Jim Justice in 2021 Governor's State of the State speeches
On Budget & Economy:
$30 to 50 million to entice business to West Virginia
I would ask you to establish buckets. I'm really big into buckets because I believe when you put something in that bucket, it stays there. I'd ask you to tab a flat, no growth budget in the State of West Virginia for the next three years. I would also
ask you to put $30 to 50 million in a bucket that basically we use to entice businesses to close and to come and bring their employment to West Virginia. And the other bucket that I would like you to establish is an additional rainy day fund.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature
Feb 10, 2021
On Drugs:
Partnership to bring prevention programs to all schools
In conjunction with the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute has established a partnership, now get this, with the world renowned
Hazelden-Betty Ford Foundation to bring evidence based prevention programs for opioid and substance abuse to all students in West Virginia schools. It is unbelievable.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature
Feb 10, 2021
On Energy & Oil:
We should help our coal, gas, and oil companies
You've got to look at tiering the severance tax on oil, gas and coal. I told you this years ago. We should help our coal companies, our gas companies, our oil companies. We should help them in every way to continue to create jobs and to go on and on
all we can. But you know, my family's been in the coal business forever. And I'm going to tell you that when profits rise to levels that are beyond our imaginations, we ought to be willing to step up and pay just a little tiny bit more.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature
Feb 10, 2021
On Government Reform:
Create cabinet posts on tourism & economic development
I am asking you to elevate cabinet level agencies to secretaries of cabinets in two areas.
You see, I am hung up like crazy on tourism and economic development. I am asking you to create two agencies, two new cabinet positions.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature
Feb 10, 2021
On Principles & Values:
God is responsible for miracle of West Virginia
And every day--the definition of coincidence--an everyday occurrence in which God chooses to remain anonymous. Think about it. How in the world could a little state that's the poorest, how in the world could we absolutely charge to the front
like we've charged? How right behind all of that could we have handled what we handled in Covid like we've handled it? I'm telling you it is truly the miracle of West Virginia.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature
Feb 10, 2021
On Tax Reform:
Repeal income tax; increase sales tax 1 «%, add wealth tax
I am asking all of you to join me to repeal the income tax in the State of West Virginia. We're going to have to raise sales taxes by one and a half percent. We need to look at putting an additional tax on cigarettes and soda.
We need to bring into taxation our professional services as well. And then you need to have a wealth tax, a tax on those that are very, very, well to do, that can pay just pay just a little bit extra.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature
Feb 10, 2021
On Technology:
Do everything we can to blanket state with broadband
We made some really, really bold steps for broadband, did we not? West Virginia is deficit on broadband beyond belief. We need to do any and everything we can to blanket our state with broadband. It will make us better and
better and better, and the opportunities just abound everywhere. It is the next highway construction project. We absolutely have fed dollars now pouring in, and we have real progress in broadband, but we got to do more. That's just all there is to it.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature
Feb 10, 2021
Page last updated: Feb 24, 2022