it count.

It did not in Mount Hope.

In February, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced a $501,100 grant for an initiative in the Fayette County community. The money was part of a $1.5 million package of grants for Open Minds Recovery Services. Funding was aimed at providing more substance abuse treatment.

Open Minds was supposed to open in August. It still hasn’t opened.

State officials said last week they are investigating what happened to taxpayers’ money given to Open Minds.

Answers had better be forthcoming very, very soon. If it is learned the money was misspent, officials should demand the state be reimbursed.

Drug pushers victimize people who are addicted to substances such as heroin. Is that worse than victimizing taxpayers eager to help the addicts?

Online:

https://www.theintermountain.com