The Koch brothers look to buy themselves another state
WV Senate President and gubernatorial candidate Bill Cole speaks at exclusive Koch gathering for high-rolling political donors
Metro News had the following headline in mid-December:
Cole: Upcoming Legislative session ‘zero’ about run for governor
As they reported:
With the session less than one month away and lawmakers prioritizing their agendas, Cole said his mission is all about “delivering a subsidized session for the taxpayers for . . .
Odors of ignorance
Mike Myer attacks the Charleston Gazette-Mail
Mike Myer's Sunday column, "There Is 'Odor of Ignorance,'" attacks the "big-city types" at the Charleston Gazette-Mail for what he argues is a bigoted editorial about the citizens of Tyler County and, in particular, School Board President Bonnie Henthorn, for her decision to home-school her children:
. . .
Posted in: mike myertyler county
Back on the front page: "Murray: Bankruptcy Possible if No Tax Cut"
A look at the severance tax cut proposal
Once again Robert Murray is back on the front page. On Thursday, he "demanded" a tax reduction (see three posts down); this time he argues that without a drop in the severance tax his company will face bankruptcy.
Half of the article is devoted to his explanation of the unfairness of WV's severance tax and the . . .
Posted in: coalmurray energyseverance tax
"Void, void Kiss My Ass, Bob"
You probably didn't know that the Murray Energy employee handbook has a policy against profanity
I wrote about this case back in July when this first broke. The story concerns two Marion County miners who returned bonus checks to Murray Energy and what they wrote on the backs of their checks. The International Business Times explains what happened:
Richard Harrison and Jesse Stolzenfels used to work at the West Virginia . . .
Posted in: murray energyumwa
Following the WV legislature 4
House of Delegates holds hearing on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Legalizing the freedom to discriminate?
In another action by the WV legislature not covered by our local "newspapers," the House of Delegates is considering a "religious freedom" bill. Yesterday they held hearings:
On Thursday morning, nearly 60 people spoke either for or against the West Virginia . . .
Intelligencer front-page story: "Murray Demands Tax Reduction"
Article, however, does not report whether he also stomped his feet and threatened to hold his breath until the severance tax was reduced
This morning's Intelligencer reports:
. . .Murray Energy CEO Robert E. Murray said paying $7.6 million in West Virginia severance taxes on New Year's Eve forced him to lay off 674 coal miners, so he's urging lawmakers to slash rates by more than half to "save what is left of its coal industry and jobs."
Posted in: coalmurray coalrobert murray
Following the WV legislature 3
This morning's "newspaper" did carry the AP article on the House of Delegates passage of a bill that eliminates the prevailing wage on public construction projects.
Since the AP didn't cover it, the Intelligencer didn't mention any additional legislation. According to the Charleston Gazette-Mail, however, the . . .
